About the job

Job summary

The Planning Capacity and Capability Team was established in 2022 to support town planners in local government in building the skills and resources needed to deliver a more efficient and sustainable planning system, which can adapt to and successfully implement change.

The planning system is currently being reformed through changes set out in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act, which require significant changes from an already stretched sector. Increasing the system's capacity and capability can ease immediate challenges and facilitate successful implementation of the reforms.

The Capacity and Capability Programme aims to deliver a suite of interventions that will:

• Provide a pipeline into the profession to local planning authorities to recruit and retain planners.
• Deliver direct resource support to local planning authorities to enable them to deliver projects both now and in the introduction of the new planning system.
• Provide upskilling and tools for the job to support the implementation of changes to the planning system.

A key part of the programme is to design and deliver the Planning Super Squad which will be a team of leading planners and other built and natural environment specialists who will support local planning authorities to help unblock major developments by providing their skills and expertise. The Planning Super Squad will operate across England, in partnership with Homes England.

The Planning Super Squad is part of a fast-paced and ambitious programme that will be delivered through a wide range of delivery partners. You will be able to work at pace, with enthusiasm and confidence, and work with a range of stakeholders, both internally in DLUHC, across Government and across the wider planning sector. You will be a trusted key point of contact for the Planning Super Squad and you will need to have strong interpersonal skills. You will gain a strong understanding of the project as it develops, ensuring the effective design and delivery of the Planning Super Squad as part of wider initiatives within the Capacity and Capability Programme. The role is high-profile and is an exciting and unique opportunity to help build the skills and resource needed to support local planning authorities.

We particularly welcome candidates from an ethnic minority background and other underrepresented groups to apply, as we work to continually improve our ability to represent the places and communities, we support through our work.

Job description

The post-holder will be responsible for:

• Driving forward the design and delivery of the Planning Super Squad project, building resilience and collaborative working.
• Working closely with key stakeholders, including Homes England, Local Government and other key Government Departments, such as those responsible for sponsoring statutory consultees that interface with planning.
• Working proactively with teams internally in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Directorates, including policy, commercial and finance colleagues.
• Supporting the team in developing and implementing strategies to ensure the effective set-up, recruitment of in-house resource and continual improvement of the delivery of the Planning Super Squad project.
• Developing, implementing, maintaining and reviewing systems and services to ensure delivery of professional excellence.
• Preparing briefings and advice to senior officials and Ministers (as required).

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• Experience of working in a fast-paced team to deliver a complex project or equivalent, ideally within the built and natural environment fields.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, co-ordinating across various groups/teams.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with an ability to communicate clearly and succinctly.
• The ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment with multiple tasks.
• The ability to produce reports and communicate progress effectively to a senior audience.
• The ability to synthesise complex, technical issues in a clear and engaging way for both internal and external audiences.
• Working experience and/or significant interest in town planning or a related built or natural environment field and/or change management in a project or programme would be desirable.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,732, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities contributes £10,457 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 and Strengths.

Selection Process Details 

We are for everyone  

At DLUHC we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce. We promote equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment and a working environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation.   

We would strongly recommend that applicants get in touch with the vacancy manager to find out more information about this role.   

We are for everyone  

DLUHC want to bring in a diverse workforce at all levels.   

Our application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system – this means that a hiring manager does not know your name, your details, see your whole application in one go (or have your CV at review stage unless stated otherwise).   

At application stage you will be asked to upload a CV document. Unless stated otherwise in the advert, your CV will not form part of the assessment but will be used for information purposes and only shared with the panel at interview stage.  

Your answers are randomised and chunked up. This means that each assessor views sets of responses to questions for example all candidates’ responses to ‘Seeing the Big Picture’ rather than seeing a candidate’s full application. The science behind this is that recruitment can be subject to ordering and fatigue effects and we want to reduce this as much as possible.   

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.  

When writing your application, remember: 

• The assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially.  
• Do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers.  
• If talking about something in your first answer, make sure that you write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!)  

At sift, we will be assessing  

Behaviour 1 Communicating and Influencing (lead behaviour)  

Behaviour 2 Working together 

Behaviour 3 Managing a quality service

Behaviour 4 Delivering at pace  

There is a 250 word limit per question.  

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead behaviour listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progress straight to assessment/interview. 

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of the following success profiles elements:    

Behaviour - Communicating and influencing, Working together, Managing a quality service and Delivering at pace

Ability - Shortlisted candidates will also be asked to deliver a presentation. Further details will be provided following sift.

Strengths 

 

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

Behaviours: Yes- Communicating and influencing, Working together, Managing a quality service and Delivering at pace

Ability: Yes- Presentation

Strengths: Yes 

We do not consider direct CV applications to our Recruitment mailbox – 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. 

SEO salary 

• The salary for this role is £38,732 (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.   

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION: 

• Birmingham
• Bristol
• Wolverhampton 
• Darlington*  

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. 

*Please note: The Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) 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.  

SIFT AND INTERVIEW DATES: 

Sifting is envisaged to take place W/C 15th January 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 n 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. 

Candidate Pack Information 

Please see attached Candidate pack for further information. 

Before starting your application it’s very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the DLUHC candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules  

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. 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.