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. Reporting to Head of Energy and Sustainability, this role will drive the strategic direction, development and delivery of DWP’s Net Zero programme to meet both short term and longer term Net Zero goals. Activities will include delivering major building retrofit programmes that align with business and portfolio strategy, ensuring our design standards are kept up to date with latest energy standards, and carbon and energy reduction principles are embedded into wider estates decision making. This role will interface closely with DWP Estates stakeholders and supply chain to deliver action, as well collaborate with cross-government teams to build a culture of environmental innovation and implementation. This role would suit someone with past experience delivering sustainability improvement programmes across a large portfolio.

Job description

Government Property Profession Career Framework (Link) This role sits within the following: Job Family – Technical Specialisms and Assurance Core Role – Environmental Sustainability Level – Senior Practitioner Key accountabilities Responsible for developing and delivering the estates carbon strategy to achieve both shorter-term GGC targets and longer-term Net Zero goals. Responsible for identifying and managing programmes of work that deliver upon the estates carbon strategy and monitoring progress against set targets. Project management of energy and carbon reduction projects working collaboratively with various delivery partners (e.g. DWP estates teams or supply chain) to deliver to time and budget. Responsible for the overall data, MI and reporting of Energy & Carbon activities, ensuring accurate and timely reporting is provided to relevant stakeholders and/or in line with statutory requirements. Lead as SME on Energy and Carbon within DWP Estates, providing advice to other estates functions and Senior Leadership Teams where required. Lead and manage the Net Zero team ensuring they have the right skills, capability and training to undertake their roles and that they deliver work to quality and time to meet team objectives. Manage energy and carbon compliance activities including but not limited to DECs, EPCs, MEES, Heat Networks Regulations, and BREEAM. Keep abreast of all industry trends, best practice, and legislation on energy and carbon, using this to drive new ideas, innovation and continuous improvement in DWP’s work. Lead on the sustainability input to DWP design standards, ensuring specifications support, meet or exceed latest standards and best practice. Build networks and work collaboratively across DWP estates to ensure a Net Zero approach is embedded in all DWP estate activities such as strategy, refurbishments, and projects. Management of the Net Zero capital programme budget Development of business cases, grant applications, and/or spending review bids ensuring commercial viability and robust cost/benefit analysis to advise departmental funding decisions. Manage supply chain (specifically FM) partners’ performance with respect to energy and carbon activities, ensuring expectations are clear, reporting is accurate, and performance meets contractual requirements.

Person specification

Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience Demonstrable professional expertise in management role/s leading on energy and carbon strategy within the building services sector. Proven experience of delivering energy and carbon reduction projects from start to finish across a large portfolio, setting prioritisation, delivering at pace and working to tight timescales. Extensive experience of analysing and reporting on data and trends from a wide variety of sources, presenting technical information to non-technical audiences, and using data to drive decision making. In depth knowledge and understanding of complying with related statutory, regulatory frameworks and legislative or policy requirements including BREEAM and ISO 50001, with a preference for the Real Estate and FM/Property industry and Civil Service. Influential and excellent communicator, able to lead key senior stakeholders, colleagues and customers towards commercial solutions that give a balance of optimal performance whilst delivering on business and portfolio strategy. Experience of managing key suppliers, supporting negotiations, escalating issues to resolution, and performance monitoring. Commercially astute with experience of managing multi-million pound budgets Strong team player and leader, able to build effective networks and relationships with internal, external, and supplier colleagues to achieve common goals. Qualifications/professional memberships  Desirable Degree level qualification in Engineering, Environment, or Sustainability. Post graduate qualification in relevant subject e.g. environmental management, sustainability, sustainable business. Full membership of relevant professional body (e.g. RICS, Energy Institute, Energy Managers Association, ICE or CIOB, IEMA). Experience of Energy Performance Contracts, Power Purchase Agreements and sustainable funding is an advantage.

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.

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

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 29 January 2024 and interview dates will be w/c 12 February 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.