About the job

Job summary

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities (DLUHC) leads the work across government on several of the government’s central priorities, including levelling up the country and the government’s housing strategy. We are seeking to recruit a high-performing Grade 7 to help lead the Department through business planning and HMT negotiations at the upcoming Spending Review.

Strategic Finance is a high-performing friendly team that sits at the heart of the DLUHC Finance Directorate – one of the highest regarded finance functions in Whitehall that is consistently at the centre of decision making. As a team, we prioritise development and there will be ample chance for stretch in role.

We regularly advise ministers on how we find the budgets to deliver on emerging priorities, as well as how we best fund all our existing commitments. We are responsible for negotiations with HM Treasury at fiscal events and for setting long-term financial strategy for the department. The current post-holder has led on DLUHC capital budgets, leading negotiations with HM Treasury on the implementation of a capital flexibilities framework, driving improved capital forecasting within the department as well as leading the department’s business planning in 2024 for capital.

This is a high-profile role with significant amounts of senior and external exposure. As we are heading towards a Spending Review, the new post holder will play a central role in leading work across the department to help meet our objectives on capital funding, including driving work on ways to improve how capital funding is set up and delivered, and support negotiations with HM Treasury.

Job description

You will work closely with central strategy, policy, and finance colleagues to bring together complex information on the financial implications of policy options. You will provide strategic direction and challenge, and develop overarching advice on the options and trade-offs that govern policy choices. You will provide clear financial analysis, which also demonstrates awareness of the politics and the real-world impact of our policies.

This is a high-profile role, and you will need to be confident and credible working closely with senior officials and external stakeholders; strong communication skills and the ability to build trust are critical. In the run-up to a fiscal event (such as the upcoming Spending Review), the work is fast-paced – and you will need to demonstrate strong project management skills and develop processes to manage a large numbers of stakeholders. Resilience under pressure and flexibility are also key.

From this role, you should expect to get experience of high-stakes negotiations, strategic decision making and department-wide leadership.

You will need both strong policy skills and financial acumen, and could come from the finance, policy, or economics professions.

Person specification

The successful candidate will need to: 

• Be able to work collaboratively and quickly develop networks internally and externally, including with senior stakeholders 
• Demonstrate strong communication and influencing skills, both in person, in writing and through presenting numerical information. Be able to quickly produce high-quality verbal and written briefings and submissions 
• Analyse and interpret numerical information with a strong attention to detail 
• Be able to communicate analysis clearly, making the connection with real-world outcomes of financial decisions and political needs 
• Work at pace to tight deadlines and respond positively and flexibly when requirements change 
• Be confident and credible in managing senior stakeholders 
• [Desirable] Have good understanding of, or a strong desire to learn about, government finance and the way in which decisions are made.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,934, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities contributes £14,022 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

We are for everyone 

 

At DLUHC we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce. We promote equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment and a working environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation. 

Please contact the vacancy manager if you have any questions about the role.    

As part of our pre-employment checking process we will be using your CV to confirm your job history. Please note that by providing us with your CV you are consenting to us using the information enclosed as part of the checking process.  

We are for everyone 

DLUHC want to bring in a diverse workforce at all levels.  

Our application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system – this means that a hiring manager does not know your name, your details, see your whole application in one go (or have your CV at review stage unless stated otherwise).  

At application stage you will be asked to upload a CV document. Unless stated otherwise in the advert, your CV will not form part of the assessment but will be used for information purposes and only shared with the panel at interview stage. 

Your answers are randomised and chunked up. This means that each assessor views sets of responses to questions, for example all candidates’ responses to ‘Seeing the Big Picture’ rather than seeing a candidate’s full application. The science behind this is that recruitment can be subject to ordering and fatigue effects and we want to reduce this as much as possible.  

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors. 

 

When writing your application, remember: 

• The assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially.  
• Do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers.  
• If talking about something in your first answer, make sure that you write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!) 

 

 At sift, we will be assessing 

 

Behaviour 1 (lead behaviour) - Seeing The Big Picture 

Behaviour 2 -Making Effective Decisions 

Behaviour 3 -Communicating and Influencing

  

There is a 250 word limit per question. 

 

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead behaviour listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

 

 

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of the following success profiles elements:    

Behaviour – Seeing The Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together, Delivering at Pace

Strength -The strength based questions will require natural responses from the candidates.  

Candidates invited to interview will be expected to prepare a presentation.  Further details on this will be sent along with interview invites.

  

In the full campaign we will test the below Success Profile Elements: 

Behaviours: Seeing The Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together, Delivering at Pace

Strengths: Yes

 

We do not consider direct CV applications to our Recruitment mailbox – you must apply for this role via the application link on Civil Service Jobs 

Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign. 

 

 

Grade 7 salary 

• The salary for this role is £57,091 (London) or £51,934 (National). 
• For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If you apply for a role that requires a transfer of location, for example if you are transferring from London to a National location, your salary will be adjusted in accordance with our policy on transfer between HQ pay ranges. 
• For qualified chartered accountants an additional accounting allowance of £4,000pa will also be paid. In order to receive this allowance, you must be fully qualified and in a qualifying post as agreed by the Finance Head of Profession.

 
Please note that the average employer pension contribution is based upon the National minimum salary for this role. Should your agreed starting salary for this role be different, the average employer pension contribution will be calculated accordingly. If you are a Secondee, this will not apply as you will remain on your home organisation’s terms and conditions.   

 

BENEFITS: 

Transfers across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018: 
Any move to DLUHC 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 

For further information about the benefits available to DLUHC employees, please see the attached Candidate Pack. 

  

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION: 

• London 
• Birmingham
• Wolverhampton 
• Darlington* 

 

There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role. 

*Please note: The Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) is a pioneering new cross-government hub which will bring together people across departments and public organisations to play an active role in the most important economic issues of the day. The work of the Campus will make a real difference to people both across the UK and internationally. There will be substantial career opportunities and exciting prospects - a career at the Campus means you will be working at the heart of Government, with access to the benefits and fantastic opportunities offered by the civil service.  

For further information on the DEC, please take a look at the attached DEC candidate pack. 

  

SIFT AND INTERVIEW DATES: 

Sifting is envisaged to take place starting  12/6/2024 with interview dates to be confirmed. All interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall. 

Reserve List 

 
In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details in a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact recruitment@levellingup.gov.uk to be removed from the reserve list. 

 

CTC (Counter-terrorism Clearance): 

Important note 

 
Successful candidates for roles based in our 2 Marsham Street building must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete. 
 
Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the CTC security checks – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years. Please refer to the DLUHC Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Counter Terrorism Clearance (CTC). Thank you. 
 
Candidates should also note that with effect from 1st August 2018 the department will also check all applicants who are successful at interview, against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) held by the Cabinet Office. In accordance with the Civil Service Internal Fraud Policy, any applicant who is included on the IFD will be refused employment by DLUHC. Please see the Candidate Pack for further information on the Internal Fraud Database. 

 

 

Candidate Pack Information 

Please see attached Candidate pack for further information. 

Before starting your application it’s very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the DLUHC candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules 

 

Internal Fraud Database 

The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to DLUHC as a participating government organisations. DLUHC then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.  

For more information please see- Internal Fraud Register 

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.