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 Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) officially launched on 1 October 2021 with the aim of tackling health inequalities across the country. As part of DHSC, OHID brings together expert advice, analysis and evidence with policy development and implementation working with the whole of government, the NHS, local government, industry and wider partners to shape and drive health improvement and equalities priorities for government.

This role sits within the Addictions and Inclusion directorate in in OHID.

The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) team is part of the Addictions and Inclusion Directorate. It is responsible for the national roll-out of IPS employment support in community drug and alcohol treatment, a key commitment of the 2021 UK Drug Strategy From harm to hope: A 10-year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives.

The IPS Programme Coordinator will work with the IPS Programme Manager and other members of the IPS team to support the final year of expansion of access to IPS.

Job description

People accessing community drug and alcohol treatment have a significantly lower employment rate than the wider community, although there is evidence that recovery and employment can be mutually reinforcing. Recognising that people are often unable to access the specialist and integrated support they need, OHID has been funded by the Department for Work and Pensions to expand the provision of Individual Placement and Support (IPS), a model of employment support with a robust evidence base for effectiveness for people experiencing severe and enduring mental ill health, and recently trialled by PHE in community drug and alcohol treatment as the IPS-AD trial.

This expansion of provision comes with investment totalling approximately £40m between 2022-23 and 2024-25.  The focus of the IPS Programme Coordinator role will be to support three main strands of this work:

• Supporting the improvement and continuation of IPS delivery by over 50 IPS teams currently working across over 70 local authority areas
• Supporting the expansion of IPS to areas currently without access to IPS, with the aim of all of England being covered by 2024-25
• Supporting the wider work of the IPS team as requested by the IPS Programme Manager

Person specification

Communication and key working relationships

Internal

• Colleagues within A&I involved in the delivery of the priorities of the 2021 Drug Strategy
• Colleagues within other OHID national teams, such as those leading on inclusion health and health inequalities
• OHID centres, including regional drug and alcohol leads

External

• Key stakeholders, research and policy makers in the fields of employment support and IPS
• Other government departments/units, including the Department for Work and Pensions, the Home Office and the Cabinet Office, the Joint Work and Health Unit and the Joint Combatting Drugs Unit
• Others including local authority public health commissioners, staff at all levels of treatment providers from the public and voluntary sectors, people accessing community drug and alcohol treatment and providers of IPS technical guidance and training

Main Duties and Responsibilities                                                                         

• To support the coordination of the IPS programme, and additional high priority projects as they emerge
• To serve as a single point of contact between the OHID IPS teams and particular local IPS services as directed by the IPS Programme Manager
• To oversee the routine updating of programme planning documents and reports
• To undertake administrative activities, including preparation of documents and presentations for internal and external audiences, using word processing, databases, spreadsheets and presentation packages
• To assist in the arrangement of national and local events, conferences, seminars, webinars and workshops, as required, including sourcing venue, organising speakers, delivering IT and presentation requirements and booking travel and accommodation for speakers and delegates
• To assist in collating and maintaining comprehensive and up-to-date policy information
• To work closely with communications and information colleagues to ensure that messages to staff, engagement with stakeholders, and external responses are all aligned with OHID policy and consistent with evidence
• To maintain effective partnerships with policy colleagues in government departments and key stakeholder organisations in order to promote OHID’s position and co-ordinate activities and messages
• To gather intelligence on organisations and events of relevance to the drug and alcohol prevention and treatment sector, and disseminate as appropriate
• To monitor budgets and spending plans on behalf of senior managers and programme teams, updating financial records and routinely reviewing financial monitoring reports
• To develop and maintain efficient electronic and hard copy filing systems
• To organise travel and accommodation arrangements within budgetary requirements for meetings, visits, and other events
• To lead on aspects of project work as required under the direction of the project lead
• Any other duties that the organisation may require in order to achieve the purpose of the business

Other

The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by the division.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the organisation.

Key skills and experience required for the role

• Experience of working to support the delivery of a complex programme
• Training or experience in project management, financial management or supporting change management processes
• Experience in communications and stakeholder management
• Comprehensive knowledge of project management and/or health information systems development
• Skilled in the use of Microsoft products, in particular Microsoft Excel and Word
• Clear communicator with excellent writing, minute taking, report writing and presentation skills; capable of constructing and delivering clear ideas and concepts concisely and accurately for diverse audiences
• Skills for communication on complex matters and difficult situations, requiring persuasion and influence
• Skills for nurturing key relationships and maintaining networks
• Ability to analyse and interpret information, pre-empt and evaluate issues, and recommend and appropriate course of action to address the issues
• Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
• Attention to detail combined with the ability to extract key messages from complex analysis
• Independent thinker with demonstrated good judgement, problem-solving and analytical skills
• Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where they may be a number of courses of action
• Able to demonstrate a sound understanding of equality and diversity and able to articulate the practical implications

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,188, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £8,690 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, Strengths and Experience.

Sift date: W/C 04/03/2024

Interview date: expected W/C 18/03/2024

Interview location: By video

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

Applications will be sifted on Statement of Suitability and Behaviours.

Please use your Statement of Suitability to (in no more than 500 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.

Please complete statements on the specified Behaviours (250 word max per statement).

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

An initial sift based on Behaviour: Changing and Improving may be held if a large number of applications are received. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours, Strengths, and Experience in stakeholder management.

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 

Further Information

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.

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

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.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). 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.

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 requirement s’ 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.

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.