About the job

Job summary

There are four HEO posts available in the Life Events and Disadvantage Division, within the Department for Work and Pensions’ Policy Group. 

We are responsible for steering how Government supports some of the most vulnerable citizens in society, by making sure they get the financial and employment support they need to succeed. This is a fantastic opportunity for four motivated individuals to come and join us and help us make a difference to groups including prison leavers, those at risk of or experiencing homelessness and victims of modern slavery by improving access to benefits and ensuring there is a coherent end-to-end government offer. 

We are responsible for work including DWP’s contribution to the cross-government drugs strategy, which stretches from advising Ministers and senior officials to managing contracts for peer mentors to help those dependent on drugs or alcohol overcome barriers to employment. 

We are also responsible for the policy covering a series of benefits focused on supporting citizens through specific life events. These include Funeral Expenses Payment, the Sure Start Maternity Grant, Budgeting Loans and Cold Weather Payments – alongside Bereavement Benefits and Maternity Pay. This work is varied and can involve working to improve public-facing guidance and the claim process to changing policy through introducing new legislation.

All four of the roles on offer provide opportunities to develop strong stakeholder management skills. You will be expected to engage with a wide range of cross-departmental, cross-government and external stakeholders to develop and deliver key policy priorities. This will include regular engagement with Ministers and Senior Civil Servants.

You will be responsible for ensuring that policy intent is effectively delivered by internal partners (for example, Service Delivery), and for providing high-quality advice, information and draft responses to support a high-volume of Ministerial and cross-government business. 

This is a unique, fast-paced and challenging area of work that adapts quickly in line with Ministerial and Departmental priorities. The specific focus of all four roles will be determined at the point successful candidates are notified to ensure that posts meet business needs.

Job description

Responsibilities may include:

• Line Management.
• Developing an understanding of the different disadvantaged groups and playing a role in driving strategic thinking on DWP’s future approach.
• Driving the development of new evidence-based policy options, whilst ensuring operational, financial, legal and communications issues and advice are fully considered.
• Working collaboratively to manage the delivery of a £4m project, building trusting relationships with external providers, assessing and influencing projects performance and overseeing the provider payment process.
• Working with internal and cross-government stakeholders to deliver policy changes when needed through changes to regulations or guidance.
• Providing high-quality briefings (including oral briefings) and submissions to Ministers and senior officials, and handling responses to PQs, correspondence and FOI requests.
• Drafting clear, concise and timely responses to Ministerial correspondence.
• Working collaboratively with others across DWP and Whitehall to understand, assess and gain consensus when developing and responding to calls for policy reform.
• Contributing to Government publications, responses and policy papers.
• Working with legal colleagues on Court Cases, preparing relevant Court documents and attending court hearings.
• Working collaboratively with Service Planning and Delivery and Operational colleagues to ensure policy intent is understood and delivered.
• Building effective relationships with analysts, operations, press office, lawyers, private office, Service Planning and Delivery, communications teams, other policy teams, OGDs and external stakeholders and providing expert advice on your policy areas.
• Working flexibly to provide support to team members across the Division.

Please note that one of the four roles is a programme management role and will involve analysing information provided by external providers and managing their performance. Project Management Office (PMO) experience would be desirable for this role.

We particularly welcome people from ethnic minority backgrounds applying as they are under-represented groups in DWP; and applications from people able to work from our Leeds and Sheffield hubs.

To understand more about DWP and Policy Group – and full information on applying for this vacancy - you must read the attached Candidate Pack. 

Person specification

We would love to hear from people who are passionate about supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society and those going through specific life events.

Benefits

You’ll join us in one of our DWP hub locations of Leeds, London or Sheffield.  

Our team has the opportunity to balance their personal lives and their work. We offer flexible hours, and hybrid working and lots of family friendly policies. Working flexibly means that at those times when you might need to work longer to get the job done, you can build up time that you can use to start later, finish earlier or take extra days off. The work we do is important, and we know healthy and happy people do better work.    

In return for your skills, we offer an attractive civil service pension with employer contributions of over 26% into a defined benefit pension scheme and a generous leave package starting at 23 Days, rising to 30 Days over time.   

 We have a broad benefits package to support your work-life balance which includes:   

• • Volunteering and charitable giving
  • Discounts and savings on shopping, days out and more
  • Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it’s even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference
  • Sports and social activities
  • Learning and development, including coaching, mentoring, progression opportunities and guaranteed 5-days learning per year.
  • And lots more

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 

When applying for this role, you will be required to state in preference order which of the three Policy Group Hub locations you can work from, Sheffield, Leeds, and London.

By indicating your preferred Policy Group hub location(s) in your application you are stating that you are willing to accept a post in any of your chosen hub location(s).  

• Quarry House, Leeds, LS2 7UA 
• Caxton House, 6 -12 Tothill St, London, SW1H 9NA 
• King’s Court, Hanover Way, Sheffield, S3 7UF 

The corporate hub location will be the designated place of work and any remote or home working arrangement does not constitute a change to your designated place of work or contractual Terms and Conditions.

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.

There are three elements to the selection process comprising of two Civil Service On-line Assessment Tests, a Sift, and the Interview Stage.

Stage 1 The Civil Service On-Line Assessment Tests

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete the Civil Service Verbal and Judgement tests. If you successfully pass these tests, you will be invited to complete the next stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests well before the deadline to ensure you do not experience any technical issue and fail to meet the deadline. The closing date for the application is 23:55 on 19/02/2024.

If you fail to complete the online tests and full written application before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the tests will be available when you are invited to take the tests. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Stage 2 Sift

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and three 250 word behaviour statements. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please read the guidance in relation to success profiles.

A sift will be carried out using your three 250-word behaviour statements.

You will need to set out evidence of to demonstrate the following Behaviours:

• Behaviour 1 (lead behaviour) - Communicating and Influencing
• Behaviour 2 - Making Effective Decisions
• Behaviour 3 - Leadership

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour -

• Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progress straight to assessment/interview.

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

We are not looking at how much time you have spent in a job, but rather how you performed and what you have achieved in the role. Your behaviour statements must demonstrate clear evidence of what you did, how you did it and the outcome achieved, as well as evidence of your personal impact and your ability to take forward different approaches depending on the circumstances.

The standards detailed in the Success Profiles Behaviour Descriptions are the minimum expectations for the role and only candidates with the strongest evidence will be invited to interview. Your statements must not exceed 250 words per behaviour, and you are advised to take advantage of the full word count.

Candidates are also asked to provide a CV covering the last 5 years if available. This must include any gaps in employment. Your CV may be used to provide context to your personal statement but will not be formally assessed. 

Stage 3 Interview

If you are successful at both stages 1 and 2 then you will be invited to an interview. At the interview stage we will assess candidates using a blended interview approach. The interview will comprise of both Behaviour and Strength-Based questions. The guidance on Success Profiles explains these selection tools. The Behaviours being assessed are detailed in the job advert, because of the nature of Strength-Based questions you will not be told which Strengths are being assessed. 

You will also be asked to complete a 5 minute presentation exercise at the beginning of the interview. Further details will be provided prior to the interview.

Sift/interview dates and location.

Successful candidates will be invited for interview in early March. 

Please note that interviews will be conducted via video link using MS Teams. Full details will be provided for those applicants invited to book an interview.   

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.