About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

It’s an exciting time for workforce planning and insights at the Department for Transport.  As we head into a challenging new financial year, we need to continue to adapt and refine our workforce plans to ensure we are optimising the alignment of the Department’s workforce with key departmental priorities, alongside broader ambitions, such as growing our workforce in Birmingham and Leeds.

Job description

This role is at the heart of understanding the interweaving, complex strands impacting on the Department for Transport’s workforce plans today and in the future, and setting out the narrative that helps senior leaders understand the changes that the Department needs to consider and their part in these.

We are looking for someone with a range of workforce planning experiences and expertise, from in-year workforce forecasting and reporting to longer term strategic workforce planning.  Numeracy and technical capability in modelling is a core requirement, but as important is the ability to translate the data to insight and set out a compelling narrative that can be understood by stakeholders and lead to informed decisions and action.  Someone who enjoys working with others and building relationship is essential as this role involves frequent interaction and engagement of stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.

More information about choosing a career in Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP)

Role responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Leading on the in-year reporting of workforce against budget and the preparations for quarterly workforce reviews with senior stakeholders.
• Engaging with the Strategic Resourcing team and other HR colleagues to translate the workforce demand plan into a strategic workforce plan, including guidance on appropriate balances of build/buy or other options.
• Using scenario modelling to inform and develop longer term strategic workforce plans.
• Supporting HR Business Partners in the effective use of workforce plans within their business areas.
• Using internal and external data to understand trends and build insights in relation to the workforce to tell our workforce ‘story’ and using these to identify and describe workforce risks and issues.
• Working across the Department to build key working relationships with others, such as finance and strategy to achieve a coordinated and joined up approach to business planning and workforce planning.

For further information, please refer to the role profile attached.

Person specification

We are looking for someone who has:

• The ability to interpret data to create and present evidence-based insight and recommendations in an engaging format.
• Experience of using a range of digital technology such as PowerBI and Excel to analyse and model workforce scenarios.
• Good planning, organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders, internal and external.
• Experience of strategic workforce planning.

Additional Information 

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance.

Occasional travel to London or/and other DfTc locations will be expected of this role when necessary (on average once a month).  

We welcome applications from candidates looking for full time, part-time or job share roles. Full time roles at DfT consist of 37 hours per week and successful candidates seeking a part-time role will be expected to work a minimum of 30 hours a week.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport.

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 tailor your CV to suit the role.

For your Personal Statement (1000 words) please provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Experience of interpreting data to create and present evidence-based insight and recommendations in an engaging format.
• Experience of using a range of digital technology such as PowerBI and Excel to analyse and model workforce scenarios.
• Experience of planning, organising and problem-solving.
• Experience of building and maintaining effective relationships with stakeholders, internal and external.
• Experience of strategic workforce planning.

The sift is due to take place from the 8th April 2024.

Interviews are likely to be held week commencing 22nd April 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An interview.
• A presentation.

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

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

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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 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.