About the job

Job summary

Work and Health Services Directorate is responsible for delivering innovative, high quality services through a wide network of Jobcentres and Service Centres.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are looking to fill Universal Credit Operational Delivery Leader roles in the Work and Health Directorate.

These are key roles and we welcome applications from people with strong leadership skills who are energetic and enthusiastic, to deliver exceptional customer service, with quality outcomes for our customers. You will be able to make sound decisions, drive performance, work collaboratively and lead others. Through role modelling positive behaviour and ways of working, you will help DWP continue to be an inclusive place where people can be their best.

Job description

Accountable for creating the right environment and culture to support the delivery of excellent, high quality, compassionate, tailored customer service across a number of sites / geographical clusters.

They will lead people engagement across their sites, setting high standards for leadership throughout the business.

They provide senior leadership and effective use of resource to ensure organisational objectives are met.

They will co-ordinate the development of business critical external relationships within the sites/clusters.

Provide transformational leadership and coaching of the leaders within their business area and beyond - inspiring colleagues through difficult situations, transforming site performance and building high performing teams.

Support DWP Operations to drive forward cross-directorate responsibilities, including key parts of the Business Plan.

Key Accountabilities:

• An inspirational and resourceful leader able to drive performance and deliver a positive, compassionate and efficient service to our customers.
• A strong personal commitment to people engagement empowering people to deliver a professional, quality service.
• An experienced communicator demonstrating personal accountability through periods of change, supporting and aligning with the team, focusing and listening to people, building capability and celebrating success.
• Active member of the Universal Credit Leadership Team, contributing to the wider Departmental agendas.
• Provide visible, accessible and effective senior leadership, taking a personal lead in communicating messages with clarity and conviction. Seeking feedback from colleagues, listening and acting on this.
• An ability to effectively involve and engage with employers, partners and stakeholders to drive collaboration and customer outcomes.
• Encourage a culture of innovation focused on adding value - giving people space to think and act creatively.
• Encourage collaborative working between teams and directorates to drive innovation and service improvements.
• Ensuring teams work within budget and headcount control costs, delivering value for money and efficiencies.
• Accountable for the management of performance within their teams, undertaking regular face-to-face performance reviews with their direct reports, identifying risks to service delivery and driving forward continuous improvement.
• Actively coaches their teams to develop the leadership skills of all colleagues within the team.
• Works to build a fully inclusive working environment, valuing diverse views, eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
• Monitoring service delivery and using customer insight to improve the quality of the end-to-end customer experience, ensuring that “one customer, one service, one business” is a reality.
• Be committed to their own professional development and building the capability of others including developing the leadership skills of all colleagues within the team and the achievement of Operational Delivery Profession standards.

The job roles which may be available will be based in the following sites: 

• Universal Credit Operational Delivery Leader: Birmingham, Derbyshire, Erdington, Kings Heath, Leicestershire, Washwood Heath, West Bromwich, and Yardley
• Group Employer & Partnership Manager: To be based in any site within the North and East Midlands Universal Credit Group where space allows and with agreement of the Group Director.

Extensive travel will be expected in all roles and will cover multiple sites.

The Group Employer & Partnership 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 considered. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

All other roles are office based, front facing positions. Hybrid working will not be considered at this time.

For more information about the roles please refer to the candidate pack.

Standard promotion rules will apply, and successful candidates will be placed on the pay scale and terms and conditions of DWP.

Please see the candidate pack for additional information about the job roles available.

Candidates should note that if successful in this campaign, you will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before applying for any other lateral moves within DWP.

Person specification

Key Criteria
What we are looking for:

• You have strong leadership skills and experience, both personal and corporate in a fast changing environment (Lead Criteria).
• You lead a culture which enables lifelong learning and support your teams to deliver.
• You take responsibility for delivering a timely, high quality and cost effective service with focus and energy.
• You are able to set and articulate a strong strategic vision to others and develop team plans and activities to deliver against Directorate and Departmental objectives.
• You inspire and motivate teams to be fully engaged in their work and dedicated to their role and ensure everyone understands their roles and business priorities.
• You are visible, accessible, an effective senior leader and you communicate confidently and provide clear direction and show genuine care for colleagues.
• You can demonstrate positive customer service outcomes by understanding the complexity and diversity of customer needs and expectations.
• You create opportunities for colleagues, stakeholders, delivery partners and customers to help improve the quality of service.
• You have strong experience of working in partnership and collaboratively across teams at a senior level engaging and building trust with stakeholders to generate commitment to goals.

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%
• Generous annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Competitive maternity, paternity, and parental leave
• Employee Assistance with emphasis on wellbeing
• Employee discount schemes

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.

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.

How to Apply , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk) provides advice and tips on applying for roles in the Civil Service

All prospective applicants should fully consider the candidate pack before applying.

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process outlined below:

Personal Statement
A supporting statement (no longer than 1250 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the key criteria. In the event of a large number of applications we will use a Lead Key Criteria to initially assess your application at the sift stage. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

When completing your personal statement, please read and understand the key criteria, as this is what your written evidence will assessed against.

Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You may choose to address each criteria separately, however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several key criteria. You may not be able to meet all the key criteria, but please ensure you evidence: the key personal requirements and what have you done that relates to the requirements. You don’t have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why, what you can do and the skills you have that are transferable to the key requirements, and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role.  

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.

Interview
This will consist of a face to face, blended interview where we will assess you using Behavioural and Strength based questions on the four Behaviours listed.

A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation at interview, offering a more inclusive approach. The Behaviour and Strength based questioning explores what the candidate can and has done, but also their potential.

The interview will last approximately 45 to 50 minutes. Further details regarding the interview arrangements will be included in the invite to interview. 

The Behaviour questions will be sent to candidates 5 working days in advance of their interview to the email address used in their application. Candidates are advised to check their inbox and spam/junk folders regularly once their interview has been booked.

If the questions and presentation topic have not been received prior to your interview, please contact the vacancy holder westmidlandsgroup.westmidlandsrecruitmentteam@DWP.GOV.UK

An example of a Behavioural question would be;
Tell me about a time you have set about improving customer service, giving a sense of pace and criticality of success? How did you ensure this activity achieved its objectives whilst keeping costs under control? What tools and techniques did you use?

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:

What the task/ work was, How you approached the task/work/situation and what the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? Or What was the Situation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you take? What were the Results of your actions?​

It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role.
While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this.

Sift Dates: 9 to 17 April 2024

Interview Dates: 30 April to 1 May 2024

Due to time constraints interviews will only be undertaken on the above date unless advised otherwise.

Reasonable Adjustments
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.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 3 months from which further appointments can be made.  The reserve list may be used to offer future vacancies which arise in Central England and across the wider DWP network. Any such offers would be made in strict merit order and the location and job role would be fully explained.

You may be placed on a reserve list if your application is successful but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are offered a role in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances*.
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

*Note - Exceptional circumstances could be when a candidate has requested a contractual Part Time Working Pattern and this pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health.

Further information

Find out more about Working for DWP

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone is valued and has a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this search:

Equality and diversity - Department for Work and Pensions - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

If successful but not transferring from another Government Department, 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.

Candidates 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.

Important
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.

Standard promotion rules will apply, and successful candidates will be placed on the pay scale and terms and conditions of DWP.

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.