Job summary DWP is looking to recruit an HR Business Partner in their Strategic People Partnering Services (SPPS) Directorate. SPPS are a team of around 300 dedicated HR professionals, working across a wide range of directorates which include Policy and Professional Services, Jobs & Careers Service, Services & Fraud, People & Capability, Corporate Transformation, Digital and Transformation and Strategic Finance. As you can imagine, this is a very broad and dynamic portfolio with over 85,000 employees and the People and Capability Group is placed at the heart of shaping and driving the people agenda across the department. HR Business Partners have a unique role to play as a strategic partner to our most senior leaders and decision makers in the Department. HR Business Partners are visible, confident, and empowering leaders within both the People and Capability Group and the SPPS community. The role being advertised will be working with our senior leaders and their leadership teams, underpinning the business strategy with people plans aligned with our DWP People Strategy. You will act as an expert in all people matters as well as a coach to the senior leadership team on the design and delivery of the people plan. You will also be working with fellow HR Business Partners as well as our Centres of Excellence to ensure your client group leverages the full value of the People and Capability provision. Job description HR Business Partners play a critical role within People and Capability (PandC) Group. They drive organisational transformation as experienced HR professionals and strategic partners to the most senior decision makers and their leadership teams across DWP. They enable and utilise evidence-based decision making in the business they partner using data, insight and analytics to identify key people issues and support the implementation of solutions. They provide constructive challenge to enable the best possible people-focused outcomes whilst delivering a highly professional service. They enable successful alignment between PandC and DWP organisational objectives, providing positive current and future business outcomes in line with best practice, policy, and legal frameworks. This role places particular emphasis on: An ability to build trust-based relationships with a wide range of demanding and diverse senior stakeholders; An ability to bring flexibility, curiosity and diverse perspectives into your work to achieve successful business outcomes. An understanding of the business you partner, and how to communicate critical people issues with stakeholders; An ability to drive organisation change and transformation initiatives with evidence of the impacton the business through the analysis of appropriate metrics and insights. If you are eager to broaden your current HR Business Partnering experience in a large and complex organisation this is the perfect opportunity for you! Person specification Essential Criteria: Leadership: A proven track record as a credible HR leader, demonstrating resilience and adaptability to successfully lead organisations through complex and challenging periods of change. (LEAD CRITERIA) Stakeholder Management: HR Business Partnering experience of building strong, trust-based relationships with a range of diverse and demanding senior stakeholders in relation to people management issues in an environment of substantial organisational change. Driving Change and Transformation: An ability to develop and implement strategic people-related change initiatives, understanding the people impacts of change and evidencing its positive impact on the business through the analysis of appropriate business and people metrics and insights. Effective Communication: Strong communication skills to engage and influence senior officials, acting as a coach and trusted confidante, successfully implementing people interventions and changes in complex business areas. Fast-Paced Environment: An ability to quickly gain an understanding of the client business, identify people issues in a proactive way and communicate confidently and persuasively about solutions in the language of the business, constructively challenging and providing appropriate feedback with tenacity and ethical integrity. Professional Credibility: Displays personal credibility in your commitment to continuous personal and professional development, inspiring others to invest in their own personal and professional development. Qualifications: You must have achieved CIPD Chartered membership or be willing to work towards this upon commencement of your role. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Leadership Communicating and Influencing Changing and Improving Seeing the Big Picture Technical skills We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: Leadership Benefits Alongside your salary of 57,946, Department for Work and Pensions contributes 16,786 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 (prorata 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 years 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 Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more. Things you need to know Artificial intelligence 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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills. To apply for this post, you will need to complete the following actions: Written Sift 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 and Technical Statements. A 250-word Technical Statement which will assess the following Lead Criteria : A proven track record as a credible HR leader, demonstrating resilience and adaptability to successfully lead organisations through complex and challenging periods of change. (LEAD CRITERIA) A Personal Statement (maximum 1,000 words), explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities, and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role against the remaining 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 250-word Technical Statement (Lead Criteria). If you pass the initial sift, you will be progressed to a full sift. Interview Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview lasting up to 60 minutes. This will take place face to face in Leeds. The interview panel will be a minimum of two people and will assess Behaviours and Strengths. During the first 5 minutes of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a presentation on the Leadership Behaviour. Please note that visual aids will not be permitted. Further information about the presentation element will be shared with shortlisted candidates prior to interview. Indicative Sift and Interview Timeline Sift week commencing 5th May 2026. Interviews week commencing 25th May 2026. Hybrid Working This 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. If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office. If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert. 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. Further Information At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce. Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub. Reserve List A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note: If you are later 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 the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health). 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. Disability Confident Scheme 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. Reasonable Adjustments 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 the 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 youre 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. Integrity, plagiarism and Civil Service Principles 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. Examples of plagiarism can include: Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on yo ur 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. 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 applicants 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. If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out. Important 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. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks. Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWPs Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role. 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. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions. Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary. 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. Determine your eligibility at the Childcare Choices Website. 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) (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. 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). Apply and further information 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 : Strategic People Partnering Services Email : HRDIRECTOR.OPERATIONSDIARYMAILBOX@DWP.GOV.UK Recruitment team Email : dwprecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk Further information Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions 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. Attachments DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 17kB) Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview Opens in new window (pdf, 635kB) Apply now