About the job

Job summary

At the Department for Transport (DfT) we’re working to improve every kind of journey.  We’re harnessing new technology to create safer, more sustainable transport.  And, creating better connections between people and places, we’re enabling greater growth opportunities for communities UK-wide.  It all means that here, you are part of something very different and special.

DfT and our agencies employ around 15,000 staff, of whom about 3800 are in the core Department, and we have the largest and most complex capital project portfolio in Government, delivered principally through delivery partners including Network Rail, HS2 Ltd and National Highways.

We are broadening our presence around the country and are growing new locations in Leeds and Birmingham.

Our strategic aims are:​

• Growing and Levelling Up the Economy​
• Reducing Environmental Impact
• ​Improving Transport for the User

More information about DfT can be found on our website here 

Departmental Vision

All DfT employees are guided by the Civil Service core values of honesty, integrity, impartiality and objectivity.

Everything we do to achieve this is reinforced by our values:

Confidence: to challenge, to take action, to innovate.

Excellence: in our professionalism, in our delivery, in our learning.

Teamwork: we are inclusive, we collaborate and we support each other.

Job description

About the role

Last October Ministers announced that our aim for the Euston Quarter is to maximise the regeneration and housing benefits and deliver an HS2 station funded by the private sector.  They said we would appoint a development company, separate from HS2 Ltd, to manage the delivery of this project, explore the use of a Development Corporation as a possible model to cut through red tape, and transform the Euston quarter, with the potential to unlock as many as 10,000 much-needed homes in London. 

This requires the development and delivery of a complex programme, working closely with a range of partners across Government, our delivery partners, wider stakeholders and the local community.  This role will take the lead on ensuring that we maintain a clear and robust programme, that we and our partners remain aligned around a clear vision and objectives for Euston, and that we work effectively together across multiple organisations.

Strategy

• Lead strategy development across the directorate to ensure alignment in delivering the government’s cross Whitehall agreed objectives for Euston.
• Coordinate business case production and assurance.
• Oversee stakeholder management, communications and briefing
• Provide excellent advice to Ministers on politically sensitive and high-profile investment decisions.

Integration

• Lead on the Department’s integration arrangements at Euston (‘The Euston Partnership’). Sponsor TEP to optimise collaboration across delivery partners and ensure TEP are operating effectively.
• Review the organisational set up as needed in light of decisions on the delivery model for a privately financed Euston and implement any required changes.

Programme

• Oversee the Directorate’s Programme Management capability, to ensure a well-run programme with robust planning, reporting and active risk management
• Oversee effective business management functions for the directorate.
• Lead on the programme’s governance arrangements including running the new Euston Ministerial Task Force and supporting cross-Government engagement with the Euston Partnership Board.
• Coordinate Directorate clienting of cross cutting support functions including analysis, legal and finance business partners.

Leadership and Change

• Lead a team of c. 4 staff within an inclusive and diverse Directorate. Coach and support their development to maintain high performance while delivering a challenging programme.
• Play a full part in the Euston Directorate senior leadership team and work collaboratively with the Transport Requirements sponsor, Development and Delivery Sponsor and Private Finance Sponsor
• Effectively engage with a diverse range of stakeholders – including delivery partners and across government on complex and controversial areas, in order to resolve issues in a collaborative way.

Person specification

You will need to be able to show, through your application, that you have the professional skills, breadth of experience and personal qualities for this post, as well as the leadership skills to succeed at Deputy Director level in the Senior Civil Service.

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their capabilities and experience in the following areas:

• You are an experienced project delivery professional, familiar with infrastructure delivery, and able to deliver at pace and under pressure.
• You will be a talented leader who can motivate and develop a diverse and inclusive team and work effectively across organisational boundaries.
• You have excellent communication skills which you can deploy to build effective relationships, to manage competing views, and to influence stakeholders at the highest levels, colleagues across organisations as well as senior executives from our delivery partners.
• You will be capable of making effective decisions including advising our most senior stakeholders on complex issues and being clear on risks and opportunities.
• You can see the bigger picture and ensure that in delivering our projects we remain outcome focused and deliver benefits that reflect wider Government policy.

Knowledge of the rail or property development sectors is not essential. 

We do not expect you to be the finished article – no-one is.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,000, Department for Transport contributes £20,250 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

Application

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online form. This should be completed no later than 23:55 on 6th May 2024

The application will include:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
• A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.

Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say’.

All monitoring data will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be provided to the selection panel. 

Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with us via scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Shortlist

Your application will be acknowledged when it is received.  

The panel will select a shortlist of candidates whose applications best demonstrate suitability for the role, by considering the evidence provided against the essential criteria set out in the Person Specification.

Candidates applying under the Disability Confident Scheme who meet the minimum selection criteria in the job specification are guaranteed an interview.

Assessment

Shortlisted candidates may be asked to take part in a series of assessments which could include:

• Staff Engagement Exercise - a presentation and Q&A with a representative staff group from across the DfT.

These assessments will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, they are designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.

Interview

You will be asked to attend a panel interview in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.   

The Success Profile Framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate.  As well as Experience, we will also be using the following four behaviours will be used at the interview stage:

• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Seeing the big picture
• Making effective decisions

Further information about Success Profiles can be found here:

Interviews are expected to take place face to face in our London office but a virtual interview can also be arranged.  All shortlisted candidates will be asked to prepare a 5-minute presentation.

Offer and Feedback

Unfortunately, due to the anticipated number of applicants for this role, we are unable to provide feedback to those not successful at shortlist stage. Candidates who are shortlisted and attend an interview will be offered verbal feedback from a member of the interview panel.

The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made, all candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter, and we will advise on any delays.

Expected Timeline

We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for assessments or interviews. You are therefore asked to note the below timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process, in order to meet the dates given. Please note that these dates may be subject to change.

The anticipated timetable is as follows:

Advert Closing Date: 23:55 6th May 2024

Shortlist: W/C 20th May 2024

Assessments: W/C 27th May 2024

Panel Interviews: W/C 3rd June 2024

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.