About the job

Job summary

Here at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), we work on things that make a real difference to people’s lives. 

Whether it's through the homes we live in, the work of our local councils, or the communities we’re all part of, our work is at the top of the political agenda. We have ambitious and far-reaching outcomes to achieve this year and, if you’re thinking of joining us, there’s never been a more exciting time. 

We have over 3,500 staff based in 20 offices across the UK. 

The new Office for Local Government (Oflog) is a key priority of the Secretary of State. Oflog will help to drive improvement in local government – responsible for a wider range of critical and everyday services – in order to improve outcomes for the public. It will do this by providing authoritative and accessible data and analysis about the performance of local government, so that local leaders can benchmark themselves against their peers and communities can more effectively challenge their authorities. 

This is a unique time to participate in setting up a new organisation from the ground up. Whilst supporting the aims of Oflog, successful candidate/s will have an opportunity to work in a nimble organisation and to shape the overall organisation and its culture.

This role will lead Oflog in defining how it manages its data and supports a range of projects across the department.

The person in this role will collaborate closely with the data tools, analytical and data science teams, as well as wider Oflog. They will help manage, underpin and streamline processes to support the development of interactives, dashboards, semi-automated reporting and wider analytical investigations and modelling.

This is an ideal role for someone who wants to be involved in improving the way the organisation manages and makes use of data, as well as ensure efficient use of automated processes. This is especially important as Oflog grows its use of data across multiple teams.

The role would oversee a small team of data engineers.

We’re looking for someone who is motivated to support projects with real-world impacts while promoting a positive work culture. They will need strong data manipulation skills and a focus on robust quality assurance methods.

The work is varied, and the ideal candidate will be excited to use their creativity, together with data and insight to influence decisions in a priority area.

Job description

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. 

Find out more about what it's like to work in a digital, data and technology role at DLUHC including our culture, ways of working, career progression and staff benefits. You can also read the DLUHC Digital blog to learn about the work we're doing. 

As a Lead Data Engineer, you'll:

• lead a data engineer team overseeing the design, maintenance and use of an Extract, Transform, Load pipeline, including data integration; managing quality; maintaining code-base; problem resolution
• improve the systematic ingestion of data into Oflog- making use of existing APIs and scripting transformation routines
• lead the creation of and management of a process for data refresh, including liaison with dependent relevant teams
• engage with the prioritisation of activity across the team and respond to changing demands
• develop and uphold standards for metadata ingestion
• oversee and contribute towards the maintenance and iterative improvement of the underpinning infrastructure
• lead engagement with teams across Oflog and identify opportunities to improve the systematic capture and reuse of data

Person specification

We will use the essential criteria below to evaluate you during the recruitment process. Make sure your CV and cover letter details how you meet the criteria.

As a Lead Data Engineer, you'll have:

• experience in the selection and implementation of appropriate technologies to design resilient, high-quality and scalable data solutions – from ingestion through to testing and dashboard KPI reporting
• experience in a range of coding tools and languages (eg Python, SQL)
• experience in the design and maintenance of metadata repositories
• experience of leading others to gather and review specifications in the design and modification of systems
• awareness of opportunities for innovation with new tools and uses of data
• strong organisational and management skills, with the ability to build, develop and lead a small team of data engineers
• ability to identify opportunities to improve own and team’s processes
• ability to communicate detailed information succinctly, clearly and with insight, especially to non-technical audiences

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,748, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities contributes £15,321 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 

CV and Cover Letter Declaration 

We recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - this is called name blind recruitment. 

Please remove references to your: 

• name/title
• educational institutions
• age
• gender
• email address
• postal address
• phone number
• nationality/immigration status

You will need to merge your CV and covering letter into one document. When submitting your application Applied will ask you to upload a CV, when doing this you should upload your merged document of your CV and covering letter. 

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

At sift, through your CV and covering letter we will be assessing: 

• Experience 
• Technical

In your CV and covering letter, please include:  
 
a. why you are interested in the role; 
b. how you meet the essential skills and experience required 

 

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of experience, technical and behaviour based questions as listed in the advert. The following behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Changing and Improving
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service

The Vacancy Manager has also requested that candidates prepare a presentation for the interview. The details of the presentation topic/question will be revealed in the invitations to interview.

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

Experience: Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the Person Specification

Technical: Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the Person Specification

Behaviours: Changing and Improving, Leadership, Managing a Quality Service

 

We do not consider direct CV applications – 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. 

Group 1 DDaT roles 

DLUHC has implemented the DDaT capability framework for Group 1 roles. Applicants that are successful at the sift stage will be required to complete a capability assessment at interview.  

DLUHC will honour completed capability assessments for this role from other Government Departments for existing Civil Servants. Please provide a copy of your capability assessment to the Hiring Manager when applying. If you have any queries on pay, please contact the Hiring Manager. 

Salary is determined by performance at interview, within the range advertised. Each experience or technical skill is assessed between 1-3, representing working towards, at or above the job level requirements. You are awarded a proficiency level accordingly, and you will be given opportunities at least once a year to re assess your capability and progress through the pay scale within your grade. An additional digital allowance may be payable depending on level of assessed capability. 

Candidates moving from another government department have the option to retain their current salary where the principle for implementation is there is no detriment where existing pay exceeds the indicative level. Where individuals are at a lower salary than their assessed level, they will receive an upward adjustment. 

Grade 7 Group 1 DDaT salary 

• The salary for this role will between £56,748 - £61,562 (National) depending on the proficiency level assessment.
• An additional digital allowance may be payable depending on the level of assessed capability up to £9,000
• For applicants in receipt of existing allowances, we will assess each case individually and aim to match the digital allowance implemented with no detriment. 
• For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable

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. 

Location 

• Darlington*
• Wolverhampton
• Leeds
• Manchester
• Bristol

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 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.  This role is based at DLUHC and we will be joined on the campus by: 

• HM Treasury 
• Department for International Trade
• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 
• Office for National Statistics 
• Department for Education

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 from Monday 03/06/2024 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 on 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. Due to the length of time CTC checks can take, our HR Shared Services team will contact reserve list candidates for London based roles to commence CTC checks. 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. 

 

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 

Candidate Pack Information 

Please see attached Candidate pack for further information. 

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. 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.