About the job

Job summary

DWP’s People Safety team supports the Department’s aim in ensuring that the business remains compliant to legislative changes and its policies and processes remain centred around ensuring the Health and Safety of its people, customers and partners at all times

The team has a wide and diverse range of responsibilities; 

• Support in the development of policy and strategy
• Provide Health and Safety business partnering across DWP,
• Deliver training and awareness, 
• Conduct specialist audit, monitor performance, and manage the complex plans that enable strategic delivery of DWPs Safety Management Systems.
• Provide essential communication and publication of key matters that impact the immediate team and wider DWP. 
• Drive  communications that support the operational delivery of the DWP Health and Safety Strategy. 

Job description

• Proactively leading on activities which include strategic reporting, portfolio management and governance across People Safety. Maintain robust governance processes, and services to support effective senior level decision making across the People Safety team.
• Working at pace analysing diverse and complex information whilst utilising innovative and best practice approaches to meet with challenging and demanding timescales.
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship building skills, based on mutual respect and trust with the ability to constructively and effectively challenge where needed.
• Ensuring the provision of a high-quality briefing service for and beyond the People Safety team, that supports our objectives and strategic enablers.
  
• Developing skills and learning to support the team in meeting the demand for high quality and timely responses to Parliamentary Questions and Freedom of Information requests
  
• Building strong relationships and forming alliances with internal and external specialists and communities to scan for emerging trends, innovation, and current best practice.

Person specification

Key Criteria: Excellent planning, prioritisation and communication skills coming from a previous communications background (Making Effective Decisions).​

​An ability to build effective relationships and partnerships with a range of diverse stakeholders to deliver business outcomes; Strong organisational skills with the ability, resilience and flexibility to work at pace, demonstrating personal leadership and working with others to deliver against multiple priorities;​

​A self-starter with the flexibility and resilience to adapt quickly to new demands, and lead and work effectively with others to deliver a high quality outcome under pressure. Ensuring the accuracy of documents/ information provided.  ​

​A positive individual, seeking continuous improvement with an ability to build excellent working relationships with colleagues across DWP and key external stakeholders. Proficient in Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.  ​

​You will be a strong team player who is equally comfortable in supporting the leadership team and peer colleagues; able to identify and support the development needs of yourself and others across the business with an equal willingness to adapt and learn from a wide range of sources; always ensuring individual needs are taken into account.

For jobs based in Wales the ability to speak Welsh is desirable.​

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

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, Strengths and Experience.

Written Sift​

The written sift will be conducted using evidence from your Personal Statement and will be assessed against the Key Criteria within the advert. ​

In the event of a large number of applications we will use the Lead Behaviour Making effective decisions to initially assess your application during the Sift stage. Candidates who pass the initial Sift may be progressed to a full Sift or direct to interview. ​

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Interview​

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview. This will be a video interview. The interview panel will be a minimum of two people. The interview will assess: Behaviours, Strengths and Experience. The interview aims to be more of a conversation exploring the candidate’s capability for the role. ​

To help you prepare and settle into the interview you will be sent the behaviour questions in advance of the interview. These questions should be treated as confidential. The interview panel may ask you other questions which will not be shared in advance, including follow-up questions, and those about your experience, abilities, and strengths.​​

​Candidates will be asked further probing questions to determine suitability for the role. ​

​Sift and interview dates to be confirmed. 

​Selection and Feedback​

We will notify all candidates as soon as possible. Feedback will only be provided following an interview.

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 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

Security Information

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 /Disclosure Scotland 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. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

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.

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.

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.

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.