About the job

Job summary

The Housing and Regeneration Strategy Division is responsible for some of the most high-profile issues across Government. This includes designing Government’s overall housing strategy to ensure we deliver the homes this country needs. We work across the Department and beyond to ensure all our interventions – whether on housing supply, planning, or capital funds – are working together to deliver our strategic objectives.

Our team prides itself on being welcoming and supportive, focused on building strong networks across government and externally, on fostering our talent with stretching opportunities and our curiosity to understand how wider forces can impact housing and regeneration.

Job description

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual with a great eye for strategy to join the Strategy, Insights and Fiscal Events team within the Housing and Regeneration Strategy Division.

This is a high-impact, fast-paced and rewarding role which will entail close-working with HMT, No.10, senior officials, SpAds and Ministers. This is a critical role in the team, as you lead preparations for high-profile fiscal events including for Spending Reviews, as well as wider strategic work including considering how we can simplify and streamline the way funding is delivered. You will be working with teams across the Group to develop our case for funding, as well as building the best possible case for investment, supporting negotiations with HMT and ensuring the best strategic fit for Ministers’ objectives. You will build strong relationships with a multitude of policy teams across Directorates within the DG Group, as well as with Central Strategy and Private Offices.

The role requires that you to be flexible to priorities arising within the team, so there will be plenty of opportunity to get involved in wider strategic work. This can include coordinating critical announcements and supporting the team to brief senior officials and Ministers.

• Strategic preparation for fiscal events to ensure that we secure the funding we need to deliver the Housing and Regeneration Group’s priorities.
• Leading effective coordination and project management to ensure a tight grip on Government processes, including fiscal events.
• Engaging with policy teams to ensure they are aware of the strategic direction and working with them to ensure we’re putting our best bids forward.
• Establishing excellent relationships with internal and external stakeholders.  
• Contributing to the development of our Housing Strategy, including through cross-cutting advice, and preparing papers and briefing for key Ministerial meetings. 
• Leading policy projects to respond to emerging issues, events, and new priorities in the context of DLUHC’s strategy. 

Person specification

Essential Skills we are looking for:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills. 
• Ability to get up to speed quickly on policy areas and comfortable in being a challenging voice with teams across the department. 
• Ability to make links between policy areas and understand the impact of emerging trends - including on our overall housing strategy and in the long-term.  
• Ability to weigh up evidence and consider competing points of view to make decisions.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships and confidence working directly with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.    
• Resilience and calmness under pressure when dealing with fast-moving areas of work.
• Ability to work at pace amidst ambiguity and be proactive in identifying and troubleshooting new and emerging issues for resolution.
• Developing colleagues and contributing to a rewarding working environment. 

 

Desirable:   

• Prior experience or knowledge of issues in housing, planning and regeneration policy.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,732, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities contributes £10,457 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

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: 

 

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the Essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
• A Personal Statement explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the Essential criteria.

 

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of experience, 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 complete a written exercise as part of their interview. The details of which would be provided upon invitation.

 

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

 

Experience: Yes - Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description  

Strength: Yes

Behaviours: Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, 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 

 

SEO salary 

• The salary for this role is £42,208 (London) or £38,732 (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. 

 

Location 

• London 
• Wolverhampton
• Bristol
• Leeds 
• Darlington* 

 

*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 W/C 6th May 2024 with interview dates to be confirmed. 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. 

 

CTC (Counter-terrorism Clearance): 

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 counter-terrorist check and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete. 
 
Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the CTC security checks – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years. Please refer to the DLUHC Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Counter Terrorism Clearance (CTC).  
 

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. 

 

Before starting your application it’s very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the DLUHC candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules 

 

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 counter-terrorist 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.