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
DWP is looking to fill 2 SEO Project Lead roles in the Operations Hub Directorate.
The roles available will be based in various sites geographically, aligned with Service Delivery Optimisation Strategic Locations (Please see the attached document for a full list of sites).
These roles are hybrid working roles and you will be expected to spend a minimum of 40%, increasing to 60% from 1st September 2025. However, you will need to be flexible in your ability to attend an office more frequently than this minimum expectation. Travel to other national locations will be required.
This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.
Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles here. Successful candidates will be posted in merit order based on your location preferences, where appropriate, and the geographical requirements of the business. Dependent on your position on the merit list, if none of your location preferences remain at the point we make a job offer DWP may offer you a role at an alternative advertised location. If we are unable to offer you a role in any of your preferred locations, and you are unable to accept a role at an alternative advertised location, we will add you to the reserve list if one is being held.
Job Description
Successful candidates can expect to be involved in a range of the following:
Data-Driven Analysis
* Lead the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data to inform decision-making and evaluate pilot outcomes.
* Identify trends and use evidence-based insights to measure the success of initiatives and support continuous improvement.
Stakeholder Engagement
* Engage confidently with stakeholders across the Operational Centre, Directorates, Other Government Departments, and external industry partners.
* Build and maintain effective relationships to gather insights and ensure alignment with strategic goals.
Operational Implementation
* Oversee the design, implementation, and evaluation of pilot programmes.
* Provide on-site support and coordinate stakeholders to ensure efficient and effective project delivery.
Workforce Scheduling Optimisation
* Ensure workforce scheduling tools and processes support service delivery, staff wellbeing, and strategic transformation.
* Collaborate with Human Resource policy to ensure compliance and cultural alignment in scheduling practices.
Line Management of Virtual and Remote Teams
* Manage geographically dispersed teams to ensure consistent operational delivery.
* Provide leadership, support, and guidance to remote team members, aligning them with project objectives.
Leading Departmental Change Projects
* Demonstrate experience in leading and delivering significant departmental change initiatives.
* Challenge the status quo and drive innovation and improvement across the department.
Documentation and Reporting
* Produce high-quality documentation including meeting notes, communications, and project updates for senior leaders and steering groups.
* Monitor and report on project milestones, risks, and dependencies to ensure alignment with strategic objectives.
Successful candidates can expect to be involved in a range of the following:
Data-Driven Analysis
* Lead the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data to inform decision-making and evaluate pilot outcomes.
* Identify trends and use evidence-based insights to measure the success of initiatives and support continuous improvement.
Stakeholder Engagement
* Engage confidently with stakeholders across the Operational Centre, Directorates, Other Government Departments, and external industry partners.
* Build and maintain effective relationships to gather insights and ensure alignment with strategic goals.
Operational Implementation
* Oversee the design, implementation, and evaluation of pilot programmes.
* Provide on-site support and coordinate stakeholders to ensure efficient and effective project delivery.
Workforce Scheduling Optimisation
* Ensure workforce scheduling tools and processes support service delivery, staff wellbeing, and strategic transformation.
* Collaborate with Human Resource policy to ensure compliance and cultural alignment in scheduling practices.
Line Management of Virtual and Remote Teams
* Manage geographically dispersed teams to ensure consistent operational delivery.
* Provide leadership, support, and guidance to remote team members, aligning them with project objectives.
Leading Departmental Change Projects
* Demonstrate experience in leading and delivering significant departmental change initiatives.
* Challenge the status quo and drive innovation and improvement across the department.
Documentation and Reporting
* Produce high-quality documentation including meeting notes, communications, and project updates for senior leaders and steering groups.
* Monitor and report on project milestones, risks, and dependencies to ensure alignment with strategic objectives.
Person specification
Key Criteria For The Role
Lead Criteria
* Demonstrate confidence and professionalism when managing senior stakeholders across multiple directorates, Other Government Departments, and external industry partners. Possessing the ability to influence, provide constructive challenge, and effectively resolve issues.
* A proactive mindset with a strong track record of identifying and implementing large scale change initiatives and improvements in a fast pace dynamic environment. Paired with excellent written and verbal communication skills - ensuring clear documentation and robust support for all phases of project delivery, from initiation to successful completion.
Essential Criteria
* Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
* Experience in managing data collection and analysis to inform evidence-based decisions, as well as preparing evaluation reports and presenting results to Director level.
* A working knowledge of Workforce Manager systems and tools.
* Skilled in using Microsoft suite of products, including Excel and PowerPoint to create clear, robust and impactful presentations and data analysis documents.
* Demonstrated working knowledge with Human Resource policy frameworks, including flexitime and working patterns.
* Experience of managing geographically dispersed remote teams by providing consistent operational leadership, support, and guidance to ensure alignment with project objectives.
Desirable Skills
* Familiarity with PADKAR methodology.
* Ability to evaluate pilot initiatives and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Leadership
* Changing and Improving
* Communicating and Influencing
* Seeing the Big Picture
Alongside your salary of £42,614, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £12,345 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.
Selection will be by a written sift, followed by an interview (video via MS Teams).
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.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Please refer to the Success Profiles Candidate Overview
Skills
The Civil Service uses a Behaviour Framework to assess candidates', knowledge and skills. You will be assessed against the following Civil Service Behaviours at
SEO
level:
* Leadership (5-minute Presentation)
* Changing and Improving
* Communicating and Influencing
* Seeing the Big Picture
It may help to use the WHO or STAR model to explain
What
the task/ work was,
How
you approached the task/work/situation and what the
Outcomes
were, what did you achieve? Or What was the
Situation
? What were the
Tasks
? What
Action
did you take? What were the
Results
of your actions?
CV -
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,
so please put the main
content of your evidence and skills in your Personal Statement
.
Personal statement -
when completing your personal statement of
up to 1250 words
, please read and understand the Key Criteria thoroughly as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. 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 evidence: the key personal requirements and what have you done that relates to the requirements. You don't have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why, what you can do and the skills you have that are transferable to the key requirements, and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role.
Interview
You will be asked to deliver a short (5 minutes)
verbal presentation
, this will be assessed against
Leadership
alongside behaviour and strength-based questions.
Application (1250 words)
* Written Sift
The written sift will be conducted using evidence from your Personal Statement and will be assessed against the key criteria within the advert.
In the event of a large number of applications we will use the lead criteria to initially assess your application during the sift stage. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or direct 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.
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.
* Interview
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview. This will be a video interview via MS Teams. The interview panel will be a minimum of two people. The interview will assess behaviours and strengths. The interview aims to be more of a conversation exploring the candidate's capability for the role.
To help you prepare and settle into the interview you will be sent the Presentation and behaviour questions in advance of the interview, 5 days prior to your interview. These questions should be treated as confidential. You will not be required to use visual aids, and your presentation will be timed and should last no more than 5 minutes.
The interview panel may ask you other questions which will not be shared in advance, including follow-up questions, and those about your behaviours.
Candidates may be asked further probing questions to determine suitability for the role.
At the interview stage, candidates will be asked for their preferences, for up to 3 locations. These will tell us where you would prefer to work, if you are successful. Please do not select a location unless you are prepared to accept a role in that location. All locations are subject to demand management processes that will need to identify there is available capacity, before it can be offered.
* Selection and Feedback
We will notify all candidates as soon as possible.
If you are 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 post within a reasonable time frame you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances.
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.
* Note - Exceptional circumstances could be when a candidate has requested a contractual Part Time Working Pattern, and this pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health.
Further Information
Find out more about Working for DWP
A reserve list may be held for a period of 3 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 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.
For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email
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.
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.
* 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.
Please note that for candidates requesting to work in Newcastle, this role will be based at Benton Park View from September 2025, and then at 1 Pilgrim Place in Newcastle city centre by the end of 2027.
Reasonable Adjustments
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 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 : SDO Resourcing & Recruitment Team
* Email : spd..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.