About the job

Job summary

Do you have a passion for public service? Would you like to make a difference to someone’s life? If so, we would like to hear from you. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) help people lift themselves out of poverty and to stay out of poverty, through work, saving and support. This is a hugely important public service, and our challenge is bigger than ever.    

As part of Counter Fraud Compliance and Debt Directorate (CFCD) you will be at the heart of DWP front line operations helping to change people lives and supporting CFCD’s purpose of fighting fraud in the welfare system. 

As part of our Universal Credit (UC) Debt Impacting Team, you will have a varied and exciting role which is unique and challenging.  As a member of our team, you will help drive down the level of fraud and error and improve the customer journey through excellent stakeholder engagement.

Job description

Successful candidates can expect to:

• Continuously work to improve customers experience of our service. Deliver quality outcomes and meet our Debt strategic objectives.
• Represent Debt Management as a stakeholder across Department for Work and Pensions. Influence, drive, and review changes to improve service for customers and colleagues.
• Identify, engage, and listen to all stakeholders, creating an open and inclusive environment where all are encouraged to contribute their views.
• Evaluate and review lessons learned to improve delivery of future changes.
• Communicate effectively using the most appropriate channel.
• Provide accurate information for Universal Credit complex cases, evidence gathering to support business case, testing and Proof of Concept.
• Managing competing priorities to providing prompt, accurate information for complex Member of Parliament (MP) enquiries and complaints. Taking action to prevent further incorrectness.
• Support and respect each other as a team. Be a role model for others and create an environment where constructive challenge is encouraged.
• Directly line manage a team, provide clear, visible and strong leadership.  Undertake regular performance reviews, provide coaching, Learning and 1-2-1s to develop skills.

Person specification

What we are looking for in our Debt Expert Partnership Manager:   

• Effective planning and prioritisation of workloads.
• Work with Universal Credit when developing their changes that impact on Debt Management.
• Engage with stakeholders at all levels across Department for Work and Pensions. Discuss and take forward Universal Credit and Debt Management issues.
• Keeping colleagues at all levels including Senior Leaders regularly updated.
• Mapping and delivering new processes and guidance for new items of work.
• Design and deliver presentations and information for a wide range of stakeholders at different levels.  
• Support Change Managers across Department for Work and Pensions including Universal Credit, Enabling Services Group and Service Planning and Delivery as a subject matter expert on Debt Management and a good working knowledge of Universal Credit.
• A high level of emotional intelligence, honesty, integrity and a personal demeanour that inspires confidence and loyalty.  
• Understand of the political context within which Department for Work and Pensions operates. Ability to set the vision for your stakeholders and team, with an awareness of wider long-term aims for CFCD. 
• Travel between sites may be required depending on business needs.

Key Criteria

Your evidence will be assessed against the following Key Criteria. You must provide specific examples to demonstrate this criteria in your personal statement.

• Using your subject matter expertise in Debt Management and good working knowledge of Universal Credit, drive improvement and change successfully by working in partnership across a wide range of stakeholders.

Desirable Skills 

• If based in Wales, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable. 

Benefits

With great benefits including:   

• enerous annual leave – 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus bank holidays and one day of leave for the King’s Birthday. The exact number of days of annual leave will be determined by any current years of service.  
• Competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave we also recognise the importance of a good work-life balance and offer flexible working and a family friendly approach to work.  
• Training and apprenticeships and up to 5 days’ personal development & learning allowance.  
• Flexible/hybrid working.  
• Employee discount schemes.  
• Free wellbeing support.  
• Opportunities to make a real difference through joining forums, initiatives & charities.  
• Interest free travel loans.  
• Vodafone advantage discount scheme.  
• Highly sought-after civil service pension - your pension is a valuable part of your total reward package where:  
• The employer makes a significant contribution to the cost of your pension.  Your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken. This means, if you pay tax, your take-home pay will not be reduced by the full amount of your contribution.  Your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire.  For more information, visit www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk  

Location  

The role can be based at either:

John Rideal House, Shambles Street, Barnsley S70 2SA, or  Treforest, Tŷ Taf, Main Avenue, Treforest Industrial Estate, Pontypridd CF37 5YN.

Travel between sites may be required depending on business needs

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.

Stage 1 - Application and Sift     

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a Personal Statement in no more than 1000 words detailing the relevant skills and experience you can bring to the role, based on the Key Criteria listed. Please pay particular attention to the Key Criteria, if you do not demonstrate this on your application, you will not progress to interview stage. The written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences.   

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

When completing your Personal Statement, please read and understand the Key Criteria thoroughly, as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Your layout is entirely your preference. You may choose narrative, bullets, etc. 

Please ensure you evidence the key personal requirements, what have you done that’s relatable to the requirements. You don’t have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why. What you can do, the skills you have that are transferable to the key requirements, and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role.     

If you do not have work-based examples then please give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in. You don’t have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. 

**Please note the closing date for your full application is 23:55 on 16/04/2024**        

Sift scheduled to be held 19/04/2024 to 26/04/2024. These dates may be subject to change.  

Stage 2 - Interview      

Those who pass the Written Application Sift with the required score will be invited to a blended interview and will receive an electronic notification to their Civil Service Jobs account.      

Please note that interviews will be via video using Microsoft Teams and you will need to use your personal or work device to access the video link. You will receive a link to join the interview at the appointed time through the email account you provide us with on your application.      

Interviews are scheduled to take place week commencing 13.05.2024. Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. Interviews will be scheduled Monday to Friday, between 09:00 to 17:00.     

Communications will be electronic and/or by telephone therefore it is vitally important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder. Telephone calls may show as a withheld number, it is important that you answer so that your interview can be confirmed.     

Preparing for the Interview   

The interview will take approximately 40 minutes where you will be asked a mixture of Behaviour and Strength based questions. A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation offering a more inclusive approach. The Behaviour and Strength based questioning explores not only what you the candidate can and has done, but also your potential.   

Behaviours     

You will be assessed against the Civil Service Behaviours listed above at Level 3. To help you prepare and settle into the interview you will be sent the behaviour questions in advance of the 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 strengths.     

An example of a Behavioural question would be “Tell me about a time when you’ve had to deal with a difficult customer.”     

It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed or a situation you have been in and use the WHO or STAR model to explain:         

• WHO - What it was, how you approached the work/situation and what the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? or     
• STAR - What was the Situation? That were the Tasks? What Action did you take?  What were the Results of your actions?     

Strengths     

It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role.      

While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this.     

If you do not have work-based examples then please give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.       

If you withdraw your application at any stage, it will not be progressed any further.      

Stage 3 – Offer     

Once all interviews have been completed, candidates will be notified of the outcome by email. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first. The successful candidate(s) will be notified of a start date following successful security checks, which is likely to be from June 2024.    

Some need-to-know information.     

It is important that you take time to read the Candidate Pack which can be found at the bottom of this job advert. This provides further information about the role and working in DWP.    

Important information  

Please note   

Successful part time and job share candidates may be required to work full time for specific periods to complete and consolidate training.   

Working Pattern​   

Part-time and job-sharing working patterns within working hours will be considered but must meet business needs. We will do our best to let people with existing part time contracts retain their contracted hours provided they are in line with current business needs.  

Hours of Work ​   

The full-time working week in DWP is 37 hours. You may be required to work at any time between the hours of: ​   

• 7:45am and 8:00pm on any day between Monday to Friday, and​  
• 8:45am to 5:00pm on Saturday.​  

Managers will agree working patterns with successful applicants within these business hours and review these as appropriate.  ​     

You will be given advance notice of your personal schedule.   

Please note: 

• If you are offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances*.     
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.   

*Note - Exceptional circumstances could be when a candidate has requested a contractual Part Time Working Pattern and this pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered, or in cases of serious ill health.   

Candidates should also note that if successful in this campaign, you will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before applying for any other lateral moves within DWP.    

Further information   

Find out more about Working for DWP  

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 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.   

DWP takes development seriously. Our aim is for our colleagues in these roles to be appropriately skilled and qualified – as determined by the business. To support this aim you may be required to undertake a work-based qualification, which may be in the form of an apprenticeship, which will support you in further developing your professional knowledge and skills for this role and your future career development. The qualification can be undertaken in work time, you agree to take this job on the basis that you may be required to undertake a work-based qualification; a candidate’s failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, may be a breach of their employment contract.    

If DWP decides that it is no longer a requirement for you to undertake and attain a work-based qualification, it will release you from this obligation. Any decision to release you from this obligation will not be a breach of contract by DWP.   

Important   

If you hold a level 3 qualification (2 A levels or equivalent) then please bring your certificates with you to the interview if you have them.  

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.    

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.    

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

Reasonable Adjustments  

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 “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 are 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.