About the job

Job summary

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.

This is an opportunity to fill a stretching role in one of the Department’s top priority areas. Good quality, flexible and resilient infrastructure is crucial to delivering a health and care system that is fit for the demands of the future and is key to unlocking the productivity targets set out in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.  DHSC invests roughly £12bn a year in capital projects that transform services across the whole system – from building and upgrading hospitals, to investing in health protection infrastructure and supported housing to help people live independently for longer.

The Capital Directorate plays a crucial role throughout the life of capital investment – from setting the overall direction across the system through delivery of a national Capital Strategy, to negotiating with HMT for funding settlements and driving efficient use of capital budgets across NHS and non-NHS systems.

The postholder will work in the Capital Strategy team, working closely with the other G6-led teams in the branch (NHS estates Strategy & Policy and NHS Capital Finance). The successful candidate will also become the main point of contact for policy teams across the Department to understand their priorities for long-term infrastructure funding to develop a national Capital Strategy and prepare for the next Spending Review.

Job description

The Capital Strategy team is central part of the Infrastructure Strategy & Capital Funding branch. Its primary role is to ensure that the Department sets a long-term infrastructure vision for the health and care system, and that the NHS and wider health and care partners secure funding settlements to deliver high quality infrastructure for the current and future needs of our population.

The successful candidate will lead the strategic development of the Department’s Capital Spending Review bid. They will work closely with NHS England, policy teams and think tanks to communicate a robust, strategic case to Treasury and secure a capital settlement that enables delivery of high-quality health and care infrastructure.

This role will play a crucial part in the delivery of the Department’s Long-Term Capital Strategy to set a clear vision for how investment in health and care infrastructure will enable the delivery of a health and care system fit for the future demands of our population. This will involve working closely with NHS England and across government to develop a clear understanding of future health and care infrastructure need, and utilising this to inform the development of a Long-Term Capital Strategy.

Following confirmation of the Department’s Spending Review settlement, the post holder will work closely with policy/delivery teams, central and strategic finance to support the effective delivery of the Department’s capital settlement through identification of risks and opportunities. They will provide critical advice to make best use of available capital to deliver on Ministerial priorities and wider government commitments.

Person specification

Role responsibilities:

The successful candidate will enable delivery of three key strands of work: 

• Lead strategic development of the Department’s preparations for the next Capital Spending Review bid and the first of the rolling programmes of investment in NHS infrastructure. They will work closely with policy teams, NHS England and think tanks to provide a robust evidence base and case for the investment required to deliver the Department’s long-term vision for health and care infrastructure.
• Support the development and publication of the Department’s long-term Capital Strategy to ensure the national vision for health and care infrastructure is reflected to local health and care systems and enables the delivery of a health and care estate necessary to deliver on the needs of our current and future populations.
• Confidently and strategically communicate NHS and non-NHS infrastructure requirements and the impact of high-quality health and care infrastructure to key government stakeholders - including the Treasury and No 10 - and agree a Spending Review settlement that prioritises health and care infrastructure and enables delivery of cross-government priorities.
• Work closely with senior officials in the Department and Treasury to agree long-term, rolling programmes of investment in NHS infrastructure.
• Work closely with policy teams and central and strategic finance to ensure efficient implementation of the Department’s capital settlement following the next Spending Review settlement.
• Maintain a strategic view of capital allocations, provide critical steers and advise Ministers to enable best use of available capital to deliver Department and Ministerial priorities.
• The role carries line management responsibilities for at least one member of staff, ensuring they are supported in their development.

Key skills and experience required for the role:

Essential: 

• Ability to rapidly develop understanding of new policy areas and their future direction.
• Understanding or a keen interest in wider government priorities that will inform the development of future Spending Review bids and the Capital Strategy.
• Experience networking effectively and leading engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, often senior colleagues, to bring their expertise together and secure their confidence, shaping the direction of travel for relevant policies and strategies.                 
• Ability to interpret, understand and present qualitative and quantitative information, including financial data, in a coherent and persuasive way to a range of stakeholders, both verbally and through clear and concise written briefings.
• Be able to work flexibly at pace and resilience to changing priorities.
• Comfortable with taking initiative and proactively drive forward priorities.

Desirable: 

• Experience preparing for and or/leading Spending Review bids.
• Experience with strategy development.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,025, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £10,806 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 and Experience.

Sift date: expected W/C 18/12/23

Interview date: expected W/C 8/01/24

Interview location: Virtual, by video. Further details will be released to candidates who are successful at sift.

The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores. 

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete Behaviours and Statement of Suitability. 

Please use your Statement of Suitability to (in no more than 500 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert. 

Please complete statements on the specified Behaviours (250 word max per statement).

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

An initial sift based on the Lead Behaviour of 'Seeing the Big Picture' and the Statement of Suitability may be held if a large number of applications are received. 

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours and Strengths. 

Candidates will be asked a presentation which will assess a behaviour: 'Seeing the Big Picture'. Details of the presentation question will be issued to candidates with the release of the sift scores.

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here and to find out more information on how to apply visit the Civil Service Careers Website here

Further Information

Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available.

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.

Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance. 

Any move to DHSC 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  

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 dhscrecruitment.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 an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

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 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.

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

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

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

This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:

• Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
• Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Probation: 6 month probation period

Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above). 

Existing DHSC staff, appointed on either level transfer or promotion

If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

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.