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.

We are pleased to offer a role in the Chief Data Officer’s Directorate (CDO).  As a new directorate, you will be joining at an exciting time; leading the building of the function and in particular its culture, values and identity and help shape its mission and purpose.

 

The aim of CDO is to advance the safe, legal, and ethical use of data across the Department, in order to foster a data driven culture which enables better policy making across the government. We seek to build partnerships and connections across the health and care family, to maximise the collation and sharing of data; building a collaborative and shared vision of how data is used, so that data is at the heart of decision making.

 

CDO is responsible for the management and transformation of a range of data products and services onto new infrastructure and support systems, changing the culture, process and systems to ensure they are modern, resilient and adaptable to meet a range of needs. 

 

The projects and programmes are a mix of management and maintenance of existing services and products and a programme of transformation, The work is a mix of migration, transition, consolidation, adaption and transformation of existing data and digital products systems and processes. We intend to both ‘move and improve' the systems and processes that support our health intelligence and analysis provision.

 

We are recruiting to the post of Project and Transformation Lead. The post holder will lead the delivery of one or more of the data services, providing wrap-around project governance ensuring robust plans are in place and delivered along with appropriate levels of risk management.

Job description

The role is critical in the transformation and delivery of a range of data services to move and improve the Department's data and analytical products and processes, making them fit for the modern data and digital age.  This transformation is a significant piece of work in the CDO Portfolio.

 

You will have a strong record of project / digital delivery using different methodologies such as lean/agile/waterfall and be able to manage others (both via line management and within more informal teams) to plan and deliver complex pieces of work with a focus on data, technology and digital transformation.

 

You will be a confident communicator, used to explaining complex concepts to a range of audiences and maintaining stakeholder engagement across key groups, managing expectations and moderate discussions regarding risk and complexity within constrained timescales.

 

As an experienced planner, you can lead a continual planning process in complex environments, plan beyond product delivery and identify dependencies in plans across services and co-ordinate delivery.  You can also coach other teams and team members as a central point of expertise.

 

You will take responsibility for complex relationships with contracted suppliers, negotiating with them to get good value out of contracts and ensuring efficient delivery.

 

You will understand the environment and prioritise the most important or highest value tasks, using data to inform planning, manage complex internal and external dependencies and provide delivery confidence.

 

You will facilitate the delivery flow of a team, managing the pace and tempo, actively addressing internal and external risks, issues and dependencies including where ownership exists outside the team.

 

You will also identify and remove blockers or impediments to planned projects and can develop plans to address difficult scenarios.

Person specification

You will report directly to the Head of Transformation and Ethics, and will: 

Provide effective leadership and management controls for the project and products. Set appropriate delivery methodologies and manage effective transition between project phases.

Manage stakeholder relationships internally and externally ensuring communications and engagement activities are undertaken, are appropriate for the audience and purpose, and tailored as required.

Ensure effective change management processes are in place to agree and document changes to deliverables as agreed with stakeholders.

Work collaboratively with product teams to deliver joint goals, facilitating the right environment for the team to work in and achieve its deliverables.  Maintain focus on delivering outcomes, identifying blockers and escalating where necessary.

Support effective governance and decision making. Provide reporting and engage in mechanisms that hold you, and the team to account for delivery.

Develop and maintain the project plan, identifying and setting appropriate project controls, managing performance and reporting progress to sponsors. 

Identify and monitor project risks and issues, developing mitigating actions and escalate as appropriate. Work with related projects to manage interdependencies.

Identify and challenge organisational processes that are unnecessarily complicated with the aim of simplifying, adapting processes and guiding teams through the implementation of a new process.

Contribute to a continual planning process in a very complex environment, planning for and beyond product or project delivery.  Identify dependencies in plans across services and co-ordinate delivery. 

Provide support, guidance and coaching for the project team. Show commitment to personal development. Promote effective individual and team performance.

Key Skills and Experience Required for the role

Essential Skills and Knowledge:

• Proven track record of project management experience using relevant tools and techniques, delivering at pace in ambiguous circumstances.
• Strong leadership skills with experience of steering and motivating teams to deliver high-level outcomes in ambiguous, complex and fast changing circumstances and environments.
• Ability to influence others, both internally and externally, bringing diverse teams and/or individuals together to achieve a common goal.
• Ability to identify, monitor and review project risks, interdependencies across strands of work, taking appropriate action to address these effectively.
• Clear demonstration of a focus on delivery – developing and delivering on plans, pivoting to changing priorities decisively, taking ownership for the team’s performance and delivering quality outcomes.
• Work flexibly and responsively, frequently at pace, being able to champion the latest thinking to improve outcomes, spot where things can be done better and promote how these can be taken forward.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, with a track record of establishing, building, and maintaining strong, collaborative, and productive relationships.
• Experience of process design and improvement, eliminating waste and putting the customer at the heart of the solution.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 products including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, Outlook and SharePoint.

Desirable

• Experience in health data field.
• Experience of managing contracts or supporting procurement activities.

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: W/C 3/06/2024

Interview date: expected W/C 17/06/2024.

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 Behaviours.

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 the lead behaviour, Managing a Quality Service, 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.

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.

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).

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.