About the job

Job summary

DWP is looking to fill the SEO Talent Delivery Lead roles in the Talent Centre of Expertise Team, part of the Capability Learning and Talent directorate.

This is a key role, and we are looking for someone who will help us grow and deliver our exciting early Talent offer across DWP. This includes some of DWP’s prestigious Talent schemes including Summer School, Operational Delivery Profession Leadership Programme and Leaders Like You. You will also support development and delivery of our Cross-Government schemes including Beyond Boundaries, Fast Stream and the Future and Senior Leaders Schemes.

We welcome applications from candidates who demonstrate the flexibility to deliver across a range of talent schemes and pride and passion to support the development of a strong and diverse talent pipeline and helping those within it to achieve their potential.

Job description

The successful candidate will be responsible for the direct line management of a small, geographically dispersed team delivering through a diverse range of stakeholders the development, delivery and implementation of schemes in the Talent, whilst ensuring alignment with our broader early talent strategy. 

This will include the feasibility, planning and design of individual talent schemes. The recruitment, selection, and communications of each scheme, including the maintenance, evaluation, and continuous improvement activity, whilst ensuring alignment to our broader early talent strategy.

The post-holder will also be expected to: 

• Provide effective leadership across the Talent Delivery team and be an active member of the Talent Centre of Expertise Leadership Team.
• Develop and maintaining strong working relationships with a wide range of internal and external key stakeholders, including the Permanent Secretary and Executive team
• Work across the Talent Centre of Expertise to ensure our Talent Offer is future proofed, inclusive and aligned to our overarching strategic priorities. 
• Lead Delivery of talent schemes including Summer School, ODPLP, Leaders Like You, Fast Stream, Beyond Boundaries, FLS/SLS.
• Support the organisation and delivery of workshops or events for participants along with other colleagues, depending on the needs of the cohort . Hands-on delivery of sessions at live/virtual events is a key requirement of this role.
• Respond to participant queries and provide a positive, inclusive experience for DWP colleagues participating in schemes, and act as the escalation point for complex queries.  
• Plan, report and evaluate schemes to ensure progress against key milestones, identification and management of risk, stakeholder engagement and assessment of return on investment and value for money.
• Manage the budget for schemes, and any financial actions required. 
• Work with the other SEOs in the Talent Centre of Expertise to support the development of a strong and diverse talent pipeline for DWP, while maintaining team engagement. 
• Engage with DWP and X-Government stakeholders and networks to ensure elements of the scheme are running effectively providing updates and dealing with issues as appropriate.  

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• A proven leader able to deliver the challenging Talent programme working across geographically dispersed teams inspiring, motivating, and developing the delivery team. (LEAD CRITERIA) 
• A sustained and successful record of designing, developing and implementing innovative and inclusive programmes, learning from previous delivery through evaluation. Able to build capability across a diverse and geographically dispersed workforce.
• Highly organised; demonstrating personal resilience and the ability to balance competing priorities, work flexibly, often under pressure, ensuring that progress continues, and key customers and stakeholders are kept informed. 
• A proven ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with a diverse range of stakeholders.  Strong collaboration and communication skills with the ability to explain, promote and influence at all levels to support delivery of Talent Schemes.
• You will champion difference, diversity and inclusion and ensure these are considered throughout delivery of talent schemes so that participants have a positive experience

Please note ‘For jobs located in Wales the ability to speak Welsh is desirable’

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%

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.

Application

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement (Max 1000 words).

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

On-Line Assessment

At the point of submitting your application you will be guided to an on-line tool which will assess your work strengths. You will need to pass the Civil Service on-line test to progress through to written sift and interview. 

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Work Strengths Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application. 

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 29/12/2023. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Written Sift

The written sift will be conducted using evidence from your Personal Statement and will be assessed against the Key Criteria within the advert.

The CV is an on-line tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobsite and there is no requirement to upload your personal CV. Our CV element is short, and allows an initial check of eligibility but will not be scored, so please put the main content of your evidence and skills in your Personal Statement.

Should a large number of applications be received we will use the Lead Key Criteria:

• A proven leader able to deliver the challenging Talent programme working across geographically dispersed teams inspiring, motivating, and developing the delivery team. (LEAD CRITERIA)

to initially assess your application during the Sift stage. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Interview

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a video interview on MS Teams. The interview panel will be a minimum of two people. The interview will assess: Behaviours, and Strengths. The interview aims to be more of a conversation exploring the candidate’s capability for the role.

The interview panel may ask you other questions, including follow-up questions, and those about your experience, abilities, strengths, and technical abilities.

Candidates will be asked further probing questions to determine suitability for the role.

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve list candidates will be posted in merit order by location.

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

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.

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

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

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. 

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.

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.