About the job

Job summary

We’re excited to recruit our very first Data Lead role in DWP Digital, supporting the transformation of the Departments Digital Workplace.

A key objective which drives us is to ‘embed a culture that demands real-time data insights to predict and prevent live service performance issues and drive modern ways of working adoption’. 

You will join the leadership team in the Collaboration & Communication Services (C&CS) division, delivering Microsoft 365 products and services consumed by 115k users across DWP and trusted partner organisations based across 800+ sites.

You will provide expert guidance on the role and value of data in achieving outcomes based on your deep technical expertise in one or more areas such as data engineering, data governance, data science or performance analysis.

You will lead a multi-disciplinary team of 15 data engineers & performance analysts to run data and analytics services for the C&CS division.  You will also have operational delivery ownership for Microsoft Sentinel services that support the C&CS team and wider Digital functions. 

You will also have operational delivery ownership for Microsoft Sentinel services that support the wider C&CS division and other DWP Digital functions. 

Job description

You will be a data evangelist and champion of the DWP's Data Strategy, providing strategic vision for data products and services, championing data-driven decision making and modernising data delivery.

Your passion will be backed up with delivery of timely quality outcomes, providing the right resources to do the job, reviewing and adjusting performance expectations and rewarding success.

You will be involved in 25+ projects as well as supporting 20+ primarily Microsoft products. These existing and new projects/products will require you to continuously challenge and drive a digital/data performance model mindset and deliver data solutions that meet agreed objectives and measures.

You will discover, innovate and continuously improve data usage to support decision making and improve the products and services provided to all users.

You will have a knowledge of data techniques, however are not necessarily seen as a Subject Matter Expert for any particular technique. 

You are a leader and a manager of a multi-disciplinary team of 15 data engineers & performance analysts who run data and analytics services for the C&CS division.

You will be working day-to-day in a Microsoft 365 ecosystem, leading on and using tools native to those products as well as having operational delivery ownership for Microsoft Sentinel services.

This is the first Data Lead role in DWP Digital and therefore you will play a pivotal role in establishing the Data Lead community, building strong relationships between data peers in DWP and other government organisations to encourage innovation, reuse and avoid duplication. 

Person specification

When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria below:

Experience:

• Strong and extensive background working in data roles (such as data engineering, data governance, data science or performance analysis).
• Experience building, developing, and coaching diverse data teams whether data science, performance analysts or engineering teams. Ensuring teams are supported to be successful and wellbeing is valued.
• A proven track record of building partnerships with senior stakeholders, communicating and presenting to persuade and influence others, outlining the benefits of data skills and capabilities, managing scrutiny, challenge and competing priorities.
• Experience driving quality and impact of analytics strategies, digital solutions and outcomes, balancing the theoretical and practical aspects of technical, business, and time constraints with proven quantifiable benefits.

 Technical skills:

• Technical breadth – Has a deep understanding of the technical concepts required in their role and understands how these fit into the wider technical landscape. This should include technical expertise of one or more of: Microsoft sources, Microsoft Sentinel service and logs, Graph API, Azure Application Insights, Teams Call Quality Dashboard, M365 Admin Centre Reports, Teams Rooms Pro Management (MTRs) and example Non-Microsoft sources, SNOW, ServiceNow, Systrack, HR Platforms.
• Data analysis and synthesis – Provides direction to team and leads on change with regards to factors that feed into analysis. Monitors changes in the technical environment and manages associated risks. Directs and influences others on digital/data performance model mindset and uses this to drive team objectives, best practice and policy.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact Felicity.Smith@dwp.gov.uk

Benefits

• An employer pension contribution of up to 27% For further information please click here.
• Annual leave rising up to 30 days, (based on your working pattern).
• 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 this could include industry recognised qualifications, coaching and mentoring.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join staff networks including: Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

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.

Salary Information

Pay for this role is from £69,869 to £89,995.

The maximum salary for the grade is £77,740, however a Digital Allowance of up to £12,225 per annum is available for exceptional candidates, based on our assessment of your skills and experience.

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current salary.

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion may move to the bottom of the next grade pay scale or 10% increase in salary whichever would be the greater.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Stage 1: Application

Your application will consist of three parts:

1. A Personal Details application form.

2. Your employment history detailing your responsibilities, skills, accomplishments, plus your qualifications and relevant training. Please copy this information into the box field provided.

3. Personal statement up to 1250 words. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria listed in Person Specification.

The sift panel will use the information in your employment history and personal statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge against the essential criteria. You will be provided with one combined overall assessment score for both your CV and Personal Statement. 

Important Information

• You will be asked to complete your employment history any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.
• Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.
• If your employment history/personal statement contains any personal details your application will be withdrawn.

Stage 2: Interview

If you’re successful at sift stage you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the experiences listed in the essential criteria and the following technical skills: 

• Technical breadth – Has a deep understanding of the technical concepts required in their role and understands how these fit into the wider technical landscape.
  This should include technical expertise of one or more of: Microsoft sources, Microsoft Sentinel service and logs, Graph API, Azure Application Insights, Teams Call Quality Dashboard, M365 Admin Centre Reports, Teams Rooms Pro Management (MTRs) and example Non-Microsoft sources, SNOW, ServiceNow, Systrack, HR Platforms.
• Data analysis and synthesis – Provides direction to team and leads on change with regards to factors that feed into analysis. Monitors changes in the technical environment and manages associated risks. Directs and influences others on digital/data performance model mindset and uses this to drive team objectives, best practice and policy.

You will be asked to do a 10 minute presentation on a specific topic. This will assess you against the Technical Skills above.  Further details will be provided to candidates invited to interview. 

To help you prepare and settle into the interview you will be sent the experience and technical questions in advance of the interview, 7 days prior to your interview. These questions should be treated as confidential and should not be shared. The interview panel may ask you other questions which will not be shared in advance, including follow-up questions, and those about your experience and technical abilities.

Interviews will take place from Late February 2024. 

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 DigitalRecruitment.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.

For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How We Recruit page

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Reserve list candidates will be posted in merit order by location.

You must meet the security requirements before you can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers.

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.

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 security 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.