Birmingham, Blackpool, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Sheffield
Job Summary
Join Our HR Transformation Team!
Are you passionate about HR transformation and eager to make a significant impact on the Civil Service? The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is looking for talented individuals to join our HR Transformation team, part of the People and Capability directorate. Formed in January 2024, our team focuses on transformation, business readiness, and supporting the cross-government Synergy Programme.
About HR Transformation
Our DWP HR Transformation team leads on:
* HR Design
* HR Implementation and Business Readiness
* Development of Position Management
* HR Operating Model
About The Synergy Programme
The Synergy Programme aims to transform shared services across DWP, MoJ, Defra, Home Office, and their Arm's Length Bodies. This transformation will impact around 250,000 Public and Civil Service employees, supporting new ways of working for over half of the Civil Service.
Synergy’s Mission:
The mission is to simplify and enhance the delivery of corporate services in government. We strive to make working lives easier and help deliver crucial services by providing smarter, faster, and more intuitive systems designed around user needs.
Synergy’s Objectives:
* Simplify operations through an optimised Shared Services Centre
* Improve user experience
* Enhance data quality and reporting
* Ensure service continuity and provide a foundation for service enhancements
* Demonstrate value for money
Job Description
At DWP we are recruiting for several exciting roles leading HR Transformation and supporting HR Design and Implementation across the department and our ALBs. You will own and lead a portfolio of critical design and implementation projects across key HR process areas. You will be a champion for the changes we aim to deliver, building and maintaining strong relationships within DWP and across other departments.
Key Responsibilities:
* Transform HR Products/Processes: Identify and drive transformation opportunities across HR for DWP and our Arm's Length Bodies (ALBs).
* Implement Synergy HR Design: Ensure successful implementation through effective business change, communications, engagement, and transition into Business As Usual (BAU).
* Stakeholder Communication: Represent the programme/department across multiple forums, communicating business, functional, and technical information to various stakeholders, including trade unions.
* Advocate for Cloud Adoption: Promote the ‘Adopt not Adapt’ concept, challenging established ways of working to achieve transformation goals and move to Software as a Service for HR processes.
* Build Strong Relationships: Confidently represent, challenge, influence, and negotiate positive outcomes and solutions with stakeholders and colleagues.
* Independent Analysis and Decision Making: Influence stakeholders to achieve collective transformation ambitions across the cluster.
* Adapt and Improve: Prioritise, change, iterate, and improve at pace, responding to changing priorities.
At DWP we are recruiting for several exciting roles leading HR Transformation and supporting HR Design and Implementation across the department and our ALBs. You will own and lead a portfolio of critical design and implementation projects across key HR process areas. You will be a champion for the changes we aim to deliver, building and maintaining strong relationships within DWP and across other departments.
Key Responsibilities:
* Transform HR Products/Processes: Identify and drive transformation opportunities across HR for DWP and our Arm's Length Bodies (ALBs).
* Implement Synergy HR Design: Ensure successful implementation through effective business change, communications, engagement, and transition into Business As Usual (BAU).
* Stakeholder Communication: Represent the programme/department across multiple forums, communicating business, functional, and technical information to various stakeholders, including trade unions.
* Advocate for Cloud Adoption: Promote the ‘Adopt not Adapt’ concept, challenging established ways of working to achieve transformation goals and move to Software as a Service for HR processes.
* Build Strong Relationships: Confidently represent, challenge, influence, and negotiate positive outcomes and solutions with stakeholders and colleagues.
* Independent Analysis and Decision Making: Influence stakeholders to achieve collective transformation ambitions across the cluster.
* Adapt and Improve: Prioritise, change, iterate, and improve at pace, responding to changing priorities.
Person specification
We are seeking individuals who are passionate about HR transformation and can contribute to delivering an efficient and high-performing HR function for DWP. You will work alongside other cluster departments and our Arm's Length Bodies to bring your skills to one of the most significant changes in Civil Service administration in decades. We need individuals with a transformational mindset who can thrive in ambiguity and switch focus quickly. If you have extensive HR knowledge and are eager to broaden your experience in a major change programme, this is the perfect opportunity for you.
Essential Criteria:
* HR Transformation Leadership: Demonstrable experience in leading HR transformation across people, policy, process, systems, and operations. (LEAD CRITERIA)
* Stakeholder Management: Proven ability to build relationships with complex stakeholders and use collaboration, communication, and influencing skills to drive HR transformation.
* Effective Communication: Strong communication skills to engage and influence senior officials, successfully implementing people changes in business areas.
* Fast-Paced Environment: Ability to manage and prioritise competing demands in a fast-paced setting, meeting challenging and changing deadlines.
* Leadership: Proven track record of leading people and teams, demonstrating positive outcomes through others.
* Project Management: Knowledge and experience of working in large-scale projects and programmes.
* Professional Registration: Chartered MCIPD or willingness to work towards this upon the commencement of your role.
* Cloud Systems: It would be desirable and beneficial to have experience and knowledge of working with Software such as Service (SaaS) cloud systems.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Leadership
* Communicating and Influencing
* Changing and Improving
* Making Effective Decisions
Alongside your salary of £55,557, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £16,094 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.
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.
Written Sift:
To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process outlined below:
A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. The CV is an on-line tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobsite and there is no requirement to upload your personal CV. Our CV element is short, and allows an initial check of eligibility but is not scored so please put the main content of your evidence and skills in your Personal Statement.
A personal statement (maximum 1,250 words), explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities, and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role against the essential criteria in the person specification. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
If we receive a large number of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criteria:
"HR Transformation Leadership: Demonstrable experience in leading HR transformation across people, policy, process, systems, and operations." (Lead Criteria)
If you pass the initial sift, you may be progressed to a full sift or directly to interview.
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.
Interview:
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview lasting up to 60 minutes via MS Teams. The interview panel will be a minimum of two people and they will assess Behaviours and Strengths. The interview aims to be more of a conversation exploring the candidate’s capability for the role.
During the first 5 minutes of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a verbal presentation without any visual aids. The presentation topic will be shared with candidates prior to attending interviews to allow preparation.
Interviews will take place on Tuesday 17th June/Wednesday 18th June. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
We recognise that AI may be helpful when applying for this role, but it is important to use it in the right way. Read the DWP AI Candidate Guide to understand how you can make the best use of GenAI while ensuring your application remains authentic and effective.
Further Information
Find out more about Working for DWP
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
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 Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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 Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk
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.
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. 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.
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. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.
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 DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
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.
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.
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.
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
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).
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 : Jim Boyle
* Email : jim.g.boyle@dwp.gov.uk
Recruitment team
* Email : dwprecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
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.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.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. #J-18808-Ljbffr