Deputy Director - Head of Operational Delivery Profession Team & Surge and Rapid Response Team - BirminghamAbout the jobJob summaryWorking to the Permanent Secretary of DWP (Head of the Operational Delivery Profession) with a reporting line and day to day accountability provided by the Director General for Customer Service Group within HMRC, the post holder will have accountability for setting and delivering the strategic ambition for the Operational Delivery Profession as well as setting direction and operation of the Surge and Rapid Response team. Whilst this role is hosted by HMRC, it is a cross-government role.Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) Team The strategy is shaped around three key themes: Developing Future skills - equipping the workforce with the tools and knowledge needed to adapt and excel. Building the ODP Centre of Excellence - a hub for best practice and learning. Addressing workforce challenges - ensuring ODP is a profession of choice, attracting and retaining talent while embracing digital transformation. These priorities are underpinned by robust data, meaningful insights, and a skills framework, ensuring that our profession remains relevant, resilient, and forward-looking. The commitment is not just to prepare for the demands of today but to invest in a future where ODP is recognised as a centre of excellence within the Civil Service. By fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous learning, and professional pride, we will create an environment where every member, at every grade, feels valued, supported, and empowered to grow .Surge and Rapid Response Team (SRRT) Lead, develop and inspire the multi award-winning Surge and Rapid Response Team (SRRT) of around 800+ individuals. A high profile and unique Civil Service team, providing operational resilience by responding to peaks in work and crisis deployments - that can attract media, political and ministerial interest; Accountability for managing a cost recovery resourcing budget of around £34 million through a chargeable costing model from active deployments across government departments; Overseeing effective resource planning and deployment prioritisation to ensure departmental and government demand is met whilst maximising the team's operational effectiveness.Job descriptionKey responsibilities include: Leading a diverse and geographically dispersed team of over 800 people and ensure full synergy between the HRMC team, the DWP team and the SRRT; Managing and develop two G6s and one G7, with oversight of the ODP Senior Leadership Team (which includes the DWP based DD), strategic development, workplans and budget; Supporting the Permanent Secretary cross-government Head of Profession (HoP)and Deputy HoP to meet their corporate contribution by delivering the functions asked of them; Engaging with departmental Heads of Profession, operational DGs, and other stakeholders, making connections and building relationships inside and external to government to develop ODP further; Representing the profession and being an ambassador for operational delivery in a wide range of environments; Working with the centre including the Cabinet Office to shape Civil Service approach to delivery for the public; Working with other Civil Service professions and functions to build a community, share learning and good practice; Leading on business planning, budget management performance and risk; Establishing and sustaining a culture of delivery, innovation, creativity, curiosity and continuous improvement, that encourages increased engagement with the profession and makes the ODP Team and SRRT a great place to work. Person specificationEssential criteria: An effective and sophisticated influencer, with the ability to build relationships and work in partnership with colleagues, senior leaders and decision makers across organisational boundaries, and at all levels; A strategic thinker, with inspirational leadership qualities who is able to lead, develop and drive the Operational Delivery Profession, understanding how to develop a professional framework, build capability and deliver excellence; An engaging and collaborative people leader who can build large, high performing teams across multiple locations and a wide geographical area; A great deliverer, in whatever sector or profession they work in, who can demonstrate service excellence as well as creativity and innovation, and is able to communicate complex ideas and detailed information simply and eloquently to a wide range of stakeholders; Personally committed to leading the diversity and inclusion agenda, ensuring delivery and role modelling inclusive behaviours.BenefitsAlongside your salary of £81,000, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £23,465 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.PensionYour Civil Service pension is a valuable part of your total reward and is one of your biggest benefits.When you join the Civil Service, you get access to the alpha pension with a generous employer contribution of 28.97% and some of the lowest member contributions in the public sector.Please visit Civil Service Pension Scheme for more information.Annual Leave and Bank Holiday Allowance25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service (allowance pro-rata for part-time colleagues).This is complemented by one days paid privilege leave to mark the King's Birthday and is in addition to your public holidays.Equality, Diversity & Inclusion The Civil Service values and supports all its employees. At HMRC we want to create great places to work that are welcoming to all - where there is a strong sense of belonging and community.We embed inclusion in everything we do. Senior Civil Servants play a crucial role in promoting and maintaining inclusive behaviours, addressing disparities and reporting progress.Our HMRC equality objectives 2024-2028 describe how we are working to become a more inclusive and representative organisation reflective of our values.Things you need to knowArtificial intelligenceArtificial 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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.Selection process detailsThis campaign is being managed by HMRC's Executive Resourcing team. All applications should be submitted via Civil Service Jobs no later than 23:55 on Tuesday 7th April 2026 and must include:A CV detailing your career history, key responsibilities and achievements accounting for any employment gaps within the last two years.A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 2 pages demonstrating how your experience meets the essential criteria.Your CV and suitability statement will be assessed against the criteria set out in the person specification. Please include your full name on both documents.ShortlistThe panel will assess the evidence provided in your CV and statement. Candidates whose applications best meet the essential criteria will be selected for interview.AssessmentIf shortlisted, you will take part in the following assessments:Individual Leadership Assessment - a combination of psychometric assessmentsStakeholder Engagement Exercise - a presentation and Q&A with a representative stakeholder group from across HMRC.Assessments are designed to support the panel's decision making and highlight areas for further exploration at interview and do not result in a pass or fail decision.InterviewYou will attend a panel interview for a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence. This will include a 5-minute verbal presentation (further information will be issued in advance).Interviews are expected to take place virtually via Microsoft Teams. All Criminal Record Checks applications are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise. As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.SecuritySuccessful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.Nationality requirementsThis 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 ServiceThe 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 InclusionThe 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).