About the job

Job summary

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.

The NHS Finance team help DHSC to achieve Value for Money from the system in the implementation of its strategic objectives as set out in the NHS Mandate and government priorities. We add value throughout the policy design and implementation cycle by providing financial support and advice to DHSC policy teams and NHS England - acting as a solution-focused ‘critical friend’. Our role is to provide robust challenge of policy design and efficiency options so that policy is successfully delivered with the most appropriate financial package and is aligned to strong financial management principles.

Alongside this we advise on strategic planning and risk management and play a role in ensuring there is assurance over reporting of the financial position of the system to Parliament - ensuring finance is at the heart of decision making to support delivery of strategic policy at the best possible value to the taxpayer.

The successful candidate will be joining an inclusive and supportive team comprising a mix of finance and policy professionals with ample opportunities to learn and develop a range of skills. We welcome applications from candidates who can demonstrate they have the requisite transferable skills to meet the key criteria, whether from a finance background or wider fields. We’ve attracted high quality policy professionals and those from other disciplines to this role previously, who have thrived in the role.

It offers the opportunity to gain and hone skills and experience of financial decision-making and control in the context of areas with the highest strategic impact and priority for Government and the public.  You will be supported to develop these skills, and they can be transferred to a range of future roles, including policy, strategy, and other disciplines.

Job description

We are looking for a motivated SEO, who is looking for a challenging role that will offer the opportunity to shape the department’s productivity agenda.  We work across a full range of stakeholders, as well as teams from across the department and government including HM Treasury.  We are an agile team providing finance policy support across a range of complex policy and strategy areas, including manifesto commitments, workforce, system financial architecture, elective and system recovery, mental health, NHS services including primary care and medicines policy.

The role will be playing an important part in coordinating the department’s response to the cross-Government productivity challenge, including the NHS, Adult Social Care and Public Health.

The oversight and co-ordination of the department’s productivity agenda is through the Departmental Productivity Board.  This will involve development and delivery assurance of plans across health and social care, including the ambition to deliver 1.9% productivity growth in the NHS as set out at Spring Budget.  This will be a key input into the next Spending Review with close working with our Strategic Finance team.  

There are a broad range of exciting and challenging workstreams to which this role can help deliver, including:

• Supporting the delivery of a new Ministerial Board.
• Developing metrics and reporting of progress against commitments.
• Contributing to the development of incentives to deliver productivity improvement.
• Supporting progress tracking of delivery of the NHS productivity plan.
• Developing and maintaining effective programme management for the Spending Review work relating to productivity across the department. 

We are looking for a motivated proactive person who is excited by the opportunity to take ownership of an area of work and work with an existing team of three Grade 7s, an SEO and a Fast Streamer. 

The role involves a high degree of stakeholder engagement and influencing and requiring developed strategic awareness across DHSC, ALBs and HMT.  It is an excellent opportunity for a policy professional to develop a good understanding of government finance, or for a finance professional to build their understanding of strategic finance issues, with strong links to the team preparing for the next Spending Review.

Person specification

Role responsibilities:

Stakeholder management:

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with teams internally and across the wider public sector including HM Treasury, No.10 and NHS England to develop DHSC’s productivity strategy and delivery plans.
• Contribute to management of the agenda for the senior officials’ Productivity Board and Ministerial Board.
• Liaise with other governance boards to escalate risks, issues and mitigations (e.g. Long Term Workforce Board and Financial Sponsorship & Accountability Board).

Briefing and advice:

• Contribute to clear and concise briefing to ministers and senior officials on whether proposed strategies meet objectives, decisions around investment proposals, negotiations with HMT and wider productivity policy development.
• Manage external and parliamentary interest in productivity policy, supporting the coordination meetings, correspondence, and press lines.

Support system to develop productivity plans:

• Support engagement with NHSE, Adult Social Care and Public Health colleagues to support development of coherent productivity strategies and plans:
  • Assess the extent to which proposals translate into real-world improved productivity improvements,
  • Ensure actions from cross-government conversations and feedback is incorporated into iterations of the plan,
  • Understand and test with partners the case for associated investment, and where prioritisation and trade-offs should be made if they become necessary, and
  • Test and monitor interdependencies within the productivity strategy and plans.
• Develop and maintain effective programme management for the Spending Review work relating to productivity across the department, ensuring relevant stakeholders are prepared for the process and supported to provide compelling products when required and providing insight to DHSC Spending Review team.
• Work closely with the G7 policy leads to think creatively and strategically, operating flexibly as thinking develops.

Implementation planning:

• Support tracking of progress on delivery and execution of plans including the NHS productivity plan.

Key skills and experience required for the role:

• Interest in, and understanding of, the government and public sector strategic finance and policy context and the implications for health and social care policy and their work.
• Experience of successfully utilising relevant management techniques or processes to drive delivery of multiple key projects to deadline while maintaining quality and meeting the needs of the business.
• An ability to operate autonomously and drive forward priority work areas.
• A solutions-focused professional with a "can do" attitude, with excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work to tight deadlines with an ability to take ownership of portfolio while working as part of multi-functional teams and across team boundaries.
• Ability to quickly establish strong relationships with stakeholders from various professional backgrounds and all levels of seniority.
• Excellent communicator, with the ability to influence and inform at the highest levels, and able to tailor style and technique across a range of audiences and media. Ability to effectively communicate complex information.
• Ability to synthesise wide-ranging material and provide clear and concise briefing with recommendations on complex issues to various stakeholders, including Ministers and senior officials, clearly outlining options available to decision makers with recommendations, assessing benefits and risks with suitable mitigation. This job is a strategic finance / policy role with no need for a financial qualification, however candidates should be able to demonstrate an ability to weigh up and advise on policy proposals and data from a range of different sources.
• Highly proficient in using and interpreting quantitative information to support decision making (including identifying gaps in data and working with colleagues to develop solutions).
• Fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration between business areas, finance and other corporate services.

A finance qualification is not essential to the role but If the successful candidate is fully qualified with a CCAB/CIMA or equivalent, a £7k market pay supplement is available in addition to the base salary outlined in the job advert.

Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London or Leeds.  Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration and enhancing team working, learning, and support. 

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need. 

There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,025, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £10,806 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 and Strengths.

Sift date: expected W/C 29/4/24

Interview date: expected W/C 13/5/24

Interview location: Virtual, by video. Further details will be released to candidates who are successful at sift. 

The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores.

Applications will be sifted on Behaviors.  

An initial sift based on Communicating and Influencing may be held if a large number of applications are received. 

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviors and Strengths. 

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here and to find out more information on how to apply visit the Civil Service Careers Website here

Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available.

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.

Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance. 

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to DHSC 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

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via dhscrecruitment.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’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

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. 

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

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.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:

• Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
• Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Probation: 6 month probation period

Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above). 

Existing DHSC staff, appointed on either level transfer or promotion

If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

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.