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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.

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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.

Please note

These roles are available as permanent appointments or as a 2 year secondment. Please indicate your preference within your application.

Short Summary

• Deputy Director, English Devolution and Institutions – this role leads the team which brings together and coordinates the government’s policy agenda on English devolution, including delivery of the mission to extend, deepen and improve devolution in England. The role reports to Dharmesh Nayee, co-Director for Levelling Up Place, Strategy and Analysis within the Levelling Up Group. 

• Deputy Director, Levelling Up Economic Policy and Analysis – this role jointly leads the teams responsible for coordinating and delivering the Government’s levelling up policy agenda and leads on Levelling Up mission and place-based analysis for DLUHC. This role reports to Kay Withers, co-Director for Levelling Up Place, Strategy and Analysis within the Levelling Up Group.

You will be asked during the application process whether you wish to apply for one or both roles.  As the essential criteria for both roles are the same, you do not need to apply for both separately. There will be a singular panel conducting the selection process for both roles.

You will also be asked to confirm your preferred office location. We are particularly keen to grow our senior presence outside of London and would welcome candidates from a range of locations across the UK.

Job Description

English Devolution and Institutions -

The English Devolution and Institutions team in the Levelling Up Group brings together and coordinates the government’s policy agenda on English devolution, including delivery of the mission to extend, deepen and improve devolution in England set out in the LU White Paper.

The team works across DLUHC, a range of government departments, HMT and No10 to negotiate and implement new devolution deals. Last year, five new devolution deals were concluded alongside two trailblazer devolution deals with Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, which are now being implemented. Over half of England now has a devolution deal, and will see further powers, including transport, education and housing funding, devolved to local leaders over the coming years. The team now leads on work to roll out more devolution deals this year in new areas, alongside deepening existing arrangements.

The team also leads on a range of strategy and policy issues relating to the existing system of devolved institutions (for example on devolved accountability), coordinates the government’s relationship with the “M10” and LEPs, works alongside standing policy teams to influence and shape of future devolution policy, and oversees a range of funding streams to devolved institutions.

The team is an ambitious, creative, and inclusive group of around 30 FTE, with four direct reports. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a supportive, high performing team that is delivering on a central plank of the Levelling Up agenda, working on creating real change for places and people across England.

Key accountabilities

• Provide effective, confident, and inclusive leadership to a high performing team to deliver against Ministerial priorities.

• Confidently lead English devolution and local growth institutions policy thinking: working closely and confidently with key stakeholders across government – HMT, BEIS, DfE, DWP, Cabinet Office – and externally.

• Leading on new and deeper devolution deals.

• Oversee implementation of commitments across a broad range of devolution deals with places, maintaining the system of delivery that has been set up, whilst driving teams across DLUHC and central government to fulfil commitments made.

• Ability to draw in internal and external expertise, and work hand-in-hand with LU Group colleagues in Funding Delivery and Area Teams and the Governance Reform and Democracy Unit.

• Play an enthusiastic role in the wider leadership of the Levelling Up Group; actively promoting diversity and ensure that the Group is a rewarding and inclusive place to work.

Levelling Up Economic Policy and Analysis -

The Levelling Up Economic Policy and Analysis team is one of two Deputy Director led teams responsible for coordinating and delivering the Government’s overall levelling up policy agenda. 

The team works across all Government departments to support policy development and monitor implementation of the LU missions covering transport, R&D, skills, and living standards. It also leads on LU mission and place-based analysis, supporting teams across the LU group.

The LU White Paper set out an ambitious programme of work, including 12 missions that will be underpinned by legislation. Since the White Paper’s publication the team have worked with departments to support implementation of the missions and to continue to drive forward the Government’s LU agenda, including through the Inter Ministerial Group. The Deputy Director works closely with the DD, LU social policy and strategy to support an holistic approach to LU that can draw on all of the levers of Government, and the broader public and private sector.

The team is an ambitious, creative and inclusive group of around 25 FTE, with three direct reports.

Key accountabilities

• Provide effective, confident, and inclusive leadership to a high performing team to deliver against Ministerial priorities.

• Confidently lead policy thinking across broad areas of LU economic policy: working closely and confidently with key stakeholders across government – HMT, BEIS, DfE, DWP, DSIT, DESNZ – and externally.

• Oversee implementation of commitments across a broad range of LU policy areas, including progress against core missions.

• Support the LU analytical function, working closely with the deputy director for Local Growth Analysis.

• Ability to draw in internal and external expertise, and work hand-in-hand with LU Group colleagues in LU social policy and strategy, Levelling Up Partnerships and local growth strategy.

• Play an enthusiastic role in the wider leadership of the Levelling Up Group; actively promoting diversity and ensure that the Group is a rewarding and inclusive place to work.

Person specification

The roles require someone who can confidently lead their policy agenda, including by influencing and collaborating with a range of stakeholders within central and local government. You will be able to use your judgment, drawing in outside expertise as needed to develop your advice.

You will need to be able to engage effectively across boundaries at a senior level and have proven and credible experience working with Ministers or equivalent senior stakeholders.

You will also be an excellent communicator. You will be able to handle and balance a wide range of relationships, internally and particularly externally, and to be credible with a wide range of senior people in and outside Government. You will also have the ability to lead complex work streams, drawing on analysis, insight and evidence, supported by credible plans, together with a willingness to challenge and innovate.

The candidates will be experienced and inclusive leaders, able to empower, develop and inspire their teams to deliver, including under pressure. You will need to be confident in coaching your team to deliver this work and be able to provide them with strategic leadership and the support they need from you as a senior leader.

We particularly welcome candidates from an ethnic minority background and other under-represented groups to apply, as we work to continually improve our ability to represent the places and communities we support through our work. All senior leaders in DLUHC will have a diversity and inclusion objective setting out how they promote diversity and inclusion.

We are particularly keen to grow our senior presence outside of London and would welcome candidates from a range of locations across the UK. We would expect that at least one of these roles will be based outside of London.

Essential Criteria

• An inspiring, confident and empowering leader, who can set strategic direction, lead effectively through ambiguity and get the best out of a diverse workforce through promoting an inclusive, high-performance culture.

• Experience of leading a high performing team in a fast-paced environment in an inclusive way.

• The ability to work in partnership and deliver through others, including working confidently with a range of experts, as well as across wider DLUHC, Government and local partners.

• Experience of working with ministers: securing their confidence and supporting your team to deliver against their priorities.

• The ability to work across government departments to deliver programmes.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience working on a local growth or economic policy.

Selection process details

How to apply

Please provide the required information and complete your application through the Be Applied website by 23:55 on Sunday 10 September 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 selection panel will be made up of:

• Dharmesh Nayee, DLUHC Director and hiring manager

• Kay Withers, DLUHC Director and hiring manager

• An additional panel member, to be confirmed

Selection process

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

• Edinburgh

• Cardiff

• Belfast

• Darlington

• Manchester

• Leeds

• Wolverhampton 

• Birmingham 

• Bristol

• London

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

Security Clearance

All DLUHC colleagues must meet the Baseline Personnel Security Standard. This is a series of basic security checks to confirm identity and employment history.

Successful candidates for roles based in our London office 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. CTC clearance will generally require you to have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years. 

For more details of vetting levels and requirements please refer to the Cabinet Office HMG Personnel Security Controls.

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.