About the job

Job summary

The Government Property Agency is changing the way the Civil Service works and is at the forefront of Government's transformation agenda; reshaping the relationship civil servants have with their place of work. The Agency is central to the delivery of key Government policies including moving 22,000 Civil Service roles out of London by 2030 and tackling climate change by contributing to the Net Zero agenda. To do this we are delivering a major change programme across the UK and consolidating our portfolio in order to save £1.4 Bn over 10 years. 

Beyond the bricks and mortar, the GPA is about providing great workplaces for our people. Through programmes like Hubs, Whitehall Campus and Smart Working you will be in the vanguard of creating model working environments and promoting flexible working practices. 

This is an ambitious and exciting task, for which we need innovative people, with strong commercial acumen, who are passionate about visualising and implementing customer needs. Launched as an Executive Agency of the Cabinet Office in 2018, we’re a relatively new department and we are growing fast so we also need people who thrive in ambiguity, can adapt quickly to change and are comfortable stepping outside of their remit to drive outcomes. 

The GPA is committed to representing the communities we serve by making Diversity, Equality and Inclusion part of everything we do.

To ensure that we are always recruiting and retaining a diverse mix of talent, we are particularly inviting applications from candidates who are disabled, ethnically or gender diverse, and people who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Job description

The Workplace Design Manager (WDM) will be responsible for interpreting the GPA Design Guides, Employer’s Requirements and client specialist requirements to: 

• Perform interior design / space planning / lead designer duties on small and medium sized projects up to RIBA Stage 2. 
• Oversee interior design / design outputs by GPA’s design & delivery partners from RIBA Stage 3 onwards. 

The projects will ensure that the project and premises are safe, accessible, sustainable and inclusive, ie great places to work. 

They will manage and develop the existing specifications and ensure standards are in line with the Government Workplace Design Guide, overseeing and being responsible for approving the design throughout each RIBA stage of a project’s lifecycle, and offering advice and providing assurance on all aspects of design. 

The WDM will be a team player who works in a collaborative manner as part of a wider design team. The WDM will provide ad-hoc support on other projects as required and will lead and work with Workplace Designers (WD) in developing their skills by training and being a supportive leader. 

Key Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Workplace Services Head of Design, the Workplace Design Manager will be responsible for: 

• Advising the Head of Design on the status of each project’s design, ensuring the project remains aligned with wider programme priorities, avoiding duplication of work done elsewhere. Updating the Master Design Tracker. 
• Delivery and client signoff of internal GPA Stage 2 Drawings and Design pack. ● Overseeing compliance with standards and specifications set out in the Design Guide and Employer Requirements. 
• Developing GPA’s Employers Requirements (ER) for each project’s design. ● Engaging effectively with the client on design matters. 
• Interpreting the Design Guide and exceptions (client specialist requirements) into appropriate briefing material for designers to use during Cat A and Cat B RIBA stages, minimising the need for bespoke spaces. 
• Providing detailed briefings, options analysis and information on design for the leadership and stakeholders. 
• Supporting the Workplace Experience team to advocate smarter working. ● Supporting Digital’s technical design for ICT requirements. 
• Supporting Workplace Solutions design for operations. 
• Supporting Capital Projects Design & Engineering team when requested by the Workplace Services Head of Design. 
• Acting as a design point of contact for designers, contractors, consultant partners and their supply chains across all projects and programmes.
• Advising the Design Standards Authority (DSA), escalating where workplace experience may be compromised or lessons not being learned.

Person specification

Experience & technical skills

Essential skills: 

• Ability to produce space planning / interior design drawing packages using specialist drawing software. 
• Excellent IT skills including Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD, Revit, Sketch-up, Enscape, MS Project and MS Office. 
• Excellent communication and presentation skills. 
• Knowledge and understanding of buildings, technical specifications, workspace design and procurement.
• Previous knowledge and practical experience working on large projects or programmes. 
• Managing effective governance controls in a complex business environment. 
• Successful end-to-end delivery of small and medium sized change projects through forming effective relationships with senior stakeholders, customer groups, policy makers, and creating collaborative engaged teams. 
• Working in ‘multi-disciplinary’ project teams.
• Ability to form effective relationships with senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Ability to make value based decisions and drive continuous improvement.

Essential experience: 

• Demonstrable design and design management experience in: standards, FFE or inclusive design.
• Experience of design management and delivery.
• Experience of team working and developing staff.
• Ability to communicate best practice. 
• Working on the delivery of large modern office buildings. 
• Understanding of project management methodologies. 
• Understanding of Government or BSRIA Soft Landings process.
• Understanding of projects using BIM level 2 or BIM framework.

Qualifications & accreditations

Essential Criteria:

•  An associate or bachelor's degree in architecture, interior design and/or another relevant subject or appropriate ‘hands-on’ work experience in the design field. (min 5 years). 
• Qualification in or experience of Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) & experience with 3D visualisation software such as Sketchup/Enscape.
• Membership of and/or working towards relevant professional body eg . Chartered Society of Designers (GPA Design Gold Standard) 

Desirable Criteria: 

• Experience of working in or with the Government Property Profession.
• Experience gained in an architectural, Interior Workplace design or construction based role.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,700, Government Property Agency contributes £13,959 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities and 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 sense of belonging in a workplace where everyone feels valued.

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 (RIS) to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Sift

The sift is due to take place week commencing 8th January 2024.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to include a CV and a 500-word personal statement. The personal statement should then align with the person specification.

Interview

Applicants successful at sift will be invited to interviews, which are due to take place week commencing 22nd January 2024 and will be held virtually. This is subject to change dependent upon where most successful candidates are based. You must be willing to travel to any of the GPA locations for your interview. If you are unable to attend a face to face interview due to extenuating circumstances, we advise that you reach out to the recruitment admin team to find out if alternative means can be arranged prior to submitting your application.   

At interview, applicants will be scored against 4 behaviours - Seeing The Bigger Picture, Changing & Improving, Communicating and Influencing, and Delivering at Pace.

If you are invited for an interview, you will be asked to give a short presentation of your portfolio, followed by questions and answers, including questions relating to your experience and suitability for the role. Your portfolio/presentation should contain examples of projects that you have worked on which demonstrate relevant experience for this role. 

Interview questions will be a blend of Behaviour, Experience, Strength and Technical (core skill) questions.

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to GPA 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

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via GPArecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ 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 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 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. 

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.

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. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.