About the job

Job summary

Would you like to bring your project delivery talents somewhere that’s big enough to be a challenge but small enough that you can really make a difference? If so, come and join our project delivery team at the Insolvency Service. We are the government agency that provides services to those affected by financial distress or failure. We are an executive agency of the Department for Business, and Trade and we play a vital part in promoting long-term economic growth by dealing with financial failure and giving confidence to lend. We work across boundaries within government and collaborate with our partners in the insolvency sector. Our people have a unique blend of talent and exceptional skills. We have 1,800 colleagues and our offices are located across England, Scotland and Wales. Treating each of our customers as an individual and with respect is at the heart of what we do. If you share our vision, and you are ready to drive innovation and push boundaries, we want to hear from you. Join us, and together we will deliver transformational change. For further information on The Insolvency Service, see the candidate information pack attached at the bottom of the advert.

Job description

The Insolvency Service is a leading Government agency which plays a crucial role in providing essential services to the public and to business. The work we do is important to the proper functioning of markets, the economy in general and support for thousands of people each year who are in financial difficulty.  

Inclusive and diverse teams are important to us. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups underrepresented in our workforce. The Insolvency Service strives to ensure that the agency is a safe, inclusive and welcoming place for everybody to bring their true self to work and to help the agency to achieve its diversity objectives. We have 10 active employee network groups available to join or become an ally, these include, Carers Network, Disability & Health, FACES Network Group, Grass Roots, LGBT+, Mind Matters, No Limits, Part Time Workers, The Shed, and Women’s Network Group. 

We offer full-time, part-time, job share and flexible ways of working. We value capability, technical skills and experience and we place great emphasis on lifetime development to support our people. We encourage our employees to become more involved in areas they feel strongly about, whether it be for the benefit of the agency, though our Engagement network or in their own local communities via volunteering opportunities.  

The Insolvency Service is a great place to work, learn and grow your career! 

"A project can’t be delivered by just one person. We need to build strong, flexible, professional and capable teams.” - Nick Smallwood (Head of Government’s Project Delivery Function) The Agency is at an exciting time, driving significant IT and business change for our colleagues and customers as part of a 5-year strategic plan. We are looking for Project Managers to work on projects across the agency that will tangibly improve outcomes for our customers. If you are selected to join us, you will be allocated to lead a project or workstream in either our Corporate Centre or Digital Technology change team. You will be reporting to and supported by one of our Senior Project Managers or Programme Managers. As a project or workstream lead your work will make a significant contribution to our 5- year strategy, enhancing our customer services and making the agency a great place to work. You will need to continuously assess the impact of planned changes on the business and the public services delivered. It will be vital to build strong relationships with critical stakeholders, including working in collaboration with senior colleagues across the agency. You will be expected to manage all aspects of delivery including people, finance, operations, and technology. You will relish working on varied and complex areas of work and thrive in a dynamic and fast paced environment. We are looking for people with a personal commitment to innovation and making a tangible difference to project delivery. Our project management team adopt a culture of being open and honest, demonstrating a commitment to change through their involvement of others and by delivering successful outcomes These roles are "Project Manager 2" on the Government Project Delivery Capability Framework You will be a key part of our agency Project Delivery Profession with access to resources and opportunities from our parent - Department of Business and Trade:

• Supporting individuals to build knowledge, skills and capabilities

• Access to guidance, frameworks and templates

• Communities of Practice allow you to share knowledge, collaborate and network with other Project Delivery Professionals across the Department of Business and Trade and their executive agencies

• Regular news updates on the latest project news and opportunities across government • Ties to the wider government project delivery profession • Access to Project Delivery community events

• Provides the opportunity to shape the future of project delivery in the Department of Business and Trade and Insolvency Service Learning and Development Opportunities

• Government learning platform with a range of Project Delivery related courses and related training opportunities

• Opportunity to undertake industry recognised qualifications such as PRINCE 2 and those offered by the Association of Project Managers (APM)

Responsibilities

Financial authority:

• Manage budgets within delegated financial authority • Produce and monitor financial forecasts supported by project accountant
• Ensure all necessary financial and commercial expenditure approvals are in place Stakeholder relations
• Identify key stakeholders and engage with them using effective communications
• Use influencing and persuasion skills as required with internal and external stakeholders Representation of the Agency
• Act independently and with colleagues in representing the agency with stakeholders on project matters
• Operate as the link between the agency’s operations and other project delivery partners
• Take the lead in specific negotiations with suppliers, partners and other agencies Leadership
• Act as a role model displaying leadership behaviours in accordance with the organisation's ethos
• Encourage, support, reward and develop staff
• Line management of programme and project staff including project specialists as agreed
• Create and collapse teams to deliver specific objectives or products, ensuring clear aims, objectives and deliverables are defined from the outset and monitored throughout

     • Support development of the project delivery profession within the agency 

Person specification

As a Project Manager you will be required to:

• Lead and be responsible for the delivery of projects or individual workstreams through the entire project lifecycle, continuously assessing planned change
• Identify and manage dependencies, milestones, risks, issues and assumptions.
• Compile and communicate information to programme managers, senior project managers, senior leaders and staff across the Agency as required
• Draft project documentation as proportionate to your project/workstream, including compelling business cases with clear benefits management approaches, including clear delivery plans
• Monitor delivery performance against time, cost and quality targets
• Manage conflicting stakeholder demands through negotiation and reprioritisation

You need to demonstrate the following skills and experience:

• Experience of successfully leading through the project lifecycle, in a fast paced, challenging, change environment, responding quickly and flexibly to a wide range of demands
• Successfully building and managing stakeholder relationship networks in a project environment
• Strong planning, monitoring and analytical skills
• Strong communication skills presenting and reporting project delivery updates confidently, and enabling a culture of positive challenge
• Understanding and application of multiple project delivery methodologies
• Experience working in a matrix environment, influencing and leading those outside of direct line management control

It is important to tell us what you will bring to the role that offers unique value. We encourage you to promote yourself and provide evidence to demonstrate what you will bring to the role.

A Q+A session will be held on Monday 22nd July 2:30-3:30pm for any prospective candidates to discuss the role with the team. Please access the session through the link provided.

Essential criteria

These posts require a recognised PPM professional or change management qualification at a relevant level (for example APM PMQ or Prince2 practitioner) or demonstrable equivalent experience and willingness to work towards a suitable qualification in post. Please clearly demonstrate which applies to you throughout your application. Failure to do so will mean that your application is automatically sifted out 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,880, Insolvency Service contributes £11,307 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Ability and Experience.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV,  1000 word personal statement, presentation and behaviours. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. 

Your personal statement should be no more than 1000 words and should outline how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience meet the essential criteria for the role, outlined in the person specification.

 After submission of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Judgement Test. 

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 29th July 2024. If you fail to complete the online tests before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the tests will be available when you are invited to take the tests. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website. 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement lead. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

We will test your ability (Ability - Online test),  and experience as part of the sift process, and if successful, you will be invited to a short interview where we will test your behaviours, strengths and presentation. Full details of the selection process will be made available to shortlisted candidates once the sift has been completed. 

Expected Timeline (subject to change) 

Sift – w/c 29 July 2024 

Interview – w/c  19 August 2024 

Location - MS Teams 

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of this if you are selected for interview. Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process. 

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Insolvency Service from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service / Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Transforming Workplaces

The Insolvency Service is currently delivering an exciting five-year transformation project that started in April 2022 which will define our future direction supporting a gradual migration to a Regional Centre model combined with smarter ways of working. As part of this, transforming our estate will align us with the government modernisation programmes making The Insolvency Service a great place to work.  

We are letting you know about our future plans because if you are joining the Insolvency Service and are recruited into an office over the next five years that is not one of the Regional Centres, you will be expected to move to one of the Regional Centres in the future. This move would not attract financial assistance.   

The 11 Regional Centres are : Birmingham, Cardiff, Croydon, Edinburgh, Exeter, Ipswich, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Stratford.

Hybrid Working

Insolvency Service operates a hybrid working policy subject to business need, giving people the flexibility to choose when and where they work and collaborate with others.

Individuals are expected to work from one of the office locations stated in the advert to connect with their colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs. There is flexibility to split the working week, spending a minimum of 60% in the workplace, which includes the office, site visits, court etc.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via InsolvencyRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.