About the job

Job summary

This role is a fantastic opportunity to work in a Department that touches the lives of citizens the length and breadth of the UK. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) operates on a scale almost unmatched in public services anywhere in Europe.

The role is based in the Systems and Data Development (SDD) Team, within DWP’s Finance Group. Colleagues working in SDD do important work to ensure that DWP’s systems are fit for purpose and safe, as well as bringing data to life and making sure it meets needs of customers. SDD is the single trusted source for DWP of system generated Performance, Finance and Productivity Reports. Driving effective decision making and analysis by producing standardised high-quality information in the most efficient way, exploiting the latest technology available.

This role is based in the Systems Improvement and Support Team (SIS) and is to provide strategic leadership to a team of circa 15 technical developers with line management responsibilities for 2 SEO team leaders. You will work collaboratively with other SIS teams to drive change across the business in an agile environment.

The team deliverables include:

• Deliver and maintain, high-quality self-service and interactive dashboards and Management Information (MI) Reporting that spans Performance, Finance and Productivity.
• Rationalise and automate monthly and weekly reporting of Business Finance and Performance Reporting across DWP.
• Collaborate with Digital and other colleagues to ensure our customers have the most efficient and effective access to quality of data and systems.
• Use Agile principles by prototyping and testing products in collaboration with our customers and supporting existing systems to ensure that business continuity for the user is preserved.
• Work closely with other parts of Finance Directorate, wider DWP stakeholders and external consultants to help develop MI, providing constructive challenge and advice where appropriate.

Job description

This role involves the delivery of financial systems and data management within DWP. The successful candidate will ensure that the delivery of financial systems and data management are efficient, effective and meet the needs of other finance processes. Using knowledge of systems, technology and data management, stakeholder insight and ability to work constructively with people at all grades, they will be a valued contributor to the decision-making process. As a champion for change they will help to deliver continuous improvement as well as supporting wider transformation efforts. They will need to establish and develop effective working relationships with a number of stakeholders across the organisation and the wider finance function, as well as colleagues in other functions and possibly public sector organisations.

The role may include, but is not limited to, some of the following:

• Being a visible leader, providing clear direction, support and motivation to your team.
• Overseeing team priorities and resourcing to ensure the effective delivery of financial systems and the reporting of a range of financial and other data.
• Using insights from stakeholder engagement and data to effectively manage and improve the performance of systems and data delivery.
• Providing expert advice regarding systems and data to stakeholders within the organisation.
• Enabling and managing change that allows more flexibility, responsiveness and improved service delivery and user experience. This may include both continuous improvement and transformation activity.

Places for Growth and Social Mobility

As part of the Places for Growth Programme, we are committed to delivering a more geographically diverse Civil and Public Service that will better serve the public and ministers. As part of this initiative, we are continuously reviewing how we recruit into each location.

Postings

Posting will be made in merit order by location, this will be based on the geographical requirement at the time. A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve list candidates will be posted in merit order by location. Standard promotion rules will apply, and successful candidates will be placed on the pay scale and terms and conditions of DWP. The role will be based in one of the following locations:

• Birmingham - 3 Arena Central, B1 2AX
• Blackpool - Peel Park, FY4 5ES
• Leeds – Quarry House, LS2 7UA
• Manchester – 2 St Peter’s Square, M2 3AA
• Newcastle – Benton Park View, NE98 1YX
• Sheffield – Hartshead Square, S1 2FD

Person specification

The candidate will meet the following:

Essential criteria:

• Lead criteria - Demonstrated ability to lead delivery of innovative and technical solutions for financial and performance reporting that support, enhance and increase efficiency of existing business process and products.
• An Agile practitioner qualification, with experience in leading a Data Visualisation Development team with an ongoing portfolio of multiple projects for Finance/Performance reporting.
• Leadership skills with excellent people management skills and the ability to promote team cohesion, adapting to changes and improvements.
• Strong communication and presentation skills and ability to communicate and influence at all levels and areas of expertise.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills to build collaborative relationships with a range of people and teams across organisational boundaries and ability to manage conflict effectively.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Location

Applicants should apply for suitable posts where they can travel to and from their home office location daily within a reasonable time.   

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed. 

Hybrid Working

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home.  This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

HASSRA

DWP colleagues will have the opportunity to join HASSRA, a vibrant and successful organisation that provides a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly). It also has an important part to play in helping us achieve a healthy work-life balance and wellbeing in the workplace.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Written Application

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a 1250 word personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Your Personal Statement should demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria set out within the Person Specification.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead Essential Criteria: "Demonstrated ability to lead delivery of innovative and technical solutions for financial and performance reporting that support, enhance and increase efficiency of existing business process and products".

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

Only candidates who are successful at the sift stage will be invited to attend a video interview. 

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed. 

Stage 1 Assessment - Sift

At sift, we will assess your application by using your personal statement. To be successful, you must demonstrate your experience matching the Essential criteria listed in the personal specification above.

Please note that you are not required to produce behaviour-based examples in the content of your Personal Statement as these are not assessed at sift. Applications will be sifted and scored based on the information supplied in your Personal Statement and entered as one overall score within the results.

Stage 2 Assessment - Interview

If you are successful at the sift stage, you will be invited to a video interview using MS Teams, where you shall be assessed on your experience against the Behaviours listed below :

• Leadership (Lead behaviour)

• Communicating and Influencing

• Changing and Improving

• Delivering at Pace

This interview will take place via Microsoft Teams and should take approximately 45 minutes. You will need to produce evidence of ID at the video interview.

It will consist of the following:

Blended Interview

You will be asked Behaviour questions, as well as experience questions (as per the essential criteria) via a short presentation.

A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation at interview offering a more inclusive approach. 

The Behaviour based questioning explores what the candidate can and has done, but also their potential.

An example of a Behavioural question would be - 

"Tell me about a time when you’ve had to deal with a difficult customer" - It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed or a situation you have been in, and use the WHO or STAR model to explain:

WHO

• What the task/work was,
• How you approached the task/work/situation and
• what the Outcomes were, what did you achieve?

Or

STAR

• What was the Situation?
• What were the Tasks?
• What Action did you take?
• What were the Results of your actions?

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to DWP 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

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

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. 

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.

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

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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 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.