About the job

Job summary

For jobs located in Wales, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable.

From the design and development of policies to the delivery of services supporting work, welfare, pensions and child maintenance, DWP is the Government’s largest department.

People are at the very heart of what we do. We ensure disabled people can live more independent lives; help tackle poverty and homelessness; provide a financial foundation for a secure old age; and support families ensuring children can fulfil their potential.

DWP has the largest commercial estate in government and our team is committed to being smaller, greener and better – helping people to work, grow and thrive. Our estate provides accommodation for colleagues who support millions of daily customer interactions in Jobcentres and Health Assessment centres, back of house offices delivering frontline services and hub sites housing expert functions such as Policy, Finance, Digital and HR.

The DWP Estates function ensures the smooth and efficient operation of this network on a day-to-day basis. We manage a private sector supply chain that delivers essential services such as security guarding, maintenance, property and leasehold, construction, cleaning and facilities management. Many of these services are business critical and we cannot safely open our offices without them. 

Our ambitions are to:

• Transition to a smaller, more affordable, and adaptable estate
• Invest in improving DWP’s buildings and infrastructure, conducted mainly through an extensive programme of planned replacement works 
• Meet our agreed Government Greening Commitments - creating a culture where sustainability is embedded
• Expertly deliver cost effective services
• Create a professional working culture that is best in class across the Government Property world.

There is no better time to join us as we transform our estate and make our buildings fit for the future.

As a Leasehold Property Officer you will be a key member of the Leasehold Team during this exciting time when DWP is modernising and investing in its estate. We have an ambitious programme of work to deliver over the next few years, including high volumes of lease acquisitions, divestments, regears and landlord consents, on top of the day-to-day work of managing the largest estate in Government.  This role will provide you with the opportunity to learn and develop commercial property skills in a supportive and fast paced environment.

Working to support the Leasehold Property Manager, deputising as necessary, in achieving the Department’s strategic objectives, you will be working on the day to day management of the portfolio in collaboration with expert external suppliers (property consultants and solicitors), and internal stakeholders.

Job description

Government Property Profession Career Framework (Link)

This role sits within the following:

• Job Family – Strategic Asset Management
• Core Role – Property Portfolio Management
• Level – Practitioner

Key accountabilities

• Provide estate management support to the Leasehold Property Manager and wider Leasehold team on core estate management and project-based activities across the property portfolio including property transactions required to deliver strategic change eg: acquisitions and disposals, lease regears and landlords’ consents.
• Raising, recording and monitoring of instructions to 3rd party suppliers using property systems
• Monitoring, reviewing and recording of business-critical data using excel trackers and online filing systems
• Provide secretariat support to the wider Leasehold team as required, including production of monthly reports
• Working with specialist suppliers to support the delivery of property transactions,
• Ensure internal stakeholders and customers are kept informed of solutions to estate management related issues ensuring continuation of operational services
• Provide assurance and support the sign off process required for the approval of property transactions presented to internal DWP governance forums
• Work alongside operational business leads, partner organisations and supply chains to support the management of leased premises
• Negotiating, establishing and processing inter-government occupancy transactions, ensuring alignment with the Estates Property Strategy
• Support the wider Leasehold team and real estate supplier in heads of terms negotiations
• Support the Leasehold team and Supplier Partners as required in the review of business rates, service charge and any other budget reconciliation
• Collaborate with Corporate Finance & Estates Business Assurance teams in reviewing and processing of invoicing queries
• Collate and present data and information to support freedom of information, Prime Minister’s Questions and any other requests for property information
• Encourage joined up teamwork within own team and across supply chain and other groups, establishing professional relationships whilst collaborating to share information and support.
• Identify areas for improvement and simplify processes to provide improved ways of working, governance, efficiencies and effectiveness.
• Support consistency in approach and continuous improvement throughout the extended team by regularly reviewing methodology, process and approach, identifying lessons learned and sharing knowledge as required.
• Co-ordination of Continual professional development and Learning and Development opportunities for the team

Person specification

Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Ability to use IT systems in the areas of:
• • Data Management
  • Reporting
  • Supplier instructions
• Communication/presentation skills
• Knowledge of or a willingness to learn:
  • property and estate management activities
  • finance forecasting, budgeting and accounting
  • legal and regulatory property matters
• Proficient use of Microsoft Office, including Excel, Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and MS Teams
• Ability to establish cross team working groups and present and lead at team meetings
• Ability to evaluate options in order to make informed decisions based on good commercial principles and business objectives
• Strong analytical skills including research and investigation
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team
• Excellent written and oral communication skills

Qualifications/professional memberships

Desirable

• Experience in commercial or residential property management gained within the property function of a large organisation
• Working towards or willingness to work towards an appropriate RICS qualification

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%

This role is suitable for a hybrid working arrangement, a type of flexible working arrangement, blending a combination of all workplace options (including home) with an office identified as a base and which remains the contractual place of work.  Hybrid working means an employee working part of the week in their DWP office and, part of the week from home.

Hybrid workers will spend a minimum of 40% of their time in the office over a four-week period. 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. This means that colleagues’ experiences of hybrid working will differ.  Also, any employee’s experience of hybrid working could change over time as role requirements and possibly personal circumstances change.

Successful candidates will be posted in merit order based on your location preferences and the geographical requirements of the busine

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.

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a Personal Statement of no more than 1000 words against the essential criteria as outlined above. You will also be asked to provide a short CV. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. Your CV should be fairly short and just evidence very brief details of your work history and experience.  Please do not submit a speculative application where you do not meet at least 50% of the essential criteria as these applications will be unsuccessful. Do not include Behaviour examples within your application as these will not be assessed in the sift and will only be used at interview stage. There will be an initial sift of applications based on the Personal Statement only, so please ensure you evidence how you meet the Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience requirement contained in the vacancy in this section. This will form a short list for interview. STAGE 2 - INTERVIEW All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will undertake a single virtual video interview. The interview will follow a blended approach which will help us assess candidates Behaviours and Strengths. Currently the sift is scheduled to take place w/c 8 January 2024 and interviews w/c 22 January 2024. Interviews are scheduled to take place virtually and dates are subject to change. 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 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 or 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 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.  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. 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. New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band. 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.