About the job

Job summary

We have an opportunity for two Lead Directors Support Managers with excellent organisational and communication skills and who is great at stakeholder management, to join our teams, with one role in Health and Working Age and one role in Shared Channels Experience.

In Health and Disability & Benefit Supporting Services we design and deliver digital services to support some of DWP’s biggest policies and organisational priorities, including employment services (outside of Universal Credit) and specifically in removing employment barriers for people with health conditions.

In Shared Channels Experience we join up the customer experience across service lines helping to create a simpler common and consistent customer experience.​ We also run some of the biggest live services like telephony and SMS.

If you like a challenge, you’ll feel at home with us. We’re a big organisation, with big challenges and big opportunities and we’re building a reputation for pushing the digital agenda in government. We’re learning and changing, and we need innovative, curious, and determined people to keep us moving forward.

Job description

As Directors Support for a busy and complex area of DWP Digital you will manage the Director’s Office and lead a team of support colleagues in providing an efficient and consistent service across the Senior Leadership Team.

You’ll be expected to build a good understanding of the function and strategic priorities across Digital Group, taking a keen interest in the work we do and using that insight to plan and prioritise on behalf of the Director.

You’ll be comfortable working with a range of stakeholders at all levels, from the Director and Senior Leadership Team, to your wider Business Services Team and colleagues across DWP.

You'll be managing a flow of work on your Director's behalf. You'll use your knowledge of the team to instinctively know what is the next best step - whether to action the request, seek advice, set up a meeting or delegate to another team member. Your relationships across the Business Support Team and Senior Leader Support Team will help guide your response.

You will be the primary point of contact for the Directors business, reviewing/triaging all issues; digesting, prioritising, and impacting content, exercising sound judgment to independently resolve matters where appropriate.

You will provide detailed advice to the Director and, where appropriate, take responsibility for directly managing matters. Work closely with the Lead Business Performance & Planning Manager to identify and take action on behalf of the Director and the SLT e.g. developing detailed briefings and following up activities.

Co-ordinate senior forums and on occasion represent the Directors perspective and their decisions at meetings and forums across and beyond Digital Group, upholding delegate authority for making decisions and progressing actions.

Provide guidance and support to SLT in relation to the management and prioritisation of requests ensuring time is used effectively and aligned to Digital Group’s priorities and outcomes.

Person specification

As part of the application process, you need to align your experience to following Essential Criteria:

• Experience of quickly understanding the environment and strategic agenda in order to effectively identify and prioritise the most important tasks. (Lead Criteria)
• Experience of leading the process and delivery within a complexed environment.
• Experience of building relationships and influencing senior stakeholders, managing those relationships effectively.
• Experience of managing conflicting demands and priorities whilst working in a high profile, fast paced environment.
• Ability to use different communication methods (including SharePoint, MS Teams, OneNote), recognising the benefits, including ensuring cost effectiveness.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact dani.gulam@dwp.gov.uk.

Benefits

• An employer pension contribution of up to 27% For further information please click here.
• Annual leave rising up to 30 days, (based on your working pattern).
• Family friendly flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid working, job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Learning and development tailored to your role this could include industry recognised qualifications, coaching and mentoring. 
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join staff networks including: Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Salary Information

Pay for this role is from £52,412 to £63,517 .

Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current salary.

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion may move to the bottom of the next grade pay scale or 10% increase in salary whichever would be the greater.

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

Stage 1: Application

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete:

1. A Personal Details application form.

2. Your employment history detailing your responsibilities, skills, accomplishments, plus your qualifications and relevant training. Please copy this information into the box field provided.

3. Personal statement up to 1000 words. 

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

When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with Essential Criteria listed in the Person Specification.

The sift panel will use the information in your employment history and personal statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge against the essential criteria above.

Please note- Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift  may be conducted using the Lead Criteria (listed in the Person Specification). Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Important Information

• You will be asked to complete your employment history any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.
• Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.
• If your employment history/personal statement contains any personal details your application will be withdrawn.

Stage 2: Interview

If you’re successful at sift stage you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the experiences listed in the essential criteria.

You will be asked to do a 5-minute presentation on a specific topic. Further details will be provided to candidates invited to interview. 

Interviews will take place from Mid-February onwards.

Sift and Interview dates to be confirmed.

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Reserve list candidates will be posted in merit order by location.

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 DigitalRecruitment.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.

For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How We Recruit page

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.