About the job

Job summary

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.

The Adult Social Care Group in DHSC leads on all matters relating to adult social care in the department. Putting social care on a sustainable footing, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, is one of the biggest challenges that our society faces. Next Steps to put People at the Heart of Care,  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adult-social-care-system-reform-next-steps-to-put-people-at-the-heart-of-care/next-steps-to-put-people-at-the-heart-of-care published in April last year, provided an update on progress and continued ambitions for improving people’s experience of adult social care.

The purpose of the Data, Assurance and Support Division is to increase transparency about what and how social care is being delivered locally and drive improvements in quality through a variety of policy interventions, including our ambitious data programme outlined in the adult social care data strategy - Care Data Matters and through the introduction of new assessments of local authorities by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). You will support the work of the division to understand what needs to be in place to support good outcomes for people who draw on care and support, use intelligence and data gathered to formulate actions, and collaborate across teams and with stakeholders to input into wider activities that support the implementation of social care reforms.

We aim to establish a workforce which reflects the society we serve, and DHSC welcomes applications from all. We are especially interested to hear from gender diverse, disabled, LGBT+ candidates, care leavers and candidates from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds, including Black, Asian, mixed and other ethnic groups. We view flexible working and inclusive leadership as essential for all our employees.

Job description

We are recruiting four Senior Executive Officers (SEO) to lead the delivery of projects essential to the success of the government’s vision outlined in Next Steps to put People at the Heart of Care. 

The posts provide an excellent opportunity to join teams leading high-profile programmes. They will involve proactively engaging across the department, its arms-length bodies, and stakeholders across the social care sector. Post holders will have the opportunity to build strong, credible relationships with stakeholders across central and local, government.

You will provide high-quality advice to ministers, support colleagues with business/ operational continuity, and draft responses to parliamentary questions.

The posts offer excellent opportunities to lead and support across a number of areas:

• Supporting existing policy on provider and LA assessment including dissemination of key information, annual reports and ministerial briefings.
• Delivering a new vision for the way we gather, analyse and publish data about adult social care. 
• Developing the department’s approach to understanding local authorities’ performance and their delivery of adult social care, working across the Adult Social Care Group to bring together what we learn through new CQC assessments of local authorities, better social care data and engagement with the sector and strengthening the tools we have to improve performance. 
• Leading on assuring the work of funded delivery partners and contributing to regular advice to Ministers covering this work. 
• Leading on an element of support and improvement policy, including implementation and delivery of that policy via intervention case-holding.

You will receive training and support in line with your responsibilities.

We strive to be diverse and flexible, and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and working patterns.

Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, Leeds.  Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration and enhancing team working, learning, and support. 

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need. 

There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.    

Person specification

These roles will have responsibility to deliver across some of the following areas:

• Support the delivery of policy and projects linked to CQC local authority and provider assessment.
• Work with internal stakeholders to understand how local authorities are delivering their statutory duties and respond to emerging issues.
• Support the delivery of policy and projects linked to local authority support, improvement and intervention.
• Case-holding when a local authority receives an “inadequate” or “needs improvement” CQC assessment result.
• Draft high-quality briefings and communications for ministers, special advisers, senior officials and respond to parliamentary questions.
• Support the delivery of policy and projects linked to the data strategy - ensuring better and more timely data to deepen oversight of the social care sector.
• Work with analysts and data specialists to understand data insights, apply them to policy making through appropriate action planning.
• Be able to review and analyse a variety of data, present information in a timely manner, to support decision making. 
• Develop and maintain constructive relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support policy development, resolve issues, and plan cohesively and strategically to deliver results, working both independently and with others as part of a team.
• Be able to work at pace and flexibly to meet priorities and deliver results.

Key Skills and Experience:

Successful applicants will have:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills – able to convey complex issues and arguments clearly and persuasively both verbally and in writing.
• Experience of working with a variety of internal and external stakeholders to achieve common focus in order to collaboratively drive outcomes and deliver results.
• The ability to understand and use data, information and evidence from a variety of sources to form and produce recommendations, and to lead on policy development across a range of areas.
• Strong organisational and management skills – able to organise yourself and your workload effectively, prioritising as needed to ensure delivery of key commitments in a timely way.
• A positive mindset to keep yourself and teams' focused on the key priorities whilst promoting a culture that ensures results and innovation are achieved.

Desirable

• Project management and delivery experience in a policy context
• Experience of working in the social care sector

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,025, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £10,806 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.

Sift date: W/C 17/06/2024 

Interview date: expected W/C 01/07/2024

Interview location: By Video

The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores. 

Applications will be sifted on Behaviours, CV, and Statement of Suitability.

Please use your CV to set out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. These can be found in the ‘key skills and experience required for the role’ section of the advert.  

Please use your statement of suitability to (in no more than 500 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert. 

An initial sift based on the Lead Behaviour, Communicating and Influencing, may be held if a large number of applications are received. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours and Strengths. 

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here 

Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available. 

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance. 

This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:

• Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
• Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Probation: 6 month probation period

Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above). 

Existing DHSC staff, appointed on promotion

If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to DHSC 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

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 Government Recruitment Service via dhscrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as 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. 

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.

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.