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.

Our team is based within the Digital Policy Unit – a joint unit that works across both the Department and NHS England. We believe in the transformative potential of data. To save and improve lives. Collectively we ensure that health data is used for the public good, whilst maintaining the highest standards of security and confidentiality. 

We set the national strategy for improving the use of health and care data. We have a particular focus on getting the right systems in place (including on data access and linking), supporting staff, and building public trust. We also work with programmes that use data for direct care, planning, research, and innovation. 
 
The Data Policy team leads on the delivery of public engagement on data. Colleagues across the deputy directorate play a variety of roles related to building public trust:

• Leading on a high-profile programme of national engagement, working with internal policy leads and our external supplier
• Developing long-term public engagement strategy for health and social care data
• Owning multiple policy areas that have been taken/will be taken to our national public engagement programme
• Owning Data Saves Lives commitments to deliver three ‘trust products’- the data pact, the standards for public engagement and the transparency statement/transparency hub, which also tie into the national programme.

Job description

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Grade 7 to join the Data Policy Deputy Directorate.  You will sit within the Data Access and Public Engagement Team, working to the Head of Data Access and Public Engagement. This team has a number of G7 areas focused on improving health data access and data linking, as well as the delivery of public engagement.

You will primarily be responsible for the design of the national public engagement programme, working alongside our public engagement programme manager and our procured supplier to ensure successful delivery. You will be working with a wide range of stakeholders internally and externally, across a range of high-profile data policies and programmes, to result in a successful programme of events.

Role responsibilities

• Leading design of our national engagement programme of work, working closely with our delivery partners
• Leading on public recruitment with the supplier, ensuring that sampling reflects the diversity of England
• Leading engagement with policy teams to plan future deliberative events
• Working with the communications team to manage our communications approach for public engagement, ensuring that we are transparent about our plans and outputs, achieving widespread knowledge of our work and creating a positive response.
• Engagement with external stakeholders to contribute to engagement design and participate in engagement delivery
• Contribute to the planning and design of future, long-term public engagement strategy led by our programme manager.
• Lead on coordination and engagement with future public and patient voice partners
• Leading on discrete projects on trust and transparency, for example developing Standards for Public Engagement and a new Transparency Statement; and feeding them into the design of the national programme.
• Task manage an SEO on areas related to programme design.

Person specification

Key skills and experience required for this role

Essential:

• Prior experience in policy development, communications or delivery.
• Prior experience of designing and delivery of a significant public or stakeholder engagement campaign.
• Strategic thinking skills, confident and adept at seeing the bigger policy picture and developing medium/long-term plans.
• Experience of building relationships with people from different professions and backgrounds, with a natural curiosity and ability to influence.
• Strong communications skills (both in person and in writing) with a focus on plain English and accessibility.
• Data or health experience – either working within the health service or working on data-related policies or programmes.

Desirable:

• Prior experience working with and delivering through an external supplier

  

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.

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 in no more than 500 words to outline how you meet the key skills and experience as set out in the job advert, in particular highlighting your experience of delivering public and stakeholder engagement initiatives.

An initial sift based on CV, Statement of Suitability, and the lead behaviour of Working Together 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.

Candidates will be asked to give 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.

Sift and Interview dates

Sift date: W/C 08/07/2024

Interview date: expected W/C 29/07/2024

Interview location: By video 

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

Flexible working location requirements

Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London or 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.  

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.

Further Information

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here and to find out more information on how to apply visit 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. 

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

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.

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.

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).

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.