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 Start for Life Unit is part of the Early Years, Children and Families Directorate within DHSC. In March 2021, the Early Years Healthy Development Review – chaired by Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP the then Government Early Years Advisor, and now Minister for Public Health, Start for Life and Primary Care – published an ambitious Vision to ensure every baby in England is given the best start for life: The best start for life: a vision for the 1,001 critical days - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The Start for Life Unit is charged with implementing this ambitious vision by putting words into action.

Following on from the Review, the Chancellor announced approx. £300m for the transformation of Family Hubs and improvement of Start for Life services – including funding for parent-infant mental health and breastfeeding services, the publication of Start for Life offers, and the establishment of Parent and Carer Panels in 75 upper tier local authorities.

We published a progress report in February 2023 detailing the success of the Programme thus far and our wider work to develop and implement the commitments in the original Vision: The best start for life: a progress report on delivering the vision -GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). 

Job description

The postholder will take up an exciting, new position in the Start for Life Unit, focussing on priority projects identified in the original Start for Life Vision. The successful candidate will play a pivotal part in ensuring that the Unit delivers on the Government commitments made in the original Review, within this SR cycle. We expect this role to focus on the following priorities within Start for Life: 

1. Designing and developing priority projects from the original Start for Life Vision: The successful candidate will work with others across the Unit to review the original Start for Life Vision and identify projects where we can make additional impact. This might include supporting local areas to integrate effective co-design principles into their existing local outreach programmes, for example.
2. Leading the Unit’s work on digital topics: The successful candidate may support the coordination of digital initiatives (led and delivered by other Government Departments, or NHS England) which are intended to support the provision of Start for Life services. You might also design projects to map the digital and face-to-face experiences of parents and carers during the critical 1,001 days, and lead policy development on issues such as digital exclusion.
3. Providing strategic updates on the Unit’s work: The successful candidate will take responsibility for leading conversations with senior officials and with Ministers about their work, project managing their own workload, setting ambitious deadlines and making the best use of their own time, and that of their team. You may also work with others across the Unit on the design, drafting and publication of future progress updates (for example, see the 2023 update here).

Person specification

Role Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

1. Build strong relationships with other Government Departments and be a catalyst for forward-planning in this area, encouraging excellent collaboration between colleagues from multiple teams to define the best possible policy solutions for babies and their families.
2. Lead on Ministerial briefings, PQs and on the development of strategic communications for their policy areas.
3. Represent the Start for Life Unit in conversations with the Minister on relevant topics; this is a stretching role and it is envisaged that the successful candidate will exercise a fair degree of autonomy.
4. Create a prioritisation matrix for priority projects where we could go further in exploring the ambition of the original Start for Life Vision, scope and develop each project and ensure projects are delivered and timelines are managed effectively.
5. Provide leadership to their immediate team and act as deputy for their Grade 6 line manager, when required, representing the work of the team to both internal and external stakeholders.

Key skills and experience required for the role

The successful candidate must have:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt your communication style to different audiences, including senior decision-makers.
• Strong organisational skills and experience in managing multiple priorities, delivering high quality outcomes under pressure, and proactively anticipating and planning for any issues in advance.
• A proven ability to build strong networks, influence and broker agreement with colleagues and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to produce clear, concise, and compelling narratives.
• Understanding of and sensitivity to the wider political and policy context; the successful candidate must be able to articulate how their work meets the needs of babies and their families, and supports the delivery of organisation- and government-wide priorities.
• Skilled at finding pragmatic solutions to policy challenges, evaluating different options and making decisions, where appropriate.
• Ability to provide confident and inspiring leadership, influence across organisational boundaries and provide excellent line management, personal development and career progression.

It would also be desirable for the successful candidate to have the ability to speak confidently about technical / digital topics without necessarily having technical / digital expertise.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,116, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £14,341 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:  expected W/C 18/03/2024

Interview date: expected W/C 15/04/2024

Interview location: By video.

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

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

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 750 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 Statement of Suitability and the Lead Behaviour of Leadership 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, Strengths, and a Presentation. 

Candidates will be asked a presentation which will assess a Behaviour: Seeing the Big Picture. Details of the presentation question will be issued to candidates with the release of the sift scores.

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.

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.ukas 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. 

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.

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 either level transfer or 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).

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.

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.