Please read before applying:

To apply for this role you will need to submit a CV and statement of suitability. These need to be merged into one document. When submitting your application Applied will ask you to upload a CV, when doing this you should upload your merged document of your CV and statement of suitability. There are further details in the Selection Process section further below in this advert.

If you experience technical issues during the application process we have found using a different browser or device in the first instance can be a quick fix.

If those don't work please email scs@levellingup.gov.uk with your application and/or CV before the submission deadline. Any applications received after the deadline may not be considered.

Job summary

The Finance Directorate aims to ensure that DLUHC makes the best possible use of resources to deliver for the public. There are four divisions:​

• There are two Finance and Performance (business partnering) divisions – one covers Housing, Homelessness & Building Safety; and the other, which you will co-lead, covers Levelling Up, the Union and Constitution, Communities and Corporate. These partner with the department’s business areas to help maximise value for money and the chances of successful delivery, ensure the protection of the Accounting Officer, and help teams understand how well they are delivering their goals. ​

• The Financial Strategy division is responsible for aligning the Departmental Group’s financial resources and strategy, prioritising, negotiating with HMT, and allocating and controlling overall budgets, Estimates etc. Fiscal events (Budgets etc) are co-led by this division and Strategy, and you will lead on the elements within this which your business partnering team supports.​

• The Financial Reporting, Data and Transformation division is responsible for finance data, processes and systems, our finance operations shared service, and the Annual Report and Accounts.  It sits at the heart of how we operate as a finance function and leads our cross-cutting work on continuous improvements.​

The directorate is friendly and welcoming, with a mix of finance, delivery, reporting, systems, and other professionals, and a strong emphasis on collaboration and inclusion. We have four main offices: Darlington, Hemel Hempstead, Westminster and Wolverhampton. 

Job description

This role is for a job share partner at Deputy Director level, working alongside Alex Cole. You will need to work at least three days per week, with specific days to be agreed. Shortlisted applicants will be encouraged to have an informal conversation with Alex ahead of formal interviews.​

This is a high profile role at the heart of the Department, working closely with colleagues across four Director General groups, as well as HM Treasury, to ensure the Department is making the best use of its resources to enable successful delivery for citizens. ​

You will cover a wide and varied agenda, ranging from long-term strategic questions to urgent matters. The role covers: levelling up, including large grant programmes such as the Levelling Up Fund, UK Shared Prosperity Fund and £1bn Long-Term Plan for Towns; union and constitution including a major programme of electoral reform; emergency response (e.g. to flooding); funding work to improve oversight and transparency in local government; and corporate costs. ​

​Finance is at the heart of all these agendas, with appetite for innovation, and a strong focus on ensuring the department delivers the levelling up agenda with the money secured at the Spending Review. Improvements to financial forecasting, linked to a strong understanding of delivery, are a priority. You will lead your team to play an effective influencing role in design and delivery of policy.​

​You will lead a division of around 25 people, with four direct reports, developing and motivating them all to deliver at their full potential. ​

​You will also play a full part in the senior leadership team of the finance directorate.

You will be responsible for: ​

• ​Providing strategic advice and analysis on finance, performance and risk to senior stakeholders, so that the Department is likely to meet its strategic objectives and that its programmes are likely to succeed​​

• Providing advice to SROs, Directors General and the Accounting Officer (Permanent Secretary) to ensure sound policy is developed which is well-planned and governed, deliverable, value for money, affordable and correctly accounted for, meeting the standards Parliament expects​

• Ensuring key issues are brought out, understood, escalated if necessary, and resolved, including liaising and negotiating with HM Treasury​

• Shaping a consistent financial strategy for your areas of responsibility, including at fiscal events (Autumn Statements, Budgets and Spending Reviews)​

• Ensuring your diverse and geographically dispersed team is engaged, motivated and delivering at its best, with a commitment to continuous improvement​

• Playing a full part in running the Finance directorate, in particular developing a first class business partnering function, building capability across the department, supporting our own continuous improvement and contributing to the wider government finance function

​

Person specification

This role requires an ability to think strategically and analytically, to engage in complex problem solving, and to work with stakeholders at all levels. ​

​You will be comfortable working with numbers and budgets and be able to advise with confidence on Managing Public Money.  You will be able to work with others to enable successful programme delivery, as well as demonstrating integrity in all you do. ​

​You will have a strong focus on leading and developing your team to perform at its best, providing excellent customer service, giving constructive advice and challenge, and acting as trusted adviser and gateway into other professions (e.g. digital, analytical, commercial, legal) where needed.​

​You will be a strong collaborator, working closely with and influencing policy, finance and other professionals to deliver the best outcomes for taxpayers and citizens. You will need to work in harmony as part of a DD jobshare, leading your team as one cohesive unit. ​

​You will understand and be able to apply core planning and delivery principles (for example, supporting teams to articulate what they are trying to do and the relationship to financial and other inputs, outputs and outcomes). ​

​You will champion the use and value of data and analytics in decision-making and reporting, and make the best use of available data and tools.​

​We particularly encourage applications from those of an ethnic minority background and those with disabilities, as well as those based in locations outside of London, who are underrepresented at this level in DLUHC.​

​As one of the Department’s senior leaders, you will also be a visible role model for the Civil Service leadership behaviours. These can be found in the Civil Service Leadership Statement which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-leadership-statement/civil-service-leadership-statement  

Essential Criteria:

• A track record of providing excellent advice to secure effective delivery and value for money for the public.​

• Proven ability to develop and lead a diverse, high-performing team to deliver results at pace and adapt to changing circumstances.​

• Ability to influence and make positive impacts at highest levels through excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including in relationship to difficult decisions.​

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate financial issues to non-specialist audiences.​

• Ability to think strategically about the delivery of outcomes for citizens, challenge the status quo and adopt a pragmatic approach to solving problems. ​

• A relevant professional finance qualification (CCAB, CIMA or equivalent), or strong commitment to acquiring one (ideally demonstrated by part qualification).  

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,000, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities contributes £20,250 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

How to apply:
Please click the Be Applied link to provide the required information and complete your application through the Be Applied website by 23:55 on Sunday 10th December 2023.

You will be asked to enter some personal details, upload your CV and to provide your responses to the role’s advertised essential criteria.​

When prompted to upload your CV, please upload a single document consisting of: ​

• a CV (including the names of 2 referees and your current remuneration) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities, achievements and your relevant qualifications. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. ​

• a statement of suitability explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria provided in the person specification. (max. 2 pages)​

Please remember to save these two items in one document.​

Please note that only completed applications through the Be Applied route will be considered and that any further progress updates will be sent through Be Applied.

The hiring manager, Manuela Solera-Deucha, would be happy to have informal discussions with candidates who would like further information about the role before submitting an application. If interested, please contact scs.recruitment@levellingup.gov.uk 

The selection panel will be made up of:

• Manuela Solera-Deuchar, DLUHC Finance Director​

• Two additional panel members, TBC

Additionally, the panel will be joined by one of our staff representatives from a pool of volunteers as part of our commitments to diversity and inclusion.

Selection process and assessments

Candidates that are shortlisted may be invited to attend a staff engagement panel. 

At DLUHC we hold staff engagement panels as an integral part of the recruitment process for Senior Civil Servants (SCS) – they are designed to help us build up a rounded picture of each candidate and give us an insight into how you might engage and interact with your team should you be successful. The purpose of the session is to help us assess your engagement and communication skills and is not about testing your subject knowledge or expertise for this particular role. Feedback from the session is passed onto the selection panel for consideration alongside the final interview.

Candidates may also be invited to a meeting with a Minister or the Secretary of State, and/or other senior stakeholders. This is not a formal part of the selection process but an informal chance for candidates to find out more about the role and the organisation.

Shortlisted candidates will also be invited to give a short presentation or complete an exercise at the beginning of their final interview. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates when invited to interview. 

All of the evidence presented as part of the process will be considered in the final assessment.

Locations

• London

• Bristol

• Darlington

• Manchester

• Leeds

• Wolverhampton 

Please note that, as your normal work location, costs cannot be claimed for travel to and from your base office location.

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.

Salary

For external appointments, remuneration for this role will be circa £75,000 pa plus a bonus opportunity depending on performance (within the normal Civil Service pay arrangements) and attractive pension.​

For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If appointed on promotion you would get the higher of 10% uplift or the new minimum for Deputy Director.

Future pay awards will normally be made in line with current SCS performance-related pay arrangements.