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.

* Please note, you will need to merge your personal statement and CV 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 personal statement. If you experience any technical issues, please contact recruitment@levellingup.gov.uk.

Job summary

DLUHC Digital is working with policy teams to apply digital, user-centred thinking to big important problems like homelessness, local growth and planning. Government is in the process of reacting to the societal transformation caused by internet-era business models, new technology and remote working.  

This is an exciting time to join DLUHC as a Senior Product Manager in DLUHC Digital.  We’re working with innovative suppliers right now, but over the next three years we aim to have an entirely civil servant team.  

We want to make the services that local government officials, analysts, data scientists, policy makers and statisticians use as good as they can be. We can then put high quality data at the centre of decision making and reduce as much as possible the time spent collating and providing information.  

We’re looking for a Senior Product Manager to work within this team. You’ll work with your own dedicated delivery team, composed of a mix of civil servants and specialists from innovative 3rd party suppliers. You’ll own your own backlog and will be empowered to make your own decisions. You’ll take the role of an intelligent customer, ensuring we get the best out of our relationships and you’ll have the opportunity to work with diverse stakeholders in our policy areas and the Government Digital Service. 
 
Over the past few years, DLUHC has built a product management community, which meets regularly to provide support and learning opportunities to each other. However, the department is still new to agile, so you’ll also need to be a strong advocate for this way of working. You’ll need to help mentor the stakeholders you work with as well as other digital colleagues, and help embed the philosophies of continuous improvement in the department. 

Job description

• You’ll develop an expert understanding of our users’ needs, including our technical users, and champion these in the delivery of a high profile, complex DLUHC service; 

• Working with subject-matter experts from relevant teams, you will develop and prioritise a product backlog, writing good user stories and making decisions based on data to improve the user experience; 

• You’ll be tasked with engaging our end user community and stakeholders through a range of channels to encourage feedback and open dialogue 
   

• We’ll expect you define and then set measurable KPIs for your service, which can be reported against to demonstrate progress against stated benefits; 
  

• You’ll lead and direct a multidisciplinary delivery team to ensure the right things are delivered and that the department knows when to expect them; 
  
  

• You will own the budget for your service, including writing business cases and securing funding for continuous improvement; 
  
  

• You’ll manage the contract for the relevant 3rd party, including running the procurement for new suppliers on a bi-annual basis; 
  
  

• You’ll liaise with all other DLUHC services on our shared platform to share ideas about platform improvements; 
  
  

• You’ll define, explain and iterate a product vision that is compelling to your users, team and stakeholders; 
  
  

• You may also line manage or mentor a Product Manager working on another DLUHC service. 

Person specification

Key Skills/criteria

We are looking for an individual with skills, experience and knowledge that maps against the key criteria we have detailed below:

• You’ll have a successful track record as a Product Management professional;

• You can demonstrate where you have used an iterative and flexible approach to deliver solutions and outcomes that meet user needs;

• You have experience of managing and delivering solutions to meet issues and problems that arise from day-to-day operations and through project delivery;

• You have extensive experience of establishing relationships and working collaboratively with 3rd parties and outsourced providers to achieve jointly agreed operational and project goals;

• You can illustrate how and where you have motivated a team to collectively own an ambitious vision and set of bold deliverables through leadership and communication;

Desirable Capabilities, Skills And Experience

• Experience of owning finances and budget allocation, experience of the process of securing funding through delivering pitches;

• Experience of line managing or mentoring

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%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths.

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 

CV and Cover Letter Declaration 

We recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - this is called name blind recruitment. 

Please remove references to your: 

• name/title

• educational institutions

• age

• gender

• email address

• postal address

• phone number

• nationality/immigration status

You will need to merge your CV and covering letter 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 covering letter. 

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

At sift, through your CV and covering letter we will be assessing: 

Experience 

Technical Ability 

In your CV and covering letter, please include:  
 
a. why you are interested in the role; 
b. how you meet the essential skills and experience required 

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of experience, technical 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: 

Experience: Yes - Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description 

Technical: Yes – Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description. 

Strength: Yes

We do not consider direct CV applications – 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 £54,632 (London) or £49,697 (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. 

Location 

• Leeds 

• Wolverhampton

• Darlington

• Newcastle

• Bristol

• Nottingham

• Cambridge

• Birmingham

sift and interview dates:

Sifting is envisaged to take place W/C 26th of March 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. 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

Fixed Term Details 

For external candidates – you will be offered a 23 months year fixed term appointment with a possibility of permanency.

For existing civil servants – you will be offered a 23 months year loan opportunity. Before applying for the role, you will need to seek approval from your parent department to take up a loan appointment should you be successful.

For Secondments - you will be offered a 23 months year secondment opportunity. Before applying for the role, you will need to seek approval from your employer to take up a secondment opportunity should you be successful.

For DLUHC employees - you will retain your existing contract.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

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 Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK

• nationals of the Republic of Ireland

• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)

• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service

• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service

• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

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.

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 :Lindsey Dodd

• Email :lindsey.dodd@levellingup.gov.uk