About the job

Job summary

The PINS Sponsorship Team is currently a G6 jobshare, whose portfolio also includes Neighbourhood Planning policy and Neighbourhood Planning support, and an SEO. They lead a friendly and welcoming team within the PDP division of the Regeneration and Housing Group. We support the DLUHC Senior Sponsor Jo Key (DG Regeneration and Housing) and Director Will Burgon, who acts as PINS SRO, reporting to Permanent Secretary Sarah Healey. 

On their behalf, the team: 

• Sets the framework within which PINS operates including accountabilities of its Board/Chair/ CEO and financial controls/delegations/operational flexibilities; 

• Supports PINS in setting and refining its strategic objectives in line with ministerial priorities; 

• Oversees how PINS is performing against its objectives through oversight of its business planning, finances, and monthly management information; 

• Works with the Public Appointments team on the Department’s strategy regarding recruitment and appointment of PINS board members; 

• Leads liaison between PINS, the Department and the rest of Whitehall through ALB Governance teams, including supporting PINS navigate wider Whitehall-led approval processes, commissions and fiscal events; 

• Leads the relationships with policy teams to ensure they are aware of the Inspectorate’s strategic direction; 

• Establishes and nurtures excellent relationships with peers across Planning teams, the wider Department and Whitehall; 

• Contributes to cross-cutting policy development; and 

• Supports Ministers through high-quality advice in writing and in person. 

Job description

• Leading work on governance and supporting the delivery of the Inspectorate’s bi-monthly Accounting Officer and Board meetings including developing briefings;  

• Leading work on developing briefings to support the Department’s shareholder function on PINS’ Board (ARAC, Remuneration Committee are two examples, also includes briefings for Senior Sponsor bilaterals);  

• Leading work on wider corporate sponsorship;  

• Leading work to support Finance Business Partner colleagues delivering budget and business planning work and related reporting;  

• Supporting PINS public appointments of board members and senior staff; 

• Leading DLUHC’s role in the forthcoming potential reviews of PINS performance, policy and governance and Public Bodies Review (e.g. Cabinet Office) and implementation of recent reviews e.g. Board Effectiveness, Rosewell; 

• Leading joined up policy implementation through DLUHC policy teams and PINS;  

• Leading responses to commissions involving PINS input;

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with senior stakeholders across both organisations, being seen as the ‘go-to’ person for a range of issues;  

• Leading the renewal and strengthening of the collaborative culture working between the Department and PINS;   

• Working closely with seniors on the relationship with PINS; 

• Providing wider briefing support on PINS issues;   

• Line management of PINS sponsorship SEO. 

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• Self-motivated and able to work independently to shape direction and delivery of priority tasks. 

• Able to build trusted relationships with stakeholders at all levels, beyond departmental boundaries, and influence with impact and credibility. 

• Able to work calmly under pressure and deliver to tight deadlines. 

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate complex issues in a clear, succinct and evidenced way. 

• Excellent briefing skills and experience. 

• Contributing to a rewarding and inclusive working environment. 

Desirable criteria: 

• Experience in ALB sponsorship or corporate work.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,934, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities contributes £14,022 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, Strengths and Experience.

As part of our pre-employment checking process we will be using your CV to confirm your job history. Please note that by providing us with your CV you are consenting to us using the information enclosed as part of the checking process. 

 

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 

Your covering letter should be no more than 1 page and 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, behaviour, and strength based questions as listed in the advert. The strength based questions will require natural responses from the candidates.  

Candidates will be expected to deliver a presentation at interview stage, the details of which will be provided upon invitation. 

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

Experience: Yes - Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description 

Strength: Yes

Behaviours: Leadership, Communicating and influencing, Working together, Seeing the big picture, Delivering at pace. 

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 

Grade 7 salary 

• The salary for this role is £57,091 (London) or £51,934 (National). 
• For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If you apply for a role that requires a transfer of location, for example if you are transferring from London to a National location, your salary will be adjusted in accordance with our policy on transfer between HQ pay ranges.  

Please note that the average employer pension contribution is based upon the National minimum salary for this role. Should your agreed starting salary for this role be different, the average employer pension contribution will be calculated accordingly. If you are a Secondee, this will not apply as you will remain on your home organisation’s terms and conditions.    

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 

• Wolverhampton 
• Darlington* 
• Birmingham
• Bristol
• Leeds
• London 
• Manchester 

*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.   

For further information on the DEC, please take a look at the attached DEC candidate pack. 

At present, a minimum of 60% of your working time will be spent in your contractual office location. Requirements to attend other office locations or off-site meetings will be counted towards this. You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. 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. 

Sift and Interview dates 
 
Sifting is envisaged to take place from 8th July 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. 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.  

CTC (Counter-terrorism Clearance): 

Important note 

 
Successful candidates for roles based in our 2 Marsham Street building must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete. 
 
Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the CTC security checks – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years. Please refer to the DLUHC Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Counter Terrorism Clearance (CTC).  
 

Candidates should also note that with effect from 1st August 2018 the department will also check all applicants who are successful at interview, against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) held by the Cabinet Office. In accordance with the Civil Service Internal Fraud Policy, any applicant who is included on the IFD will be refused employment by DLUHC. Please see the Candidate Pack for further information on the Internal Fraud Database.  

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. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.