About the job

Job summary

We’re recruiting a Clinical Policy Advisor to deliver up to date and evidence based clinical and health-related advice to DWP in relation to social security and employment issues.

Your role will involve engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, both internal and external to DWP.

You will help shape the experience of millions of users of services like Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment Disability Living Allowance, and Industrial Injuries Disability Benefit.

Job description

We’re looking for someone with clinical experience to join our brilliant DWP Health Policy team.

You will be a true advocate for people who need DWP support. You will provide leaders across government with expert advice which supports decisions affecting people who are out of work or at risk of falling out of work due to their health issues.

With a talented team of clinicians, you will improve the experience and outcomes for millions of vulnerable people who interact with public services at critical times in their lives.

Our clinicians help DWP shape their policies by providing medical advice and connecting with key stakeholders like Government Ministers, NHS England, Department for Health and Social Care, Local & Regional Healthcare Systems and beyond.

Person specification

Use clinical expertise to give the most appropriate advice and shape our clinical governance and policy development.

Understand the importance of quality assurance, and provide critical analysis of the educational material we use to support better disability and functional assessments.

Work alongside a diverse range of stakeholders to make and influence decisions which support our claimants and build trust in our organisation.

Clearly communicate complex messages and concepts to non-medical colleagues to support strategic decision-making.

Use your expert knowledge and analytical skills to consider a range of information and provide confident evidence-based advice and recommendations.

Person specification:

• Clinician with minimum 5 years’ experience post qualification.
• Fully registered with professional regulatory body, holding a licence to practice (RCN, GMC, HCPC, RCOT).
• High level of clinical confidence to solve complex problems.
• Broad range of clinical experience and knowledge, with experience of working in the NHS and/or within functional assessment centres.
• Inclusive leader recognising the innate value of diverse experience.
• Educational, Public health or Occupational health awareness/ experience desirable
• No conditions on registration unless they relate solely to a disability

Essential Key Criteria:

• High level of clinical confidence including a broad range of clinical experience and knowledge with experience of working in the NHS and/or within functional assessment centres.
• Knowledge of evidence-based medicine and critical appraisal skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to translate complex material into simple explanations.
• Good organisational skills with the ability to adapt, influence and solve problems at pace.
• Ability to work as a team in an inclusive way, leading by example.

Benefits

• An employer pension contribution of 27.9% to 30.3% 
• Family friendly flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid working, job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours 
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities 
• Time off volunteering and charitable giving 
• Indemnity insurance cover for work within DWP
• Professional regulatory body fees reimbursed

Location

Applicants should apply for suitable posts where they can travel to and from their home office location daily within a reasonable time.   

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed 

Hybrid Working

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home.  This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

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.

Application

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement (1250 words max). Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

How to apply

There are two elements to the selection process comprising of a sift, and the interview stage.

Stage 1 Sift

The first stage of the application will focus on your CV.

Only candidates demonstrating the minimum 5 years of clinical experience on their CV will have their personal statement considered.

The personal statement needs to set out evidence of how your experience meets all the Experience Key Criteria listed above in a maximum of 1250 words.

You should not provide examples of the behaviours listed in this advert, these will be tested if you are invited to an interview. 

Please read the guidance in relation to success profiles.

We are not looking at how much time you have spent in a job, but rather how you performed and what you have achieved in the role. Your Personal Statement must demonstrate clear evidence of what you did, how you did it and the outcome achieved, as well as evidence of your personal impact and your ability to take forward different approaches depending on the circumstances.

The standards detailed in the Experience Key Criteria are the minimum expectations for the role and only candidates with the strongest evidence will be invited to interview.  Candidates will have to meet the standard for all criteria to progress to interview.

Your statement must not exceed 1250 words and you are advised to take advantage of the full word count.

Stage 2 Interview

If you are successful at Stage 1 then you will be invited to an interview. At the interview stage we will assess candidates using a blended interview approach. The interview will comprise of both Behaviour and Strength-Based questions. The guidance on Success Profiles explains these selection tools. The Behaviours being assessed are detailed in the job advert, because of the nature of Strength-Based questions you will not be told which Strengths are being assessed.

Sift/interview dates and location

Successful candidates will be invited for interview in early January. 

Please note that interviews will be conducted in person in London.

Full details will be provided for those applicants invited to book an interview.   

When applying for these roles, you will be required to state in preference order which of the three Policy Group Hub locations you can work from, Sheffield, Leeds, and London. Please be aware these roles can only be carried out in the UK, not overseas, and your office base must be one of the three Policy Group Hubs. Appointments may be made to candidates in merit order based on location preferences and geographical requirements  

By indicating your preferred Policy Group hub location(s) in your application you are stating that you are willing to accept a post in any of your chosen hub location(s). 

• Quarry House, Leeds, LS2 7UA 
• Caxton House, Tothill St, London, SW1H 9NA 
• King’s Court, Hanover Way, Sheffield, S3 7UF 

The Department is committed to promoting flexible ways of working, whilst enabling the business to operate at maximum efficiency and will expect colleagues to work from a blend of locations, including some time working at home, as required

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

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

Any move to DWP 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 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. 

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.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing.

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

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

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

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

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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.