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Short summary

On 12 May 2020, the Prime Minister announced that the Government would establish an independent public inquiry on a statutory basis, with full powers under the Inquiries Act 2005, with the expectation that it would start in Spring 2022.  The Inquiry has now formally started.

The Department played a vital role in supporting communities through the COVID-19 pandemic and will play a role in supporting the Public Inquiry. The Department has put in place the COVID-19 Inquiry Unit to lead on its preparations and engagement, and we are looking for people to join us in a fascinating area of work that will contribute to a better understanding of one of the most prominent issues the country has faced in decades.

Job description

Wider Team Responsibilities:

We are a flexible team of moving parts, with roles overlapping and shifting as the work demands. Accordingly, it is vital that we act as one team, working collaboratively. We are looking for organised people who are good communicators, who are enthused about detail and analysis, and who understand the sensitivities of our work. The focus of our efforts is to:

•    Communicate and engage with policy teams in the Department, ensuring that we have clear and consistent narratives and timelines on the Department’s COVID-19 interventions;

•    Map the Department’s workstreams to develop a ‘who, what, where, when’ framework of information relating to the Department’s preparation for and response to the pandemic;

•    Develop our approach to Knowledge and Information Management, working with KIM professionals here in the Department, to retain potentially relevant information across our workstreams;

•    Engage and work with legal colleagues internally and externally;

•    Work with teams within the Inquiry Unit and across the Department on discovery of information to be shared with the Inquiry;
•    Lead on the Department’s engagement with the Inquiry;

•    Develop the Inquiry Unit’s programme management to ensure we can plan and deliver on Inquiry asks;

•    Develop the Inquiry Unit’s processes to ensure we can respond effectively to Inquiry asks;

•    Provide requested information, including documents, to the Inquiry; and

•    Manage our relationships across Whitehall, including developing principles and processes on areas of joint working.

Responsibilities

This SEO role supports the team in our work across our legal support services, which come from a variety of sources, including solicitors and Counsel.  It is important that we work seamlessly across our team and with our legal advisers in a way that makes the best and right use of the skills that they have to offer us. 

In addition, the SEO will have particular responsibilities in respect of contractual arrangements for the Unit’s partner external law firm, as well as having responsibility for assuring legal spend for other areas.

Reporting to the G7 Legal Liaison Lead, you will be responsible for:

•    Ensuring that there are effective processes in place for the oversight of all the legal services;

•    Providing contract management for the legal services contract ‘owned’ by the Department;

•    Ensuring that the department is obtaining value for money by monitoring performance against contractual obligations;  

•    Before accepting delivery, or approving invoices for payment, verifying that (i) goods, works and/or services delivered are to the contract standards, (ii) the quantities invoiced were actually delivered, (iii) the invoice is as detailed as the contract stipulates, (iv) the prices and rates applied are as per the contract;

•    Providing assurance to the Business Management team that invoices are correct;

•    Liaising with the Unit’s Business Manager to ensure all invoices are paid and recorded;

•    Have already completed or be willing to complete contract management training.

Person specification and essential criteria

We are looking for someone with attention to detail and who appreciates value for money principles within government and an ability to build strong relationships across the organisation. 

As we move towards a hybrid working model you will be someone who likes to work flexibly and be comfortable working within a geographically dispersed team.

The right candidate will have the following Essential Skills:

•    Project Management Skills 

•    Good Analytical Skills 

•    Confidence to challenge suppliers 
Desirable Skills 

•    Contract Management experience

Offered benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role

• An environment with flexible working options

• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Selection process details

Selection Process Details 

We are for everyone 

At DLUHC we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce. We promote equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment and a working environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation. 

We would strongly recommend that applicants get in touch with the vacancy manager to find out more information about this role.  

We are for everyone 

DLUHC want to bring in a diverse workforce at all levels.  

Our application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system – this means that a hiring manager does not know your name, your details, see your whole application in one go (or have your CV at review stage unless stated otherwise).  

Your answers are randomised and chunked up. This means that each assessor views sets of responses to questions for example all candidates’ responses to ‘Seeing the Big Picture’ rather than seeing a candidate’s full application. The science behind this is that recruitment can be subject to ordering and fatigue effects and we want to reduce this as much as possible.  

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors. 

When writing your application, remember: 

• The assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially.  

• Do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers.  

• If talking about something in your first answer, make sure that you write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!) 

At sift, we will be assessing 

Behaviour (Lead Behaviour): Managing a Quality Service

Behaviour: Communicating and Influencing

Behaviour: Making Effective Decisions

Behaviour: Working Together

There is a 250 word limit per question. 

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead behaviour listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview 

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of behaviour, experience and strength based questions as listed in the advert. The strength based questions will require natural responses from the candidates.

In full the campaign will test the below Success Profile Elements: 

Behaviours: Managing a Quality Service, Communicating and Influencing, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together

Experience: Yes  

Strengths: Yes 

We do not consider direct CV applications to our Recruitment mailbox – you must apply for this role via the application link on Civil Service Jobs 

Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign 

Grade 7 salary 

• The salary for this role is £48,197 (National). 

• For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. 

BENEFITS: 

Transfers across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018: 

Any move to DLUHC 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 

For further information about the benefits available to DLUHC employees, please see the attached Candidate Pack. 

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION: 

• Bristol

• Wolverhampton 

• Leeds

SIFT AND INTERVIEW DATES: 

Sifting is envisaged to take place W/C 12th September 2022 with interview dates to be confirmed. All interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall. 

RESERVE LIST: 

 
In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details on a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Due to the length of time CTC checks can take, our HR Shared Services team will contact reserve list candidates for London based roles to commence CTC checks. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact recruitment@levellingup.gov.uk to be removed from the reserve list. 

Before starting your application it’s very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the DLUHC candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules 

Candidate Pack Information 

Please see attached Candidate pack for further information. 

Internal Fraud Database 

The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to DLUHC as a participating government organisations. DLUHC then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.  

For more information please see- Internal Fraud Register