Details
Reference number
429146
Salary
£38,772 - £39,621
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
Job grade
Higher Executive Officer
Contract type
Permanent
Business area
DWP - Universal Credit Job Centre
Type of role
Operational Delivery
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time, Part year
Number of jobs available
13
Contents
* Location
* About the job
* Benefits
* Things you need to know
* Apply and further information
Location
Barrow-in-Furness, Bishop Auckland, Carlisle, Crook, Hartlepool, Killingworth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland, Thornaby-on-Tees
About the job
Job summary
About the job
Are you someone who strives to make a difference to people's lives? If so, we would like to hear from you
DWP is looking to fill 13 Operational Leader roles in various locations across the North East and Cumbria (see above).
This is a high profile and business critical role, with responsibility for functions undertaken supporting Universal Credit Service Delivery. You will be at the centre of DWP's front line operations helping to positively change people lives in our communities.
Universal Credit is at the heart of the governments welfare agenda – designed to simplify the benefit system by bringing together a range of working age benefits into a single payment whilst supporting customers to find work. The service – made up of c45,000colleagues, provides support through an extensive network of Jobcentres that deliver face to face labour market support.
Our Job Centres - responsible for delivering benefit payments are located across Scotland, England, and Wales. The service has recently undergone a rapid expansion programme in response to the economic challenges brought about by the pandemic.
DWP welcomes applications from candidates who demonstrate inspirational and resourceful leadership to help drive performance and deliver a positive and efficient service to our customers.
Standard promotion rules will apply, and successful candidates will be placed on the pay scale and terms and conditions of DWP.
For these vacancies, we strongly recommend that applicants consult with an immigration specialist or qualified advisor to assess their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship before deciding to apply. Please note that while we consider sponsorship requests in accordance with current DWP guidance and Home Office policy, sponsorship cannot be guaranteed.
Job description
What you will be doing:
UC Operational Managers are responsible for coaching, leading, and building the team to achieve national performance measures. They will achieve this by:
* Creating an inclusive team environment, embracing different individual needs, views, and ideas.
* Motivating, developing, and encouraging teams and undertaking regular performance reviews.
* Identifying risks to performance and ensuring continuous improvement by ensuring colleagues are capable and empowered to build their skills and confidence.
* Identifying priorities to ensure the delivery of your and others' objectives.
* Monitoring and improving the quality of the customer experience.
* Suggesting continuous improvement ideas themselves and encouraging and enabling their people to suggest and implement continuous improvement activity and innovation.
* A focus on building collaborative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, partners and organisations to deliver excellent service.
* Being an active member of the Senior Leadership Team, providing visible and effective leadership taking a personal lead in engaging with and communicating key messages and implementing corporate changes.
Roles will be non-hybrid office based with travel across each respective District(s) expected.
Candidates must note that successful applicants will have Saturday working considerations within their working patterns.
Person specification
Responsibilities
Key Criteria
What we are looking for
* Strong leadership skills with the ability to articulate and directly support a clear customer service vision. (Lead Criteria)
* Excellent people engagement skills – championing inclusion for all.
* A driven, energetic leader who can improve quality and consistency.
* Highly effective communication and organisational skills.
* Identifies opportunities to improve services and suggests creative solutions and encourages new approaches to deliver better outcomes.
* Makes confident, timely decisions under pressure.
* Applies sound judgement to complex issues while staying focused on priorities.
* Someone with honesty and integrity, who inspires confidence and loyalty
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Leadership
* Managing a Quality Service
* Communicating and Influencing
* Working Together
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £38,772, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £11,232 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:
* Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
* Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
* Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
* Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
* Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year's continuous service.
* Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
* An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women's Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
* How to Apply, Civil Service Careers (civil-service-) provides advice and tips on applying for roles in the Civil Service
Stages for applying – See Candidate Pack for more details about each stage.
Stage 1 – Complete eligibility section of the application form
Stage 2 - If eligible, you will be invited to complete your application and undergo a written sift using evidence from your Personal Statement of 1250 words. Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Lead Key Criteria (Strong leadership and excellent people engagement skills)
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.
When completing your Personal Statement, please read and understand the Key Criteria thoroughly. 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 provide as much evidence as you can to allow us to assess your skills, knowledge and experience.
Share with us what makes you suited to this role. We would like to find out what you can do, the skills you hold and the life experience or passion that you have that could be aligned to the Key Criteria.
The evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. If evidence of plagiarism, or sharing of questions, information or answers throughout any part of the selection process is found, your application will be withdrawn. Examples of plagiarism can include:
* Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
* Copying content from an online/published source
* Using forms of Artificial Intelligence to produce application content which you present as your own.
Blended Interview
This will consist of an interview which will be face to face and will last approximately 40 to 45 minutes.
You will be asked a mixture of Behaviour and Strength questions. 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.
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 used the WHO or STAR model to explain.
It is difficult to prepare for Strength type questions. While Strength 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.
To help you prepare and settle into the interview you will be sent the behaviour questions in advance, 5 days prior to your interview. These questions should be treated as confidential and should not be shared. The interview panel will ask you other questions which will not be shared in advance, including follow-up questions, and those about your strengths.
Further Information
At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.
Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 3 months from which further appointments can be made.
If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:
* If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
* 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.
Disability Confident Scheme
If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.
Reasonable Adjustments
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 the Government Recruitment Service via 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.
Integrity, plagiarism, Civil Service Principles and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
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.
Examples of plagiarism can include:
* Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
* Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks
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- 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.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out.
Important
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.
Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWP's Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.
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. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.
Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.
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 the Childcare Choices Website.
DWP takes development seriously. Our aim is for our colleagues in these roles to be appropriately skilled and qualified – as determined by the business. To support this aim you may be required to undertake a work based qualification, which may be in the form of an apprenticeship, which will support you in further developing your professional knowledge and skills for this role and your future career development. The qualification can be undertaken in work time, you agree to take this job on the basis that you may be required to undertake a work based qualification; a candidate's failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, may be a breach of their employment contract.
Important
If you hold a level 3 qualification (2 A levels or equivalent) then please bring your certificates with you to the interview if you have them.
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)
* 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
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code 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 .
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans 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).
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 : North East and Cumbria Recruitment Team
* Email : nee..GOV.UK
Recruitment team
* Email :
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: HR..GOV.UK.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.