About the job

Job summary

The Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) is leading within the government on the response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Our focus is on supporting the Grenfell community to recover from the fire and building a lasting legacy.  

In August 2018, DLUHC announced its intention for the government to take responsibility for the Grenfell Tower site which was transferred from the local council in July 2019. The government has been clear that the bereaved, survivors and community will determine a fitting memorial that recognises the tragedy and honours those who lost their lives. In the interim, the government has taken ownership of the site and is responsible for operational decisions, including on the security and safety of the Tower.  

The Department has established the Grenfell Site & Programme to manage the site, support the independent Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission, work towards a ministerial decision on the Tower which is evidence based and informed by the advice of public authorities and technical experts, and ensure that the community is engaged at every step of the way.

The Memorial Commission secretariat team is at the heart of the support provided to the Commission to establish a fitting memorial to those affected by this tragedy. Working within a small London-based team, the secretariat plays a particularly significant role in helping the Commission to set direction, engage with the wider community, take decisions at monthly meetings, and progress on their journey to a decision on a future memorial. They ensure that all the members of the Commission (including representatives from the bereaved families, former residents of the Tower and local residents) have appropriate research, information and advice by commissioning other teams in DLUHC and subject experts.

We are looking for people who share our values, can demonstrate their active commitment to diversity, want to make a difference and are committed to DLUHC’s aims. We welcome applications on lateral transfer or promotion.

We particularly welcome candidates from an ethnic minority background and other underrepresented groups to apply, as we work to continually improve our ability to represent the places and communities we support through our work.

Job description

This role is based in the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission secretariat team. Responsibilities will include:

• Supporting and delivering against a new engagement strategy to support the memorial design team selection process, and the community’s involvement in that

• Implementing a new phase of Commission communication through the development and commissioning of new creative content

• Supporting the Commission through potential changes, including to their ToR.

• Working closely with a range of other stakeholders including public authorities, local and national voluntary organisations as well as other memorial commissions in the UK and internationally

• Keeping accurate records of spend, comms and engagement activities and contacts, ensuring GDPR compliance;

• Managing suppliers

• Developing and delivering against comms handling and co-ordination plans to ensure activities across all workstreams is aligned and sequenced – this will include print, online and social media communications

• Being an active member of the GTMC Secretariat’s leadership, supporting , the direction for the Commission, the workplan, and overall vision and aims, through the provision of strategic communications advice.

• Working collaboratively, playing an active part in making Grenfell Site & Programme a great directorate to work in.

Person specification

This is a stretching G7 role in a major Government programme. We are looking for candidates with proven track records of managing boards, briefing senior people, and you will need to demonstrate experience of working with complex internal and external stakeholders and of working on local as well as national communications. Experience of working on trauma-informed communications and with bereaved and traumatised communities will also be essential.

You will need to be organised and proactive, and able to work in an ambiguous, fast-moving environment. We are looking for candidates who can run the monthly engagement cycle with little oversight, escalating issues where appropriate. You will also need take a lead with relationships with the community members on the Commission, and remain calm when faced with challenging circumstances and difficult conversations.

These roles require candidates who can demonstrate the following capabilities and behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing: excellent written and verbal communication skills, providing succinct and timely advice, and communicating complex issues sensitively. Sharing information, as appropriate, and checking understanding so that important messages are communicated with colleagues and stakeholders effectively.

• Working Together: establishing excellent relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders to support delivery of business outcomes and acting as a team player, investing time to generate a common focus and genuine team spirit.

• Delivering at pace: proven ability to deal flexibly and positively with competing demands and heavy workload under pressure, demonstrating resilience, organisation, prioritisation and ability to work autonomously as well as part of a team.

• Seeing the big picture: proven ability to develop and deliver strategy, within the context of a broader understanding of how your role fits with departmental and wider Civil Service objectives and priorities.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,091, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities contributes £15,414 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 Experience.

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. 

  

We would strongly recommend that applicants get in touch with the vacancy manager to find out more information about this role.  

 

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 

 

Experience (Lead Criteria): Can you please give an example of a time when you have worked on trauma-informed communications and/or with traumatised audiences?

Behaviour: Seeing the Big Picture

Behaviour: Communicating and Influencing

Behaviour: Working Together

Behaviour: Delivering at Pace

 

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 criteria listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progress straight to assessment/interview  

 

 

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

Behaviours: Seeing the Big Picture, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Delivering at Pace

Experience

 

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

 

Behaviours: Seeing the Big Picture, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Delivering at Pace

Experience: 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). 
• 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. 

 
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 

SIFT AND INTERVIEW DATES: 

Sifting is envisaged to take place W/C 8th January 2024 with interview dates provisionally scheduled for W/C 22nd January 2024. 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 n 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.