Leadership of the cross-DWP programme to develop and implement a comprehensive operational resilience framework by 2027. Own the Business Continuity, Readiness and Response policy and drive assurance against that policy and associated standards. Embedding and continuously improving the DWP Business Continuity Management System and ensuring that Riskonnect implementation is seen through to an effective conclusion. Developing, testing and exercising DWPs contingency plans and capabilities for the full range of National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) and wider service-impacting risks. Oversee DWPs role within the cross-government Chronic Risks Programme. Working with partners across the department and across government to ensure a coherent approach to the resilience of critical infrastructure assets and systems. Leadership of DWPs Incident and Crisis Management Framework and the SCS cadre of Gold Commanders. Driving improvement in DWPs incident and crisis management capabilities arrangements through commitment to an effective lessons identified process. Act as a Gold Commander for major incidents, coordinating the departments response and representing DWP in Cabinet Office (COBR) and other senior officials groups where necessary. Chair the Cross-Government Business Continuity Specialism of the Government Security Profession and steer and sponsor business continuity and organisational resilience professionalisation initiatives, both departmental and cross-government. Lead cross-government resilience initiatives, including but not limited to National Power Outage payment recovery arrangements. Represent resilience interests at a range of Departmental boards including Payments Assurance Board, Strategic Security Board and Health and Safety Board. Representing DWP on SCS1 resilience boards (e.g. Pandemic Diseases Capability Board, BRIDGES National Operations Group) and deputising for the DWP Resilience Director as necessary. Person specification The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their knowledge, experience and skills against the following essential criteria: Substantial experience in incident management and emergency response, with a proven record of leading teams, implementing effective mitigation strategies and timely resolution of crisis situations (Lead criteria) Excellent people management and leadership, with experience of establishing high performing and teams, building capability, creating an inclusive and collaborative culture which values diversity and encourages openness, approachability and sensitivity. You can inspire and empower colleagues to deliver. Strategic thinker who can take the broader view and set the long-term strategy, articulate a vision, obtaining buy-in and engagement from others across an organisation; juggling tactical and strategic challenges. Proven substantial experience in shaping, communicating and executing a strategic vision into deliverable operational plans; you will have excellent communication skills. High levels of emotional intelligence, interpersonal, leadership and management skills to drive contributions across the organisation - highly organised to operate in a fast changing and dynamic environment. Strong analytical skills with extensive experience in analysing complex issues and delivering clear, concise evaluations and options for senior leaders both in writing and orally. Desirable Criteria: Membership of the Business Continuity(BC) Institute or equivalent qualifications. Completion of Crisis Management Excellence Programme (CMEP Tools for Crisis Leaders or equivalent) An excellent working knowledge of delivering BC management through automated systems. Benefits Alongside your salary of 81,000, Department for Work and Pensions 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. 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 25 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 Selection process details 1. Application Process To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process outlined below no later than 23:55pm on Monday 1st September 2025 : A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years; Three statements (maximum 500 words each) answering the 3 pre-defined questions (below), explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities, and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification Tell us about a time when you led the response to a major incident or crisis. Describe the context, your responsibilities, how you managed and coordinated others, and the impact of your actions on restoring operations or mitigating further risk. Give an example of when you translated a strategic vision into an operational plan. How did you ensure buy-in and effective delivery? Tell us about a time you had to solve a complex problem with limited information. How did you assess the situation, manage uncertainty, and reach a recommendation? Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification. 2. Shortlist A panel, including the hiring manager, will assess your application to select those demonstrating the best fit with the role by considering the evidence you have provided against the criteria set out in the person specification section of this pack. Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application. The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which a decision is expected to be made, and all shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter. 3. Assessment If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a Staff Engagement Exercise in advance of the interview. This assessment will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, it is designed to support the panels decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview. Shortlisted candidates may have the opportunity to speak to Nicholas Hamer prior to the final interview. This is an informal discussion to allow candidates to learn more about the role and is not part of the assessment process. 4. Interview Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a panel interview in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the person specification. You may be asked to prepare a 5-minute presentation. Full details will be provided prior to the interview. Your interview will be via a video call. The interview panel will be chaired by Nicholas Hamer, who will be supported by additional panel members. The final panel interview will be a blended interview, covering experience. A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation exploring the candidates capability for the role. 5. Offer and Feedback Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible. We will offer the opportunity to discuss feedback for all candidates who reached interview. A reserve list will be held for up to 12 months, which we may use to fill future similar vacancies for candidates who are considered appointable following interview. Reasonable Adjustments At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, especially 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 senior.recruitment@dwp.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 additional support or adjustments you might need during the recruitment process. For further information regarding reasonable adjustments, please see following link: Reasonable Adjustments, Civil Service Careers Artificial Intelligence For further information regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within applications, please see following link: Artificial intelligence and recruitment, Civil Service Careers 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. Security Successful 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 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. 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 : DWP SCS Recruitment Team Email : senior.recruitment@dwp.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : senior.recruitment@dwp.gov.uk Further information The law requires that 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. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact: senior.recruitment@dwp.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission - https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/ Attachments DD Resilience Candidate Pack July 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 437kB)