About the job

Job summary

These roles are based in the Health and Disability Support Directorate, which brings together all policy and analysis of DWP’s main disability benefits: Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Industrial Injuries Disability Benefit (IIDB). The Directorate also has responsibility for major reform of the way we assess eligibility for incapacity benefits and the conditions set for those with health conditions across working-age means-tested and contributory benefits. As a Policy Team Leader within DHSD, you will have the opportunity to work at the heart of policy making within the Department, working closely with senior officials and Ministers in DWP on issues that impact the lives of millions of customers. You will be expected to be an active member of your Division and Directorate’s extended leadership team, ensuring that the Directorate remains an excellent and inclusive place to work.

Job description

We are recruiting for two posts in the Health and Disability Support Directorate.

Disability Benefits Division

The Disability Benefits Division is responsible for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) strategy and policy issues. We work closely with the Secretary of State and the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work. 

Our team priorities are:

• Ensuring the safe transition from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payment.
• Managing legal and fiscal risks within Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance. 
• Ensuring we continuously improve the way in which Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance is delivered.
• Stewardship of the Motability scheme.  

The successful candidate will lead a policy team responsible for DLA, stewardship of the Motability scheme and International issues. The postholder will:

• Lead a team of policy professionals.
• Be responsible for the policy and provide high quality advice and briefing to Ministers and senior officials.
• Work across organisational boundaries, and with key partners, to deliver outcomes.
• Take major decisions affecting the direction and delivery of the policy, assessing risk and advising on mitigation and assessing the consequences of proposed changes, both internally and externally.
• Provide policy rationale in responses to PQs, Correspondence, and Submissions.

Disability Strategy Division

The Disability Strategy division is responsible for developing and implementing the policies, tests and trials announced in the Health and Disability White Paper published in March 2023 – as well as health and disability benefits strategy more broadly and leading health conditionality policy across all working-age means-tested and contributory benefits. Following the publication of the White Paper, the team is now working to develop the future of Health and Disability policy with the ambition to have a Bill ready for the first session of the next Parliament.

The successful candidate will lead a policy team responsible for the development of the health journey and conditionality under the Structural Reform model. More specifically the postholder will:

•  Lead a team of policy professionals.
• Take major decisions on the health journey and conditionality policy after structural reform in partnership with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including other policy teams, analysts, legal, Private Office, and operations.
• Work closely with the Bill team to prepare to take and defend legislation through Parliament.
• Draft and deliver (including in-person) high quality advice and briefing for Ministers and senior officials on structural reform which takes into account the bigger picture, including latest evidence and analysis, to reduce levels of economic inactivity.
• Develop and communicate a test and learn approach to fill significant evidence gaps in the design and implementation of this policy in partnership with Programme teams, analysts and operations.
• Lead adhoc strategic work/projects in this area in response to Ministerial priorities.

Person specification

Experience Key Criteria

• Experience of leading policy development on relevant areas – you will demonstrate your ability to lead a diverse team, setting strategic direction in a fast paced and complex environment. We will need to see how you develop expertise and build collaborative relationships internally and beyond to deliver policy reforms and outcomes. (Lead Criteria)
• Ability to deliver high quality advice and briefing for Ministers and senior officials, building trust and credibility and influencing decisions – we will need to see how you articulate with purpose and clarity in verbal and written formats, communicating clearly and persuasively to Ministers and senior officials.
• Experience of aligning your area to strategic priorities, understanding analysis and evidence, and working with diverse stakeholders - including across organisational boundaries - to understand policy issues.
• Ability to reassess and prioritise workloads and manage competing demands, to deliver outcomes at pace.
• Experience leading inclusive, diverse teams.

We particularly welcome people from ethnic minority backgrounds applying as they are under-represented groups in DWP; and applications from people able to work from our Leeds and Sheffield hubs.

To understand more about DWP and Policy Group – and full information on applying for this vacancy - you must read the attached Candidate Pack. 

Benefits

• An employer pension contribution of up to 27%
• Generous annual leave entitlement of 25 days for new entrants 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
• Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities
• Time off volunteering and charitable giving
• Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more
• Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket

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 and Experience.

1. Application & Sift

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The CV is for reference only and will not be scored.

A sift will be carried out using your 1250 word Personal Statement.

Your personal statement needs to set out evidence of how your experience meets all the Experience Key Criteria set out below and not the published behaviours listed in this advert.

We are not looking at how much time you have spent in a job, but rather how you have performed. Your Personal Statement must show demonstrable evidence of what you did, how you did it, and what outcome was achieved. This should include the impact of your approach and evidence of your ability to take forward different approaches in different 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. In the event of a large number of applications, meeting the pass standard for the lead criteria ‘Experience of leading policy development on relevant areas’ will determine if the other criteria are scored. 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. 

2. Interview Stage

If you are successful at the sift you will be invited to a MS Teams interview. The interview will comprise of Behaviour-Based questions and a 5 minute presentation. The guidance on Success Profiles explains these selection tools. The Behaviours being assessed are detailed in the job advert. 

Behaviours:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Note that the Behaviours will be assessed at interview stage only.

More details on the presentation will be issued to candidates who are successful at sift.

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.

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.

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

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

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. 

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.

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.