About the job

Job summary

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy and is responsible for helping people move into employment, supporting pensioners and protecting some of the most vulnerable in our society.

As the UK’s biggest public service Department, it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability, and ill health benefits to around 22 million claimants and customers. 

We are looking for individuals with the drive and commitment to fill 2 key senior leader (SEO) roles in our Retirement Services Directorate (RSD) State Pensions Team.

This is an exciting chance to work developing the opportunities brought about by transformation activities in State Pension operations, to maximise the continuous improvement of the quality of customer experience. 

The current work programme will involve working with key stakeholders on specific Policy and Legal matters across Government whilst developing the operational strategy.

Job description

Successful candidates can expect to be involved in a range of the following:

• Communicating and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders including those from the wider civil service, IT suppliers, and various audit agencies at a strategic and technical level.
• Developing and applying an in-depth knowledge of the State Pension customer journey within new claims, enquiries and change of circumstances including external providers/commercial colleagues.
• Critically examining State Pension Standard Work Instructions (SWI’s) and amending, where required, to ensure that instructions support efficient service delivery whilst maintaining adherence to DWP standards.  
• Supporting/Role modelling the processes and procedures introduced by the transformation journey to fully exploit the potential efficiency savings offered by the move to customer focused digital services.
• Driving the implementation of the migration plans for all State Pension customers and supporting operational staff training/deployment changes required to ensure service levels are maintained during the migration.
• Assuring the directorate meets DWP risk management principles required to maintain and report on State Pension risk logs.
• Reporting to stakeholders the current position regarding Fraud, Error and Debt (FED) within State Pension and actions being taken within the agreed FED reduction plan.  
• Developing and applying a detailed understanding of areas where other RSD benefits impact on the delivery of State Pension operations and working with these product lines to ensure that cross cutting services are delivered as seamlessly and efficiently as possible.
• Analysing and utilising MI reports to develop and support the introduction of more efficient service delivery procedures.
• Ensuring State Pension Business Continuity plans are maintained and applied where required.

Person specification

Key Criteria for the role:

• The ability to make effective decisions, prioritise plans and resources and have a commitment and passion for improving customer service and achieving stretching business objectives (Lead Criteria).
• Able to lead effectively across a fast paced and high-profile area, with the ability to be flexible and adapt to changes at team and directorate level.
• The ability to proactively improve the quality of the service, using insight from various teams, identifying gaps in the customer journey, building evidence and problem statements to influence priority improvements with clear benefit realisation.
• Experience of process mapping specific to customer interactions highlighting unnecessary process steps.
• Experience of drafting, scoring, and maintaining risk logs utilising risk management principles.
• The ability to gather and analyse performance MI and utilise it to support operational decisions.
• Possess excellent presentation, drafting, written and communication skills.
• Experience of working at pace, providing accurate and at times detailed contributions, to a range of sensitive briefings and enquiries.

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.

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.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

It is important that you take time to read the Candidate Pack which can be found at the bottom of this job advert. This gives details of working patterns, training and terms and conditions of employment as well as giving further information on what to include in your application.

Stages for applying 

Stage 1 – Complete the eligibility section of the application form.                                                                              

Stage 2 - Complete a personal statement of 1250 words.

Personal Statement​

When completing your personal statement, please read and understand the Key Criteria on slide 7 of the candidate pack thoroughly, as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You may choose to address each criteria separately, however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several key criteria. You may not be able to meet all the key criteria, but please ensure you evidence: the key personal requirements and what have you done that relates to the requirements. You don’t have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why, what you can do and the skills you have that are transferable to the key requirements, and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role. 

​The closing date for applications is 23:55 on 28 February 2024. If you fail to complete any of the 2 stages above before this deadline your application will be withdrawn.

Stage 3 – The Sift

The sift is scheduled to commence on 4 March 2024. 

Should a large number of applications be received an initial sift may be conducted using the lead criteria, ‘The ability to make effective decisions, prioritise plans and resources and have a commitment and passion for improving customer service and achieving stretching business objectives’.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

Stage 4 - The Interview Process

The interview, held via MS Teams, will last approximately 30 to 40 minutes.  Further details regarding the process are available in the candidate pack.

Interviews are scheduled take place week commencing 18 March 2024.

Please note that the proposed sift and interview dates are only indicative at this stage and may be subject to change.

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

A reserve list may be held for a period of 3 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

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.

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 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

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.

Reasonable Adjustment

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

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.

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.