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Location
About the job
Job summary
Are you an inspirational leader? Do you care passionately about the people and the places where you live? Can you create the right culture, lead teams, and engage others to make a genuine difference to their local communities and wider society? Then this role may be for you!
DWP is looking to fill a Universal Credit Service Leader role to lead the delivery of Universal Credit across North & Mid Wales district.
The UC Service Leader role is a high profile and business critical role, with responsibility for all functions undertaken for Universal Credit Delivery. Universal Credit is at the heart of the governments welfare agenda – designed to simplify the benefit system by bringing together a range of working age benefits into a single payment whilst supporting customers to find work. The service provides support through an extensive network of jobcentres who provide face to face labour market support. It is important to note that as the district is located in Wales and the devolution of areas including Employability and skills is devolved to Welsh Government that stakeholder and service delivery can be a complex environment in which to operate.
The district is large in geography terms covering 4388 square miles and travel to all 22 permanent and 1 temporary Jobcentre is key to achieving visible leadership across the district. The majority of the Jobcentres are small and medium sized to meet the demands of the population density. There are 380 colleagues helping customers get back into work, closer to work or supporting the most vulnerable in society. We have outreach services in prisons; youth hubs and the Service Leader will also lead the Wales wide visiting services that support some of our most vulnerable customers. It’s a hugely diverse role, covering a large geographical area of 7 Local Authorities, meaning no 2 days will be the same. However, your leadership and drive can make an enormous contribution to this.
We welcome applications from candidates who demonstrate inspirational and resourceful leadership to help drive performance and deliver a positive and efficient service to our customers.
Job description
Reporting into the Group Director, you will be part of a supportive team delivering these services across Wales. The role will be based in the North and Mid Wales District and Service Leaders are required to be visible in the Job Centres across their district and wider business area. Plus will be expected to travel extensively across this area and throughout Wales, with regular travel to Cardiff.
Successful candidates can expect to be involved in a range of the following:
- An active member of your Senior Leadership Team, contributing to the wider Departmental agendas and providing visible, accessible and effective senior leadership, taking a personal lead in communicating messages with clarity and conviction.
- Create and sustain effective relationships with senior stakeholders including Directors and key partners/stakeholders such as Local Authorities and MPs and Senedd members to develop stronger working across DWP to create powerful, purposeful partnerships.
- Leading and coaching performance and using data to and quality measures to deliver high performance. Accountable for delivery and quality of performance across the district.
- Be a resourceful, self-starting leader with experience of delivering excellent customer service in a fast-paced environment and leading large teams, to deliver high levels of performance.
- As a member of the Wales Senior Leadership Team as well as the Service Leader you will be a role model, delivering exceptional leadership, working flexibly across boundaries, building capability in line with professional standards and undertaking regular activity to build and sustain engagement.
- Demonstrate strong and effective change management.
- Through your behaviour and ways of working make DWP an inclusive place where people can be their best.
Person specification
Key Criteria
The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate the following:
- You are an experienced, engaging and motivational leader who sets and articulates a strong strategic vision developing team plans and activities to deliver against Work and Health Services Directorate and Departmental objectives, ensuring everyone understands their role and how their contributions align to business priorities and better outcomes. (Lead Key Criteria)
- You demonstrate your experience of working in partnership and collaboratively across teams at a senior level, engaging and building trust with stakeholders to achieve both your own and departmental goals recognising that geographic challenges and opportunities posed by the variety in the labour market across the District.
- Demonstrate an understanding of delivering on behalf of local communities, bringing this to life to deliver customer outcomes across Group and wider.
- Strong evidence of effective engagement and the ability to positively influence policy leads, external partners and government ministers/MPs/SMs.
- Ability to understand and manage the complexities of leading a UK service in a devolved area.
Preferable skills
The ability to speak Welsh would be desirable.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Managing a Quality Service
- Working Together
- Seeing the Big Picture
Benefits
- Generous annual leave 23 days for Full time new entrants (rising to 25 after 1 year), plus all bank holidays
- Flexible working patterns available
- Competitive maternity, paternity, and parental leave
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
- Employee Assistance with emphasis on wellbeing
- Career and Personal Development through Operational Delivery Profession
- Employee discount schemes
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 is a workplace-based role and not suitable for hybrid working.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement of 1250 words.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
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 opportunity to highlight your experience and any relevant qualifications for the role. Please put the main content of your evidence and skills in your Personal Statement.
This will be assessed against the Key Criteria outlined within the responsibilities section of the advert. The closing date for submitting your CV and Personal Statement is 23:55 on 18/03/2024.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Lead Key Criteria.
- You are an experienced, engaging and motivational leader who sets and articulates a strong strategic vision developing team plans and activities to deliver against Work and Health Services Directorate and Departmental objectives, ensuring everyone understands their role and how their contributions align to business priorities and better outcomes.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.
Personal Statement
When completing your personal statement, 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.
The Interview
This will consist of a 5 minute presentation and a blended interview which should take approximately between 30 - 45 minutes.
Please note that interviews will be conducted Face to Face in Newtown, Powys JCP.
Communications will be electronic and/or by telephone therefore it is vitally important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder. Telephone calls may show as a withheld number, it is important that you answer so that your interview can be confirmed.
Blended interview
You will be asked a mixture of Behaviour and Strength questions. A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation at interview, offering a more inclusive approach.
The Strength and Behaviour based questioning explores what the candidate can and has done, but also their potential. Details of the presentation will be provided prior to your Interview.
Proposed Sift and Interview dates.
Sift Period – 20th to 21st March 2024.
Interviews – 9th to 10th April 2024.
The above sift and interview dates may change depending on the numbers involved; however, candidates invited to interview will be given at least three working days’ notice.
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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
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 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-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 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.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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 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 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 will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
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
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
Further information
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.
