About the job

Job summary

We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates  

At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfE, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.

Equality and Diversity - Department for Education

About Policy Lab

Policy Lab is a multidisciplinary team that brings together expertise including in policy, lived experience research, systems thinking, futures, art and design. Working in the Lab offers unique exposure to a range of important and interesting policy issues. Since 2014, the team has run more than 200 policy innovation projects with a wide range of teams across government and beyond. Policy Lab creates compelling and innovative project outputs, including visualisations, films, digital experiences, workshops and exhibition design. The focus of recent projects has included system change to produce better outcomes for people facing multiple disadvantage, achieving net zero in last mile logistics, and developing new plans for managing fishing stocks.  

Policy Lab operates on a 100% cost-recovery basis. This is an innovative commercial model inside government and means that the Lab earns all of its income through paid project commissions.

More about Policy Lab and our projects can be found on twitter @PolicyLabUK or on our blog: https://openpolicy.blog.gov.uk.

Please note that the advertised role sits within the Department for Education, but in a team that acts as a cross-government service. This means Policy Lab may only occasionally work on Department for Education policy areas. 

Job description

The UK's Policy Lab is an exciting and inclusive organisation that sits within the Department for Education but works across the whole of government and beyond. Our mission is to radically improve policymaking through design, innovation and people-centred approaches.  

For this 12-month maternity cover position, we are looking for candidates with excellent studio management skills, blending practical delivery skills (financial, portfolio and project management) with emotional intelligence. This role is a linchpin for the operations of Policy Lab, requiring detailed and effective management of key processes such as strategic and operational finance, and the ability to work across the team with insight and empathy on matters relating to HR, team wellbeing and project resourcing. The Studio Manager is essential to the smooth running of the Policy Lab team and to our ability to deliver high impact, innovative policy work. 

You will work closely with Policy Lab’s Head of Projects and individual project leads to apply a rigorous approach to resource and financial management across our varied project portfolio. You will lead on strategic finance for Policy Lab as a cost-recovery business unit, where we cover all team costs from earned income, enabling the senior leadership team to make spending decisions across all budget areas and ensuring strong financial accountability and reporting to the Department for Education.  

While this role receives line management support from the Head of Projects, Policy Lab operates a matrixed management structure and, as such, you will be task managed by senior leaders across studio functions. You will yourself also demonstrate leadership across the team to ensure that operational rigour is embedded across all areas of Policy Lab’s work. In collaboration with Policy Lab’s leadership team and colleagues at all levels, you will help embed a strong ethos of continuous improvement, so that the Policy Lab studio – our talented multi-disciplinary team and our physical and digital assets – combines to achieve more than the sum of its parts.  

This role can be London-based or located in DfE’s Leeds or Bristol offices.  

Key delivery elements of the role during the period of maternity leave will include: 

Financial management 

• Leading on month-end financial reporting using departmental financial planning software and Microsoft tools (Excel/Powerpoint) to ensure that the co-Heads of Policy Lab have up-to-date management information for strategic decision-making 
• Using financial data to advise Policy Lab’s senior leadership team on affordability of spend requests across budget lines 
• Overseeing Policy Lab’s day-to-day financial operations, such as invoicing commissioners and paying suppliers 
• Ensuring that end-to-end commercial and financial guidance is kept updated for colleagues to use 
• Maintaining excellent relationships with departmental finance colleagues, including Finance Business Partners and tax experts, ensuring that Policy Lab’s financial data is kept up-to-date in departmental management systems 
• Monitoring and maintaining payroll records for Policy Lab, ensuring that sensitive data is kept confidential
• Leading on financial year end planning, developing year-end schedules and trackers to enable manageable workflows, regularly reporting to co-Heads of Lab to facilitate financial year end spending decisions and leading on financial year end accounting in line with departmental processes
• Developing financial and staffing forecasts for FY25-26 to facilitate annual business planning in line with departmental processes 

Portfolio management 

• Working closely with the Head of Projects to apply a rigorous approach to resource and financial management across Policy Lab projects, ensuring that Policy Lab projects and training sessions are resourced appropriately, and that workflows are managed effectively across the team 
• Ensuring that resourcing data is kept up-to-date in the team’s resource tracking system to ensure early identification of upcoming resource pressures 
• Supporting project leads to manage project-level budgets and ensure all project-related financial data is captured at the portfolio level  
• Working with colleagues to expand Lab’s ‘on demand’ resourcing options, such as building supplier and placement networks  
• Maintaining excellent relationships with commercial colleagues and supporting project leads on commercial engagement throughout projects, to ensure procurement best practice across the portfolio 

HR 

• Working with the co-Heads of Policy Lab to ensure Lab’s HR is in good shape, navigating the department's HR policies with support from the department’s HR specialists, and addressing issues with compassion and emotional intelligence 
• Keeping up-to-date with departmental recruitment policies and supporting colleagues to run recruitment campaigns in line with these, from schedule planning to onboarding
• Supporting the leadership team in the development of recruitment strategies by feeding in insights from resourcing data and experience 

Overseeing studio operations 

• Overseeing junior colleagues working on aspects of studio management, including: team meeting agendas, facilities, IT, information management, internal communications and team inbox management 
• Supporting colleagues to develop an inspiring programme of team meetings across the year 
• Overseeing the iteration of an excellent physical and virtual studio space, ensuring our highly talented team across the country have the right tools and environment for the job and that Policy Lab’s physical and digital assets are stored appropriately 
• Supporting colleagues to liaise with DfE’s estates team and IT services, as well as maintaining excellent relationships with Policy Lab's makerspace partner, Makerversity 

Person specification

Essential criteria: 

• Experience of working with financial management systems and reporting financial data to senior colleagues  
• Experience of business and/or portfolio management  
• Experience of developing and maintaining positive, collaborative relationships in a fast-paced team

Desirable criteria: 

• Experience in team(s) undertaking innovative work, inside or outside of the Civil Service 
• Experience of engaging with commercial processes, including contract management 
• Exposure to or experience of using Microsoft Power platforms for automating operational processes 

Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie break situation to make an informed decision.

Benefits

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK, with an average employer contribution of 27%.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours. 

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths and Experience.

Application 

To apply for this role, we will ask you to submit a CV and a 750-word personal statement. The personal statement should demonstrate your experience in relation to the job description and essential criteria listed above, as well as telling us more about you and the values and motivation you would bring to this role. 

The CV and personal statement will be assessed against the job description and essential criteria. Should we receive a high number of applications, we will perform an initial sift based on the experience you outline in your personal statement. 

Interview 

If your application is selected for interview, you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. 

During the interview, you will be asked to provide further evidence of your experience and will be questioned on your strengths.  

You will also need to prepare a 5-minute presentation in response to the following question: “What would your skills, experience and interests offer to Policy Lab in the role of Studio Manager?”

Other Information

We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.

The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.   

DfE cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DfE holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe 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 circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.

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.

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.

Reasonable adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” 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.

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming 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/

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.