Details
Reference number
421692
Salary
£42,614 - £45,081
A pay award is pending which will increase the pay range stated
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
Job grade
Senior Executive Officer
Contract type
Permanent
Business area
DWP - Corporate Transformation
Type of role
Estates
Other
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Number of jobs available
1
Contents
* Location
* About the job
* Benefits
* Things you need to know
* Apply and further information
Location
Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Blackpool, Glasgow
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
About the job
Job summary
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is one of the government's largest public service departments with a sizeable annual budget, serving over 20 million citizens.
The estate spans 1.4 million square metres across 800+ sites and supports around 78,000 colleagues.
Our vision includes DWP colleagues, supply chain, partners and, most fundamentally, the customers the Department exists to serve. They are the reason for our existence.
We are responsible for the day-to-day operation of our vast Estate by managing a private sector supply chain that delivers essential services such as Security Guarding, Maintenance, Property and Leasehold Management, Construction, Cleaning and Facilities Management.
DWP Estates is not just about maintaining buildings - it's about transformation. Our strategic goals include:
* Transitioning to a smaller, more affordable, and adaptable estate to meet future needs
* Investing in infrastructure through planned replacement works
* Embedding sustainability in line with Government Greening Commitments (GGCs)
* Delivering cost-effective services while maintaining high standards
* Creating a professional, best-in-class working culture across the Government Property profession
Our Estates strategy ambitions have been refreshed to take us through to 2030:
* OPTIMISE: Continue to transition to a more affordable and adaptable DWP estate that creates productive environments
* INVEST: Investment in an improved environment that better meets the needs of customers and colleagues and minimises service disruption
* SUPPORT the drive for sustainability throughout DWP
* DELIVER: Expertly deliver improving, cost-effective services for DWP
* THRIVE: Continue to develop a working culture for DWP Estates that is best in class across government
There is no better time to join the award winning DWP Estates team.
The Senior Director Support is a high-profile and varied role working within the Estates Director's Office, supporting one of the Government's largest Estates Departments.
Whilst reporting to the Head of Director's Office, your role will primarily be providing continuous support to the Estate Director and so you will have the confidence and judgement to work directly with the Director and their multi-disciplined senior leadership team based across several locations in the UK.
This is a fast-paced position suitable for a proactive individual who enjoys a dynamic, and at times unpredictable, working environment.
You will ensure that the Estates Director is seamlessly supported and able to focus on top priorities, that critical Directorate activities are efficiently delivered, and effective arrangements are in place for allowing the Director to carry out their work.
Job description
Key accountabilities
* Act as point of contact between the Estates Director and the wider Department, including the offices for Director Generals, Permanent Secretary, and Ministers, as well as other Government Departments.
* Daily prioritisation of the Estate Director's inbox, triaging high volumes of correspondence and assigning onward actions as appropriate.
* Working closely with the Director to deliver on their requirements, whilst also highlighting developments, risks, and key information to them.
* Working with the Estates Senior Leadership Team and key stakeholders on commissions, coordinating and sharing information to ensure timely and accurate responses.
* Working collaboratively with the Senior Diary Manager to ensure the Director's schedule reflects their priority and focus.
* Lead on the planning and coordination of the twice weekly All Colleague Calls for the Estates Directorate, ensuring topics align to the Director's priorities and the business strategy.
* Maintaining an overview of the Director's key priorities and workload and provide regular updates to the Director's Office Team to ensure they are informed.
* Deliver on requests for information from various stakeholders to the Director's Office in an accurate and timely manner.
* Deputising for the Head of Director's office as required.
Person specification
Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience
* Experience of working with Senior Leaders – understanding their priorities and having the confidence to highlight outstanding actions they need to undertake.
* Ability to use own judgement, with limited consultation, to work on behalf of a Senior Leader.
* Prior experience coordinating and delivering on work on behalf of a Senior Leader, such as commissions and All Colleague Calls.
* Understanding how departmental/government and local/national issues can impact on the work of the Senior Leaders and their business.
* Proven experience of improving working practices, in particular identifying and implementing efficiencies, or ways to improve the service being delivered.
* Proficient use of Microsoft Office, particularly Co-Pilot, OneNote, Teams and SharePoint, using these to improve efficiencies.
* Able to establish, develop and maintain positive relationships with colleagues at all levels.
* Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with experience of working collaboratively and in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders.
* The ability to work at pace and respond flexibly to competing and changing demands, prioritising and managing own workload efficiently.
* Identifying and mitigating risks to ensure effective delivery.
* High levels of personal resilience with the ability to work effectively under pressure.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Seeing the Big Picture
* Making Effective Decisions
* Communicating and Influencing
* Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
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.
Important Information – Visa Sponsorship
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.
Location
Applicants should apply for suitable posts where they can travel to and from their home office location daily within a reasonable time.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed
Hybrid Working
This job role is 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.
Successful candidates will be posted in merit order based on your location preferences and the geographical requirements of the business
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT
As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a Personal Statement of no more than 1000 words against the essential criteria as outlined above. You will also be asked to provide a short CV.
Your CV should be fairly short and just evidence very brief details of your work history and Qualifications. (It will not be scored)
Please do not submit a speculative application where you do not meet at least 50% of the essential criteria as these applications will be unsuccessful. Do not include Behaviour examples within your application as these will not be assessed in the sift and will only be used at interview stage.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
There will be an initial sift of applications based on the Personal Statement only, so please ensure you evidence how you meet the Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience requirement contained in the vacancy in this section. This will form a short list for interview.
STAGE 2 - INTERVIEW
All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will undertake a single virtual video interview.
The interview will follow a blended approach which will help us assess candidates Behaviours and Strengths.
You will also be asked an additional question to validate your knowledge which will be measured against the essential criteria as specified in the vacancy.
Currently the sift is scheduled to take place week commencing 8th September 2025 and interview dates yet to be confirmed but likely to be mid to end September 2025. Interviews are scheduled to take place virtually and dates are subject to change.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
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 : Matt Pepper
* Email :
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.