DWP Jobs – Senior Manager

About the job

Location

East Midlands (England), East of England, London (region), North East England, North West England, Scotland, South East England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands (England), Yorkshire and the Humber

Job Summary

About the job

The Department for Work and Pensions [DWP] is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department, we operate on a scale that is almost unmatched anywhere in Europe and most people in Britain come into contact with us at some point in their lives.

Service Excellence exists to drive the best and most affordable service for those customers, by combining our transformation, planning and improvement skills with the knowledge and expertise of others across various strands of DWP business.

The Central Data Management Team [CDMT] within Operations Performance Resourcing and Analysis [OPRA] is fast paced and challenging. The team plays a critical role in resource-based decision making across DWP, providing key insights and recommendations to inform senior leaders in planning and decision making. CDMT regularly reports to board level forums, and as required to Permanent Secretary and Ministers, informing Spending Review bi-laterals and finance allocation agreements.

The team works closely with enabling functions across DWP, including Finance, Policy, Analysts, Workplace Transformation, and People, Capability and Place [PC&P]. This role has high visibility with senior leaders across the organisation and involves engaging and influencing at the highest level within DWP.

DWP will support you in developing your professional knowledge and skills for this role and future career development. For this role you may be expected to undertake an Apprenticeship – further details are included in the candidate pack.

Job Description

This is a fantastic opportunity to enable someone to broaden their knowledge and skills, lead and operate independently across the Department, with a remit to influence senior leaders, and to drive and shape the Department’s operational performance within a fast-paced environment.

This is a business-critical resource planning and leadership role. There will be a strong emphasis on building relationships across the organisation with key partners such as Finance, Estates, PC&P, and Policy to develop innovative solutions to support business performance and the wider welfare reform agenda.

You will drive people engagement across your team, set high standards for people leadership throughout the business and inspire colleagues through difficult situations, transform performance and build high performing teams.

We are looking for people who can demonstrate our values and commitment to leadership, which are based around Collaboration, Resilience and Inclusivity. We look for emotionally aware leaders who encourage innovation, creativity, adaptability and flexibility. We want you to be comfortable challenging the norm and finding daring and dynamic solutions that support our values and enable colleagues to shine in whatever role they do.

We welcome applications from candidates who demonstrate inspirational and resourceful leadership to help drive performance and deliver a positive and efficient service to our customers.

We are committed to the Civil Service ambition to become the UK’s most inclusive employer and we absolutely welcome and encourage applications from every part of our community, particularly from groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and those with protected characteristics.

Person specification

Successful candidates can expect to be involved in a range of the following tasks:

• Working collaboratively with colleagues across Service Excellence and Work and Health and wider DWP to help make informed resource decisions and input into co-ordinated and integrated resource plans across Service Delivery.
• Working closely with key stakeholders and delivery partners to develop innovative solutions to support business performance and the wider welfare reform agenda.
• Ensuring strategic products and tools are maintained and updated weekly/monthly, reviewing all key elements to provide assurance around accuracy and robustness of data.
• Responding quickly and accurately to ad-hoc requests for data [e.g., Parliamentary Questions, Freedom of Information requests, requests from Ministers, Board members, etc].
• Preparing effective presentations for board meetings.
• Validating team outputs to ensure that they are accurate and presented in the most appropriate format to meet the needs of stakeholders.
• Working with colleagues across DWP to ensure the service delivery Integrated Resource Plan is quality assured and reflective of current plans, and aligned with business priorities, fully understanding associated challenges/risks.
• Networking effectively with key partners in the resourcing arena [e.g. Change, DWP Estates, PC&P and Finance] to ensure plans effectively meet requirements.
• Contributing to a small team to support cross-Directorate level planning activity, demonstrating inclusive leadership to build a motivated and capable team, and foster a culture of innovation.

The Successful Applicant Will

Essential Lead Criteria:

• Be a visible, inclusive and engaging leader, providing strong direction and support to build a high performing and motivated team.
• Have strong analytical skills, with demonstrable experience of assimilating and analysing large volumes of complex resource data and Management Information to support effective decision making, using evidence and analysis to present reasoned conclusions.

The Successful Applicant Will

Essential Other Criteria:

• Have strong technical skills in the use of Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint applications.
• Have used insight and trend data to highlight anomalies and risks and provide recommendations about resource deployment and efficiency improvement.
• Be a resourceful self-starter, demonstrating a flexible and proactive approach to working in a fast-paced environment, contributing to high profile work strands that deliver high levels of performance and customer service.
• Be proactive in seeking out opportunities to engage effectively with a broad and complex range of stakeholders, having the ability to influence and communicate effectively at all levels, and build credible and trusted relationships across organisational boundaries.

Desirable Criteria

• The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for positions based in Wales.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
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Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using

Stage 1 Online Test

At the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Numerical Test . If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 27/10/2023 at 23:55 . If you fail to complete the online test and full written application 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.

Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The test is administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Stage 2 Application & Sift

If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the next stage of the application: the CV and a Personal Statement of up to 1250 words. Further details about what this will entail are listed in the candidate pack.

Your CV should be short, and briefly include your employment history, as well as qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be asked to provide a 1250-word Personal Statement against the Essential Criteria set out in this advert.

There will be an initial sift of applications based on the Personal Statement only, so please ensure you show evidence of how you meet the Assessment Criteria in your Personal Statement. This will form a shortlist for interviews.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead essential criteria:

Be a visible, inclusive and engaging leader, providing strong direction and support to build a high performing and motivated team.

Have strong analytical skills, with demonstrable experience of assimilating and analysing large volumes of complex resource data and Management Information to support effective decision making, using evidence and analysis to present reasoned conclusions.

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

Please do not submit a speculative application where you do not meet all of the Essential Lead Criteria, as these applications will be unsuccessful. Do not include behavioural examples within your application as these will not be assessed in the sift and will only be used at the interview stage.

The Sift will take place between 31 October 2023 and 18 November 2023.

Stage 3 Interview

All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will undertake a single virtual video interview.

The interview will follow a blended approach, which will help us assess candidates’ Behaviours and Strengths.

Interviews will be held between 2 December 2023 and 22 December 2023.

Further Information

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

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

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

Security Information

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 /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 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

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.

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.

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 [email protected] 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.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

People working with government assets must complete

Nationality Requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Working for the Civil Service

The

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s

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.

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : SPD Recruitment Team
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team :

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: [email protected].

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission