About the job

Job summary

The first duty of Government is to protect the public. Since 1782, the Home Office has led work to keep the country safe from those who seek to do it harm; in doing so, we make a vital contribution to HM Government’s plan for a stronger, fairer, outward-looking and united Britain.

The Home Office covers three systems: Homeland Security, Public Safety and Borders, and Immigration and Citizenship. These systems work collaboratively to deliver our cross-cutting priorities, whilst providing increasingly efficient and secure services for the public.

These are challenging areas that can rapidly change in the global environment we work in – this makes us one of the most exciting and stimulating government departments in which to work.

If you work with us, you'll be making a real difference.

Digital Data and Technology (DDaT) enables the Home Office to keep citizens safe and the country secure, as well as at the front line of making the Home Office a modern and capable Department at a time of unprecedented global change.

We design, build and operate services that are critical in helping the department achieve its mission. You could be designing and building solutions to help people prove their identity or apply for visas or working on the critical IT systems that support policing and counter terrorism and help protect UK borders. Our success in this role depends on our ability to exploit the latest technologies to create leading-edge, world class solutions whilst ensuring they are secure and resilient.

This is an exciting time to work for the Home Office as we develop some of the most challenging and transformative technology projects the department has ever seen. You’ll have a chance to shape the future and support our goal to provide exceptional services for everyone.

Due to the busy nature of this role, the successful candidate will be required to work full time hours and candidates should take this into consideration when submitting their application.

Our work is guided by these fundamental principles:

• Put user needs first
• Delivery and outcomes over process
• Make the most of openness: open standards
• Open source, open data and open markets.

We value everyone's skills and provide a creative and supportive environment to help you do your best work.

You can keep up to date with our work on the Home Office DDaT blog

Job description

The vacant position is within the Home Office Forms (HOF) team, creating public facing products that support Home Office operational teams. The team creates products of varying complexity as well as supporting existing products and the underlying technical framework. You will join a team comprised of developers, engineers, product, delivery and User Centred Design specialists.

As a Senior Technology Delivery Manager, you will​ be responsible for delivering products within agreed timescales, to cost and quality standards. Depending on the product, you may be responsible for 2-3 smaller delivery teams, or alternatively a single delivery team to deliver a more complex/technical product.

You will work in close partnership with Product Managers in-order-to deliver value against the product vision. You will work with senior stakeholders, effectively translating technical concepts and influencing where necessary. ​

You will be expected to use your experience and expertise to work with flexibility, selecting and applying appropriate delivery techniques based on the requirements of the delivery.

You will be required to flex the delivery approach to get the best out of your teams, providing them with support and guidance to enable successful delivery. ​

You will work with colleagues in Home Office Commercial when contracts need organising and negotiating.

You may be required to facilitate governance meetings and mechanisms and/or select the right people to join these discussions. ​

You will be expected to mentor, coach or line manage members of the delivery community, sharing your experience and knowledge. As a member of the DDaT community, you will also contribute to cross-government communities of practice and help to set good practice and standards.

Person specification

You will be responsible for:​

• Translating a single product roadmap into one complex, or multiple delivery plans, considering the people and skills required for each delivery team and using delivery data to set milestones based on forecasts where possible ​
• Delivering in line with the capacity and availability of the delivery teams, leveraging frameworks to find the right suppliers when necessary, and budgeting effectively for resourcing needs 
• Effectively managing risks, issues, and dependencies, acting on delivery data and adapting ways of working to mitigate risks
• Forming a partnership with Product Managers to effectively influence ​relevant senior stakeholders, translating technical concepts to non-​ technical stakeholders​
• Assessing the effectiveness across multiple delivery teams, engaging ​ and motivating teams in different ways depending on their needs, and facilitating collaboration across delivery teams when required​
• Using feedback loops, data analysis, and small experiments to iteratively improve the product, service, and ways of working within the delivery
• You will also be expected to carry out the following day to day activities:
• You’ll be working in the Migration & Borders Technology Programme (MBTP) with multi-disciplinary teams that work with an agile mindset
• Liaising with internal and external stakeholders, you will manage the backlog and lead agile ceremonies such as Daily Stand-up, Sprint, Planning and Retrospectives.
• You will be expected to help remove impediments to the team, whilst keeping in mind the needs of the stakeholders
• Working closely with the Product manager, you will identify risks and issues, liaise with the commercial team and align the Roadmap to the backlog
• You will lead the team with agile principals, demonstrating working software to stakeholders whilst motivating the team
• Making conscious trade-offs that balance speed, scope and quality across all dimensions of delivery​
• Ensuring that any tech debt incurred has a strategy for repayment and is understood by all stakeholders​
• Using experience of effective delivery to advise on the day-to-day ways of working in-order-to bring out the best in teams, facilitating appropriate team ceremonies where necessary​
• Providing support and guidance to Associate Technology Delivery Managers and wider team members, in line with individuals’ needs, with the aim of making the team as successful as possible

Essential Skills

• Using your well-developed people skills to set individuals up for success and help create an effective team environment​
• Using previous experience, expertise and current metrics to identify, understand, and improve team delivery performance
• Applying appropriate techniques taken from different methodologies to effectively deliver successfully within a given context​
• Managing budgets and commercial supplier relationships ​
• Understanding what good governance looks like and how to implement improvements​
• Acting as the Delivery Manager for one or more delivery teams through a complete delivery lifecycle (prepare, deliver, improve)

The skills listed above are reflective of the Home Office DDaT Profession Skills and Competency Model (based on the industry standard SFIA framework).

Desirable Qualifications​​

• A qualification in a recognised delivery methodology (e.g. Scrum, Lean Kanban, SAFe, Prince 2)​
• Relevant technical delivery management or technical project management experience​

Desirable Skills

Ideally you will also have the following skills or some experience in:​

• Engaging stakeholders within a complicated, high-pressure environment
• Balancing multiple priorities and dealing with ambiguity ​
• Acting as the Delivery Manager for multiple delivery teams at the same time
• Line managing Associate Delivery Managers

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,000, Home Office contributes £15,390 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, Experience and Technical skills.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

 As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete: 

•  A CV detailing job history and qualifications
•  A Statement of Suitability (personal statement) (maximum 1000 words)

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The Statement of Suitability should explain your motivation for applying for this role and offer evidence of how you meet the Essential Criteria as set out in the job advertisement.

The sift will be held on the Statement of Suitability.

The CV is for information purposes only and will not be marked.

Candidates shortlisted will be invited to a blended interview where you will be asked questions based on Experience, Technical Skills and the Behaviours listed in the job advertisement.

Sift and Interview dates

Sift is expected to take place from the 31st January 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place from the 21st February 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change. 

Interviews will be carried out via video. Candidates will be required to have access to:

• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Microsoft Teams
 
PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.

Further Information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Please read the essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirement.

If you have previously made an unsuccessful application for a role with the same essential skills and are not able to demonstrate how you have developed these skills since your last application please reconsider applying as your application is unlikely to be successful.

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role, or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same behaviours and essential skills.

Hybrid working enables employees to work partly in their workplace(s) and partly at home in line with the Home Office Hybrid Working policy. A hybrid working pattern may be available, where business needs allow for this role. Applicants can discuss what this means with the vacancy holder if they have specific questions on what this entails.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

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.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to  bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home Office 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 Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is 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 HOrecruitment.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 you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

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

Security

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.