Are you someone who can see the bigger picture and help shape plans that line up with both our team goals and wider ministerial priorities? Do you enjoy working collaboratively? Are you able to build strong, trusted relationships across different parts of an organisation? If so, we have an exciting opportunity to join our team at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and we'd love to hear from you!
This is an exciting Grade 7 opportunity within the Strategy Directorate, at the heart MHCLG. The role offers a rare chance to combine big-picture strategic thinking with practical delivery oversight, supporting the department to deliver on its priorities for communities across the country. As Head of Business Planning and Portfolio Oversight, you will lead on shaping and coordinating MHCLG's annual business planning process, ensuring that the department's resources, programmes and activities are aligned to ministerial priorities and wider government objectives. Specifically, working closely with colleagues across policy, finance, and delivery teams, you will provide the strategic framework that allows the department to track, challenge and manage delivery and performance effectively. You will personally oversee the MHCLG Delivery Plan and Outcome Delivery Plan drafting process. You do not need a background in finance or HR - this is a strategy, delivery and coordination focused position. Alongside this, you will take responsibility for oversight of MHCLG's portfolio oversight arrangements. This includes working with portfolio management office (PMO) leads to strengthen capability, ensuring risks and interdependencies are identified early, and that delivery challenges are surfaced and addressed through the department's governance structures. A key feature of this role is the blend of strategic influence and operational delivery. You will be expected to "zoom out" - seeing the big picture and advising senior leaders on cross-cutting issues - while also "zooming in" to provide practical challenge and support to programme teams on delivery. The post offers significant scope for stretch across the Strategy Directorate, for example working alongside central private offices, contributing to departmental strategy projects, or helping shape governance reform. You will lead a small, high-performing team and play a central role in the Departmental Governance, Planning and Oversight Team of three Grade 7s (including this post) and two further G7s focused on strategic governance. Together, this team provides the backbone of MHCLG's corporate planning and governance system, giving senior leaders confidence in the department's ability to deliver.
As the Senior Lead for Departmental Planning and Portfolio Oversight you will:
* Coordinate MHCLG's annual business planning process, providing overall project management oversight across the blend of teams who are involved (Financial Strategy, DPM's Policy and Strategy Unit, DG Group Private Offices and PMOs, Strategic Workforce Planning, Change & Transformation, Governance, etc).
* Provide strategic advice and constructive challenge to senior leaders on delivery performance, risks, and interdependencies, and working collaboratively with the centre (Cabinet Office, HMT).
* Lead on delivery components of business planning. Write the final MHCLG Delivery Plan and public-facing Outcome Delivery Plan.
* Oversee portfolio management arrangements across the department, working with portfolio teams to strengthen programme management capability. Manage oversight of the department's PMO capability, maintaining high standards of planning, assurance, and reporting.
* Combine strategic "big picture" thinking with practical delivery oversight, helping the department identify issues early and drive solutions.
* Lead, develop, and support the team to deliver high-quality analysis, advice, and coordination. Play an active role within the Governance Planning and Oversight Team, collaborating with two fellow Grade 7s.
* Support the effective operation of departmental governance, ensuring clear flows of information and evidence into decision-making forums.
* Have opportunities for wider stretch across the Strategy Directorate, contributing to corporate projects, private office support, or cross-departmental strategy initiatives.
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application; however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factual, 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.
As part of our pre-employment checking process, we will be using your CV to confirm your job history. Please note that by providing us with your CV you are consenting to us using the information enclosed as part of the checking process.
Candidate guidance on recruitment and protections
CV and Cover Letter Declaration: We recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - this is called name blind recruitment. Please remove references to your: name/title, educational institutions, age, gender, email address, postal address, phone number, and nationality/immigration status. You will need to merge your CV and covering letter into one document. When submitting your application, Applied will ask you to upload a merged document of your CV and covering letter.
At sift, through your CV and covering letter we will be assessing: Experience. Your covering letter should be no more than 750 words, referencing how you meet the criteria set out in the job description. The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of the following success profiles elements: Behaviour: Seeing The Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Changing and Improving. Strengths: The strength-based questions will require natural responses from the candidates. Candidates will be asked to prepare a 5-minute presentation, further details will be provided on invitation to interview. In the full campaign we will test the below Success Profile Elements. There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role.
Location and CAMPUS information
* The Darlington Economic Campus is a pioneering new cross-government hub which will bring together people across departments and public organisations to play an active role in the most important economic issues of the day. The work of the Campus will make a real difference to people both across the UK and internationally. There will be substantial career opportunities and exciting prospects - a career at the Campus means you will be working at the heart of Government, with access to the benefits and fantastic opportunities offered by the civil service.
* For further information on the DEC, please take a look at the attached DEC candidate pack. At present, a minimum of 60% of your working time will be spent in your contractual office location. Requirements to attend other office locations or off-site meetings will be counted towards this. You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.
Selection timetable
* Sift: W/C 15/09; Interview dates to be confirmed. All interviews are currently held remotely via video call.
* Reserve List: We may hold applicant details for 6 months for further appointments; some roles may be at a lower grade. If you do not wish to remain on the reserve list, contact recruitment@communities.gov.uk.
Security and nationality
* Security: Successful candidates must undergo criminal record checks and meet the security requirements (including Counter Terrorism Checks). The department will check against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) as part of vetting.
* Nationality: This job is broadly open to UK nationals, Irish nationals, certain Commonwealth nationals, EU/EEA/Swiss/LI nationals with settled or pre-settled status, and other eligibility as described in the Candidate Pack.
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.
* We operate a Disability Confident Scheme, Redeployment Interview Scheme and other inclusion initiatives. See the Civil Service People Plan and Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for more information.
Salary and benefits
* Salary: £59,946 (London) or £54,531 (National). In addition, the department contributes to the Civil Service Pension scheme (defined benefit) with generous employer contributions.
* Benefits include learning and development tailored to your role, flexible working options, an inclusive culture, and a Civil Service pension with employer contributions of 28.97%.
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