About the job

Job summary

Do you want to be part of an energetic, innovative team and bring your skills to one of the biggest changes to the administration of the Civil Service in decades? 
 
We’re looking for people who are flexible, intuitive and are comfortable taking high levels of volume, speed and complexity in their stride. 
 
A number of exciting new roles have come up in the Synergy Programme, a cross-departmental group formed in response to Government Business Service’s request for individual departments to group together in ‘clusters’ to drive efficiencies, increase buying power and improve the quality of shared service to our end users – our people. 
 
The Synergy Programme is the largest of five departmental clusters, comprising the Ministry of Justice, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Home Office. The Department of Work and Pensions hosts the Synergy Programme. Your work will impact the procurement arrangements for the next 15 years, impacting over 50% of all Civil Servants – that’s 230,000 people across the four departments and arm’s length bodies. 
 
Success of the Programme is crucial as Civil Servants rely on shared services to provide business critical tools in human resources, finance, payroll, and procurement. It affects everything we do, from joining a department as a new starter, the way we claim for expenses, how we buy goods and services such as our laptops and canteen provisions, to the way we receive our pensions when we retire. 

You will be an advocate for Synergy, the changes the programme is looking to deliver, and be responsible for building and maintaining strong working relationships with HR, Finance and Business Process Service Product Managers, Process Owners and the SME community across the four departments.

If you’re someone who can use your experience to streamline procurement to drive out error, waste, and duplication we want to hear from you. But most importantly, we’re looking for applications from people who can also demonstrate a passion for our core ambition - delivering a once in a generation, transformed service that Civil Servants will use as a result of the Synergy Programme. 

Job description

We have a number of critical Project Delivery roles to fill within the Programme. We are looking for passionate people with experience of leading and delivering change at scale.   

You will ensure that the wider team deliver their roles and responsibilities effectively and professionally working across government UK wide. You will be able to use your knowledge, skills and experience to positively engage others to lead successful delivery within the programme. 

Key tasks include: 

• Support the delivery of the programme plan and development of process optimisation, challenging established ways of working to realise the transformation aspirations of the programme  
• Work across a multi-disciplinary team to design and successfully implement the programme deliverable. This will include working alongside multiple Synergy delivery teams, user and business change teams, technical teams and strategic partners. 
• Collate and document information, data, insight and evidence provided by departments and other stakeholders; use intelligent analysis to help inform design decisions on complex issues 
• Build and maintain strong effective relationships with stakeholders and colleagues to confidently challenge, influence and negotiate positive outcomes and solutions. 
• Prioritise, change, adapt, iterate and improve at pace, responding to changing priorities 
• Commission and draft briefing papers and key documents to completion on behalf of Director 
• Planning and scheduling - Ensure systems are in place to enable effective planning and scheduling. 
• Monitoring and reporting - Manage project controls, reporting to the Project Manager/Head of PMO about the project status.
• Develop project performance reports.
• Ensure organisational tasks are carried out efficiently. Manage compliance of the project with Departmental Security, Health & Safety, Equality & Diversity, Business Continuity and Business Planning. 
• Resources - Manage workforce planning, providing information for effective decision making. Procurement of supplies and services related to project support within Delegated Financial Authority limits.
• Financial control - Manage project spend and contribute to the compilation of budgets. Contribute to the project business case. 
• Risks and Issues - Lead potential risk areas, working with risk manager and escalating as appropriate.

Person specification

Key Criteria

• Experience of successfully delivering complex projects or programmes and working with multi-disciplinary teams to deliver results (Lead Criteria)
• Leadership - Experience of organising and leading packages of work, establishing effective processes and ways of working, to deliver complex projects in multi-disciplinary teams  
• Stakeholder Engagement - Experience of building and maintaining relationships with a broad set of stakeholders, as well as external partners to deliver business outcomes, especially in a fast-paced environment of change. 
• Effective communication - Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to tailor messages for the audience, and effectively engage with and influence stakeholders 
• Deliver at Pace - Working on a fast-paced environment by proactively managing and prioritising competing demands to meet challenging and changing deadlines 
• Problem solving – An ability to gather and use information, data, insight and evidence, using analytical skills to inform decisions on complex issues and deliver more effective business solutions.  
• Risk and Issues Management - Knowledge of programme risk management. Experience of identifying and managing risks and issues, including reporting and escalation.  
• Desirably, candidates will have knowledge/experience of working in large scale projects and programs within a Shared Service, Enterprise resource planning or large service transformation environment / 
• Knowledge of agile delivery 
• MS Office 365, SharePoint and MS Teams Skills (intermediate level)

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

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.

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 and Experience.

Application

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and 1000 word personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

When completing your personal statement, please read and understand the Key Criteria thoroughly as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You may choose to address each criteria separately, however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several key criteria. You may not be able to meet all the key criteria, but please ensure you evidence: the key personal requirements and what have you done that relates to the requirements. You don’t have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why, what you can do and the skills you have that are transferable to the key requirements, and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role. 

A CV is requested but will not be assessed, so please put the bulk of your evidence in your personal statement.

Applications should be made via CS Jobs.

Sift

Selection will take place by sift based on the person specification.

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

• Experience of successfully delivering complex projects or programmes and working with multi-disciplinary teams to deliver results.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview (online via Teams)

At interview, we will select based on behaviours and experience. The behaviours we will select on are:

• Leadership 
• Communicating and Influencing  
• Changing and Improving   
• Working Together 

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

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.

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.

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.

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.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

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.