About the job

Job summary

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities aims to create great places to live and work across the whole of the United Kingdom. The Resilience and Recovery Directorate contributes to that by helping create safe and resilient communities across the country.

Our role in the Resilience and Recovery Directorate (RED) is to support local areas in planning for and responding to risks and emergencies, providing a critical link between central government and local partners supporting communities on the ground. We also work to improve local and national capabilities to strengthen the resilience of the United Kingdom.

The post-holder will play a key leadership role in the Strategy and Insight division within RED, leading the RED Strategy Insights team. RED Strategic Insights work closely with partners across DLUHC and OGDs, leveraging expertise and driving shared programmes of work aimed at improving our strategic insights, data and analysis on local resilience, and working towards a better two-way flow of information between local and national tiers.

Please note that the expectation is that this role will involve periodic unsociable hours working, including weekends. Candidates should reflect on whether they will be able to work unsociable before applying. Any additional hours worked and duty cover will be remunerated in line with DLUHC Pay Policy.

Job description

As a leader in the division, the Grade 6 lead will be responsible for working with the Deputy Director and with the team (as well as with other expert teams and across DLUHC) to:

• drive forward work to design and implement reporting mechanisms that aligns with the ambitions of the Strengthening LRFs programme of work, making the best use of the local intel and data that we gather;

• ensure that the team is deepening relationships with analysts within DLUHC and across Other Government Departments to identify mechanisms to improve the two-way data flow between the local and national tiers;

• work with RED SLT to ensure that all divisions of RED are working together towards common goals, particularly the improvement of data collection and analysis across RED

• contribute to key briefings to Ministers and senior leaders, for example on how LRFs are planning for and reacting to concurrent pressures;

• support and further the division’s goal to build analytical literacy across RED, including through a training programme;

• provide a key role in providing duty cover on a rota basis (full training provided);

• play a key role in supporting elements of REDs people activity and the shared goal of building and inclusive and welcoming culture, where personal resilience and wellbeing is supported.

Person specification

We are looking for a proactive person, who is comfortable working with a range of data and intel to produce insights to aid local and national decision making, who excels at communicating with others across RED, DLUHC and government, and who prioritises delivery and inspires others to deliver.

You will be someone who:

• prioritises partnership by building effective relationships and networks with resilience, policy and analysis colleagues across DLUHC and across government

• Will thrive in a high-paced environment, including leading on a range of response activity where having accurate and timely data and situational awareness will be key

• leads and inspires RED to explore novel ways to acquire, analyse and use information and data to ensure that policy and operational decisions are evidence based and data driven

• is committed to building capability and working with experts to ensure that we improve 'analytical literacy' across RED and beyond

• reflects and actively seeks to improve their leadership and is a visible role model for the Civil Service leadership behaviours and will work to achieve the CS leadership expectations.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,599, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities contributes £16,631 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.

We are for everyone 

At DLUHC we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce. We promote equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment and a working environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation. 

Please contact the vacancy manager if you have any questions about the role.   

As part of our pre-employment checking process we will be using your CV to confirm your job history. Please note that by providing us with your CV you are consenting to us using the information enclosed as part of the checking process. 

We are for everyone 

CV and Cover Letter Declaration 

We recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - this is called name blind recruitment. 

Please remove references to your: 

• name/title
• educational institutions
• age
• gender
• email address
• postal address
• phone number
• nationality/immigration status

You will need to merge your CV and covering letter into one document. When submitting your application Applied will ask you to upload a CV, when doing this you should upload your merged document of your CV and covering letter. 

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that your application would be viewed by different assessors. 

At sift, through your CV and covering letter we will be assessing: 

In your CV and covering letter, please include:  
 
a. why you are interested in the role; 
b. how you meet the essential skills and experience required 

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of behaviour and strength based questions as listed in the advert. The strength based questions will require natural responses from the candidates.

Candidates will be expected to prepare a presentation, details which will be sent on invitation to interview.

In full the campaign will test the below Success Profile Elements: 

Strength: Yes

Behaviours: Seeing The Big Picture, Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace

We do not consider direct CV applications – you must apply for this role via the application link on Civil Service Jobs: 

Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign 

Grade 6 salary 

• The salary for this role is £67,889 (London) or £61,599 (National). 
• For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If you apply for a role that requires a transfer of location, for example if you are transferring from London to a National location, your salary will be adjusted in accordance with our policy on transfer between HQ pay ranges. 
   

Please note that the average employer pension contribution is based upon the National minimum salary for this role. Should your agreed starting salary for this role be different, the average employer pension contribution will be calculated accordingly. If you are a Secondee, this will not apply as you will remain on your home organisation’s terms and conditions.   

 

Benefits 

Transfers across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018: 

Any move to DLUHC 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. 

For further information about the benefits available to DLUHC employees, please see the attached Candidate Pack. 

Learning and Development 

The successful candidate will be encouraged to undertake a professional learning qualification as part of the role through a suitable apprenticeship, if this is in line with both business needs and the individual’s development needs. This is not a mandatory condition of accepting the role.

Location 

• London 
• Wolverhampton 
• Darlington* 
• Manchester

*Please note: The Darlington Economic Campus is a pioneering new cross-government hub which will bring together people across departments and public organisations to play an active role in the most important economic issues of the day. The work of the Campus will make a real difference to people both across the UK and internationally. There will be substantial career opportunities and exciting prospects - a career at the Campus means you will be working at the heart of Government, with access to the benefits and fantastic opportunities offered by the civil service.   

For further information on the DEC, please take a look at the attached DEC candidate pack. 

At present, a minimum of 60% of your working time will be spent in your contractual office location. Requirements to attend other office locations or off-site meetings will be counted towards this. You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis, if you are successful for the role. 

Sift and Interview dates 

Sifting is envisaged to take place from 5 June 2024, with interviews likely to be scheduled in June. All interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall. 

 

Reserve List 

In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details on a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact recruitment@levellingup.gov.uk to be removed from the reserve list. 

SC (Security Check): 

Important note 

Successful candidates for roles based in our 2 Marsham Street building must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Security Check and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete. 

Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the Security Check – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 5 years. Please refer to the DLUHC Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Security Check (SC).  

Candidates should also note that with effect from 1st August 2018 the department will also check all applicants who are successful at interview, against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) held by the Cabinet Office. In accordance with the Civil Service Internal Fraud Policy, any applicant who is included on the IFD will be refused employment by DLUHC. Please see the Candidate Pack for further information on the Internal Fraud Database. 

Candidate Pack Information 

Please see attached Candidate pack for further information. 

Internal Fraud Database 

The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to DLUHC as a participating government organisations. DLUHC then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.  

For more information please see- Internal Fraud Register 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.