DWP Apprenticeship Programme Manager

Job description

Successful candidates canexpecttobe involved inarangeofthefollowing:

Support DWP and the Civil Service Apprenticeship Strategy by:

• Ensuring Departmental apprenticeship requirements are met by making best use of all available commercial tools and adherence to commercial processes.
• Promote and encourage uptake of full range of Apprenticeships to colleagues across DWP, maximising Levy spend, helping to build a more professionalised workforce, in line with the Civil Service Apprenticeship Strategy.
• Working with Professions and Commercial colleagues to maintain a clear procurement plan and process, to support DWPs capability priorities, ensuring activity is fully robust and auditable.
• Overseeing the progression of Apprenticeship procurements and holding regular progress meetings to drive forward the work. Manage all DWP provider contracts, from a commercial perspective.
• Understanding and making full use of all commercial toolsin all procurement exercises.
• Working collaboratively with the business to select best fit providers. Leading on evaluation panels and ensuring all relevant interests are represented.
• Partnering and supporting the Professions leads to promote and procure new Apprenticeship opportunities to widen the offer across DWP.
• Act as a critical friend to key stakeholders including Commercial, DWP Professions (e.g. Digital, HR, Finance etc) and external partners/ providers.
• Working with key stakeholders to effectively monitor DWP Apprenticeship contracts.
• Continuously improve efficiency of all commercialprocesseswhich will help save time/resource across team.

Act as single point of contact for all programme management communications and engagement activity closely working with colleagues across the Apprenticeship and Talent teams.

Person specification

Candidates should be able to demonstrate the followingKey Criteria:

• Qualified contract manager (Foundation level Accredited) or a willingness to work towards it; along with a background in Commercial procurement.
• Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail and personal resilience with the ability to balance multiple competing priorities, often at pace, ensuring that key customers and stakeholders are kept informed.(Lead Criteria Delivering at Pace).
• Ability to engage effectively and collaboratively with stakeholders in the business and externally, having the confidence to provide appropriate challenge, advice, and guidance in a professional manner(Communicating and Influencing)..
• Be a methodical and proactive thinker with a continuous improvement focus. You can solve problems anddevelop proposals, influence outcomes and drive activity to a conclusion even when there is ambiguity(Changing and Improving).
• Work collaboratively with peers in leading and influencing the team in delivery of our key priorities successfully building team credibility across DWP and with external partners(Working Together).
• Role modeleffective behaviours to ensure that the team is inclusive, engaged and motivated in the work that they do(Working Together).

Desirable Criteria

• Working knowledge and understanding of Apprenticeships in DWP.
• Exceptional leadership skills and experience of working across geographically dispersed teams.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together

Benefits

• Pay and Reward
  
  • An occupational pension with an employer contribution of over 26% plus a range of other benefits - Benefits of the pension scheme - Civil Service Pension Scheme
  • An Employee Assistance Programme - a free and confidential service providing information and counselling tohelp with a range of work, family and personal issues
  • A comprehensive reward scheme which includes vouchers and monetary awards
  • Access to discounts on a range of products and services
  • A range of schemes to help you budget certain costs

• Leave and Working Arrangements
  
  Generous holiday allowance of 23 or 25 days for new starters dependent on grade based on full-time workpattern, which increases to 30 days over time, in addition to public/bank holidays
  
  • Flexible working options, including full-time, part-time, job share, flexi-time and hybrid working for some roles
  • A range of family friendly policies such as generous maternity, adoption or shared parental leave

• 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%

Location

Applicants should apply for suitable posts where they can travel to and from their home office location daily within a reasonable time.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed.

Hybrid Working

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement (Max 1000 words).

Written Sift

The written sift will be conducted using evidence fromyourPersonal Statement (1000 words max)and will be assessed against the Key Criteria within the advert.

The CV is an on-line tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobsite and there is no requirement to upload your personal CV.Our CV element is short and allows an initial check of eligibility but will not be scored,so please put the main content of your evidence and skills in your Personal Statement..

When completing your personal statement, please read and understand the Key Criteria thoroughly as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You may choose to address each criteria separately, however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several key criteria. You may not be able to meet all the key criteria, but please ensure you evidence: the key personal requirements and what have you done that relates to the requirements. You dont have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why, what you can do and the skills you have that are transferable to the key requirements, and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role.

In the event ofa large number ofapplications we will use the Lead Key Criteria to initially assess your application during the Sift stage. Candidates who pass the initial Sift may be progressed to a full Sift or direct to interview.

Interview

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a video interview on MS Teams which should take approximately 40 minutes and will be confirmed nearer the time. You will need to produce photo evidence of ID before and at the video interview . The interview panel will be aminimum of two people. The interview will assess: Behaviours, and Strengths.

You will be assessed against the following behaviours:

Delivering at Pace (Lead) (Level 3)

Communicating & Influencing (Level 3)

Changing & Improving (Level 3)

Working Together (Level 3)

To help you prepare and settle into the interview you will be sent the behaviour questions in advance of the interview, 5 days prior to your interview. These questions should be treated as confidential and should not be shared. The interview panel may ask you other questions which will not be shared in advance, including follow-up questions, and those about your experience, abilities and strengths.Theinterview aims to be more ofa conversation exploring the candidates capability for the role.

It may help to use the WHO or STAR model to explain:

Whatthe task/ work was,Howyou approached the task/work/situation and what theOutcomeswere, what did youachieve? Or What was theSituation? What were theTasks? WhatActiondid you take? What were theResultsofyour actions?

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Selection and Feedback

We will notify all candidates as soon as possible. Feedback will only be provided following an interview.

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to DWP 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

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the Reasonable Adjustments section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

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 the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

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.