About the job

Job summary

DSIT 

The responsibilities for the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology for 2023 are as follows: 

• Positioning the UK at the forefront of global scientific and technological advancement 
• Driving innovations that change lives and sustain economic growth 
• Delivering talent programmes, physical and digital infrastructure and regulation to support our economy, security and public services 
• R&D funding 

For 2023, our priorities are: 

• Optimise public R&D investment to support areas of relative UK strength and increase the level of private R&D to make our economy the most innovative in the world. 
• Promote a diverse research and innovation system that connects discovery to new companies, growth and jobs – including by delivering world-class physical and digital infrastructure (such as gigabit broadband), making the UK the best place to start and grow a technology business and developing and attracting top talent. 
• Put our public services – including the NHS and schools – at the forefront of innovation, championing new ways of working and the development of in-house STEM capability to improve outcomes for people. 
• Strengthen international collaboration on science and technology in line with the Integrated Review, and ensure our researchers are able to continue to work with leading scientists in Europe and around the world. 
• Deliver key legislative and regulatory reforms to drive competition and promote innovation, including the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill and our pro-innovation approach to regulating AI. 
• Pass the remaining stages of the reformed Online Safety Bill to keep British people, especially children, safe online. 

Our Inclusive Environment 

We are building an inclusive culture to make the Department a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.  

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive. 

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. We will fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process. 

Find Out More 

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/departmentforsciencetechnologyandinnovation? 

You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers/ 

Job description

Thank you for your interest in DSIT. There has never been a better time to join HR as we start to set up the new department. Whether you are at the start of your career, returning from a break or looking for a change of direction, DSIT is where you want to be. We have teams based at our regional hubs – Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Manchester, Edinburgh and coming soon in 2024 is Bristol.   

We have a really exciting agenda - harnessing the power of data, and technological transformation – and the HR team’s expertise and services are critical in enabling the new department to function and deliver its mission. 

We need brilliant people to make DSIT a great place to work and want our team to lead by example. Within the team we believe that L&D is critical to grow our capability, development and stretch ourselves. You will be joining a welcoming and inspiring working environment in which colleagues look out for and support one another. 

I really hope you can join us to play a part in DSIT as we enter an exciting chapter of our creation and in making the department the best in Whitehall. 

Helen Mills - DSIT HR Director

We are looking to recruit a variety of roles in this campaign:

• Employee Relations, Reward and Pay Manager

• HR Data and MI Manager

• Assistant HR Business Partner

• Strategic Workforce Planning Manager

• Expert Exchange Project Manager 

Key Responsibilities

Employee Relations, Reward and Pay Manager

As an employee relation, reward and pay manager you will work across two key specialist areas.

The postholder will provide guidance on a range of employee relations considerations and manage the employee relations forward look, supporting the Head of Employee Relations on delivering an expert ER function. The role will also be key in embedding the new In-Year Awards policy and supporting in the implementation of the Performance Management policy, and delivering subject-area training. The role will also manage the DSIT pay correspondence, supporting the Head of Pay in providing high-quality advice to the business in line with departmental pay policies and to develop effective and practical solutions to pay policy issues.

The post holder will support in the annual departmental pay remit as well as managing the departmental employee benefit contract and promoting all benefits to staff.

Data and MI Manager

As a Data and MI Manager you will use your analytical experience to develop work plans and data development projects in close collaboration with senior HR clients and policy colleagues and provide accurate and reliable workforce data to senior leaders in the organisation. We are passionate about innovating and developing our approach to People Analytics across a wide range of important issues of societal and economic interest including, gender pay gap and diversity and inclusion; wellbeing; strategic workforce planning and social mobility. The individual will also provide specific support to DSIT HR Projects including data trends that can support HR decision making and influence departmental HR policies, programmes and projects.  

Assistant HR Business Partner  

As an Assistant HR Business Partner within DSIT, you will support the strategic discussions with our Senior Leadership Teams (SLTs) to enable them to land and embed these changes at all levels across the organisation. You will support our Corporate Services Group and be responsible for supporting the HR Business Partner for this area with activities across the entire employee lifecycle. As an Assistant HRBP you will support the development of advice for the Corporate Services Group. This will mean advising across the entire breadth of the People priorities including, but not limited to HR policy, performance and capability, talent management, resourcing, strategic workforce planning and organisation design and development.  

Strategic Workforce Planning Manager

As a Strategic Workforce Planning Manager you will assist with ensuring alignment of the workforce with strategic organisational goals. You will frequently collaborate with both HR colleagues and departmental leaders to develop strategic workforce plans, whilst continuously assessing plans against external factors such as market trends, which impact staff. The individual will analyse current workforce trends (including but not exclusive of FTE, attrition, recruitment, retention). The role will closely partner with the department and HR colleagues to forecast future capability, talent and workforce needs.

Expert Exchange - Programme Management Office

Starting with secondments – but by no means ending there – the Expert Exchange Programme is overhauling the way we bring expertise into the department and enable civil servants to spend time outside. This role will be key to ensuring we are boosting exchange with academia and industry, a key Ministerial priority. As the expert exchange project manager you will be working in a small and fast-paced team sitting across the Perm Sec/Governance division, and the HR Directorate. This role will report directly to the programme manager and will work across the teams to support planning and reporting, helping the team anticipate decision points and respond to evolving priorities, and making sure we are achieving the highest possible impact. This will include: planning and tracking delivery of ‘sprints’; ownership of risk and issue management for the programme; and leading on programme reporting.

Person specification

Essential skills criteria

• Pragmatic approach to problem solving, especially for new and emerging issues where little is known.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, articulating complex issues clearly and concisely to a range of audiences to gain necessary agreement.

• A proven track record of delivering high-quality outcomes rapidly and managing competing priorities effectively.

• Resilient and motivated, and able to inspire those around you.

• Have a natural curiosity not only for people priorities but also the work of the wider department.

• The post holder will have analytical and numerical skills with the ability to analyse and interpret data and trends to make evidence-based decisions.

Desirable skills criteria

• Power BI experience

• HR systems experience

• CIPD accreditation

• Experience working with Trade Unions

• Project management experience

Benefits

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an average employer contribution of 27%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
• A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need.

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.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

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

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 750 words) to inform us of the role you are applying for and tell us about your relevent experience and skills in connection with your favoured role.

Candidates are to state in their personal statement their first two positions they are interested in applying for.

Applications will be sifted on CV and personal statement.  

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the personal statement.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviour and strength based questions. 

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 08/01/2024

Interview dates: 22/01/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

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

A location-based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland 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. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

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.

Feedback

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.