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Short Summary

How much of a council’s money should come from government grant, local residents and businesses? How much income do they need, and for what? How do you balance the needs of the taxpayer against the growing need for local authorities to spend, while shaping an effective relationship between central and local government?

These are just some of the policy questions we grapple with in the Local Government Finance Directorate, helping to ensure that councils have the funding to effectively deliver the services communities depend on, whilst driving economic growth and levelling up across the country.

Job Description

The Central Policy and Programme Team is a team of 10 which is core to how the directorate functions. We lead on governance and programme management, strategy and cross-cutting policy, and business management functions.

Following the implementation of the Hudson Review recommendations, governance and process, within the directorate, are at the forefront of everything we do. We are always looking for ways to build on and improve our structures, processes and culture. We strive to be an example of good practice across the department on implementing robust, sensible and effective delivery mechanisms. As Programme Officer you will lead on maintaining and improving these mechanisms, to ensure they are smooth, proportionate and fit for purpose for a rapidly changing policy context.

This is a delivery role in a policy directorate, where passion and dedication to building capacity are just as important as the flexible application of technical PPM skills. In return the post holder will have the opportunity to mould and shape the workings of a directorate which is at the centre of the covid-19 response, rebuilding of local and national economics and the governments levelling up agenda.

Responsibilities

- Manage the monthly governance and reporting process: Commission, develop and analyse information and data to support decision making; attending project boards to discuss risks and issues, and potential discussion and escalation points; working with the DLUHC Central Portfolio Office to ensure alignment with departmental frameworks and escalation protocols.

- Secretariat for the Local Government Finance Programme Board: Leading on all work in relation to the LGF Programme Board such including, agendas, papers, actions logs and minutes.

- Knowledge information Management: Chair and lead the Knowledge Information Management working group. Ensure that Information practices and capabilities remain credible, robust and fit for purpose.

- Work to develop PPM capability in LGF: Utilise the DLUHC delivery network and expertise across Whitehall to understand and then deploy best practice; work to boost capacity amongst policy and project colleagues across LGF; drive improvement in the practices, products and processes LGF boards, and elsewhere in DLUHC.

Person Specification

Essential Skills:

• Strong organisational, stakeholder skills and the ability to demonstrate flexibility and adaptability.

• A general understanding of programme/project management approaches and techniques.

• A proficient knowledge of IT applications such as Excel, Word, Outlook and SharePoint/Teams.

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 and bring on 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:

Behaviours:

- Seeing the Big Picture (Lead Behaviour)

- Making Effective Decisions

- Leadership

- 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 based on the lead behaviour.

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of behaviour and experience based questions as listed in the advert.

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

Behaviours: Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Leadership, Working Together

Experience: 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

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:

London

Darlington*

There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role.

*Please note: The Darlington Economic Campus is a pioneering new cross-government hub which will bring together people across departments and public organisations to play an active role in the most important economic issues of the day. The work of the Campus will make a real difference to people both across the UK and internationally. There will be substantial career opportunities and exciting prospects - a career at the Campus means you will be working at the heart of Government, with access to the benefits and fantastic opportunities offered by the civil service. This role is based at DLUHC and we will be joined on the campus by:

HM Treasury

Department for International Trade

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Office for National Statistics

Department for Education

The opening date for the office will be confirmed soon. Ahead of opening, candidates who wish to be based in the Darlington office will be expected to work from home in the interim before moving to the new office in Darlington.

SIFT AND INTERVIEW DATES:

Sifting is envisaged to take place W/C 07/02/22 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@communities.gov.uk to be removed from the reserve list.

CTC (Counter-terrorism Clearance):

Important note

Successful candidates for roles based in our 2 Marsham Street building must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete.

Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the CTC security checks – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years. Please refer to the DLUHC Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Counter Terrorism Clearance (CTC). Thank you.

Candidates should also note that with effect from 1st August 2018 the department will also check all applicants who are successful at interview, against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) held by the Cabinet Office. In accordance with the Civil Service Internal Fraud Policy, any applicant who is included on the IFD will be refused employment by DLUHC. Please see the Candidate Pack for further information on the Internal Fraud Database.

HEO salary

The salary for this role is £33,210 (London) or £30,188 (National).

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

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 and guidance on:

• Internal Fraud Database

• Reserve List

• Notes on Security Clearance

• Additional Information on Modernised Terms and Pay

Contact details

Job contact :

Name : John Mahon

Email : john.mahon@communities.gov.uk 

Recruitment team :

Email : recruitment@communities.gov.uk