About the job

Job summary

The Communities and Integration Directorate sits at the heart of the Government’s aim to level up opportunities for everyone and deliver DLUHC’s goal to establish socially and economically stronger communities. The Directorate leads on supporting communities, reducing inequality, tackling social harms and bringing people together. Working with local partners and other parts of the Government, we are focused on a number of priorities, including: 

• Promoting greater understanding between faith communities and others 
• Delivering race equality and levelling up opportunity through our work with Windrush communities 
• Pioneering integration and social cohesion work 
• Tackling hate crime, community tensions and religious hatred 
• Promoting societal resilience
• Developing a transformative programme of counter-extremism work including use of data and evidence gathering, responding  to incidents of civil unrest, and supporting communities to recover from terrorist or extremist events
• Support local community spaces including parks and greenspaces 
• Ensuring that public bodies function as a shared space for all and focus on their core purpose rather than take partisan stances that undermine community cohesion.

Job description

The role holder will work in the counter-extremism team and be responsible for provide intelligence assessments on strategic and operational priorities for DLUHC, as well as lead on completing due diligence reports for senior officials in DLUHC. Role holders will develop significant subject matter expertise on various elements of the Counter Terrorism Security Act 2015 landscape, and work with experts from across HMG. 
Given the range of work, the role is an excellent opportunity for someone with little experience in the field, to come in and learn and develop from working alongside subject matter authorities.

This post is ideally for those who are currently working in or have previously worked in an intelligence or research and analysis role, though we will consider other relevant experiences. 

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

•    Supporting a mixture of intelligence assessment products on extremism, working closely with analysts across HO & DLUHC and other relevant teams across the system.

•    Undertaking research by using a wide range of sources including intelligence products from across the community, open source, frontline practitioners such as Prevent Co-ordinators and academics.

•   Delivering regular due diligence reports at pace, to advise government engagement and funding decisions. Particularly, project management of due diligence commissions from DLUHC with oversight from HO and DLUHC leads.

•    Presenting analytical findings clearly to a range of stakeholders and developing knowledge on extremism and radicalisation from which HMG partners can draw from.

•    Supporting on RIPA/data protection questions and ensuring DLUHC remains adherent to data protection legislations.  

Person specification

Essential Criteria

•    Experience in undertaking complex research using a wide range of sources, with the ability to provide robust critical analysis in identifying credible research sources. Previous experience within government intelligence isn’t required, but a willingness to learn is expected.

•    Excellent analytical and problem solving skills and outstanding application of analytical thinking. Strong ability to assess large amounts of information at pace.

•    Ability to operate in a fast-paced environment under tight time constraints, remaining flexible and adaptable.

•    Experience in managing competing priorities and delivering to short deadlines. 

•    Confident written and oral communication skills, with a skill for communicating with colleagues and external stakeholders at all levels (in particular writing reports such as submissions and assessments). 

•    Excellent team player who is willing to learn and support differing team priorities.

Desirable criteria
•    Experience in conducting research in extremism, terrorism, or international affairs.

•    Experience of working in Whitehall on Counter-Extremism, Counter-Terrorism or communities intelligence analysis.

•    Experience in forming analytical conclusions and making recommendations with incomplete evidence.

•    Knowledge of extremist ideologies and the process of radicalisation into extremism. 

Important information:
•    The successful applicant will be required to hold or initially gain Counter Terrorism Clearance (CTC) level before taking up the post. Once in post, applicants will be required to upgrade to Security Clearance (SC) clearance level if not already held.
•    This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
•    This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
•    As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

       -A CV detailing job history/qualifications/skills
       -A statement of suitability (personal statement) (maximum 750 words)
       -Provide evidence of the behaviour (delivering at pace) (250 words maximum) 
•    The statement of suitability should be aligned to demonstrate your skills and experience for the role and how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job description.
•    The sift will be held on the behaviour and the statement of suitability (personal statement). The CV will not be scored.
•    if a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead behaviour - Delivering at Pace. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift.
•    If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview which will be strength and behaviour-based questions. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,178, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities contributes £8,688 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.

We are for everyone 

At DLUHC we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce. We promote equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment and a working environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation. 

 We would strongly recommend that applicants get in touch with the vacancy manager to find out more information about this role. 

 We are for everyone 

 

CV and Cover Letter Declaration 

We recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - this is called name blind recruitment. 

Please remove references to your: 

• name/title
• educational institutions
• age
• gender
• email address
• postal address
• phone number
• nationality/immigration status

You will need to merge your CV and covering letter into one document. When submitting your application Applied will ask you to upload a CV, when doing this you should upload your merged document of your CV and covering letter. 

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that your application would be viewed by different assessors. 

At sift, through your covering letter we will be assessing: 

Experience 

Technical Ability 

In your CV and covering letter, please include:  
 
a. why you are interested in the role; 
b. how you meet the essential skills and experience required 

At sift, we will also be assessing 

Behaviour: Delivering at Pace (Lead Behaviour) 

There is a 250 word limit per question. 

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead behaviour listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progress straight to assessment/interview  

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of experience, behaviour and strength based questions as listed in the advert.   

Behaviours: Delivering at Pace, Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together 

In full the campaign will test the below Success Profile Elements: 

Experience:  Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description 

Technical: Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description. 

Strength: The strength based questions will require natural responses from the candidates. 

Behaviours: Delivering at Pace, Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together

We do not consider direct CV applications – you must apply for this role via the application link on Civil Service Jobs: 

Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign 

HEO salary 

• The salary for this role is £32,178 (National). 
• For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If you apply for a role that requires a transfer of location, for example if you are transferring from London to a National location, your salary will be adjusted in accordance with our policy on transfer between HQ pay ranges. 

Please note that the average employer pension contribution is based upon the National minimum salary for this role. Should your agreed starting salary for this role be different, the average employer pension contribution will be calculated accordingly. If you are a Secondee, this will not apply as you will remain on your home organisation’s terms and conditions.   

Benefits 

Transfers across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018: 

Any move to DLUHC 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. 

For further information about the benefits available to DLUHC employees, please see the attached Candidate Pack. 

 

Location 

• Manchester
• Bristol
• Wolverhampton 
• Darlington* 

There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role. 

*Please note: The Darlington Economic Campus is a pioneering new cross-government hub which will bring together people across departments and public organisations to play an active role in the most important economic issues of the day. The work of the Campus will make a real difference to people both across the UK and internationally. There will be substantial career opportunities and exciting prospects - a career at the Campus means you will be working at the heart of Government, with access to the benefits and fantastic opportunities offered by the civil service.  This role is based at DLUHC and we will be joined on the campus by: 

• HM Treasury  
• Department for International Trade 
• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy  
• Office for National Statistics  
• Department for Education 

For further information on the DEC, please take a look at the attached DEC candidate pack. 

Sift and Interview dates 

Sifting is envisaged to take place from 16/01/2024 with interview dates to be confirmed. All interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall. 

Reserve List 

In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details on a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Due to the length of time CTC checks can take, our HR Shared Services team will contact reserve list candidates for London based roles to commence CTC checks. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact recruitment@levellingup.gov.uk to be removed from the reserve list. 

CTC (Counter-terrorism Clearance): 

Important note 

Successful candidates for roles based in our 2 Marsham Street building must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete. 
 
Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the CTC security checks – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years. Please refer to the DLUHC Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Counter Terrorism Clearance (CTC).  
 

Candidates should also note that with effect from 1st August 2018 the department will also check all applicants who are successful at interview, against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) held by the Cabinet Office. In accordance with the Civil Service Internal Fraud Policy, any applicant who is included on the IFD will be refused employment by DLUHC. Please see the Candidate Pack for further information on the Internal Fraud Database. 

Before starting your application it’s very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the DLUHC candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules 

Candidate Pack Information 

Please see attached Candidate pack for further information. 

Internal Fraud Database 

The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to DLUHC as a participating government organisations. DLUHC then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.  

For more information please see- Internal Fraud Register 

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.