Operational Delivery Centre - Senior Leader

Job description

Job summary

Help shape how DWP tackles fraud and error

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) supports around 20 million customers and plays a vital role in protecting public funds.

The Integrated Risk and Intelligence Service (IRIS) sits at the heart of the department and is a national team within the Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt directorate providing a core service as the centre of expertise for fraud and error.

IRIS provides the department with a single view of fraud and error risks within the benefit system and contributes towards efficiencies, savings and tackling organised crime and modern slavery through its core delivery services. We are a multi-disciplinary team bringing together a diverse range of expertise and technology including data science, digital specialists, cyber specialists, intelligence analysts and counter fraud experts. This creates a powerful force using data and insight in innovative ways, supporting DWP to deliver our collective mission to pay the right person the right amount at the right time.

We are recruiting three Senior Executive Officers (SEOs) to join the IRIS Operational Delivery Centre (ODC).

These national roles sit at the heart of IRIS delivery, leading the planning and delivery of work across a network of around 15,000 operational colleagues. You will ensure the right work reaches the right teams at the right time, maximising the impact of our products and services through sound judgement, effective prioritisation and resourcing to risk.

Working across IRIS, CFCD, Universal Credit, Benefit Services and wider partners, you will engage and influence senior leaders, shape delivery priorities and help integrate emerging risks, opportunities and new products into operational delivery.

Job description

As an ODC Senior Executive Officer, you will:

• Lead, motivate and inspire your team to deliver IRIS objectives.

• Build capability and create an inclusive environment to empower and enable colleagues to thrive at all levels.

• Collaborate effectively with multiple senior stakeholders, influencing direction and decision-making to capitalise on opportunities to tackle fraud and error in DWP.

• Forecast, coordinate and plan delivery of products and services to operational teams throughout DWP to meet departmental fraud and error objectives.

• Effectively prioritise and work at pace to lead delivery of tactical solutions to complex problems and risks.

• Be a proactive member of the Senior Leadership Team, collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders to maximise effectiveness and impact.

• Use your well-developed verbal and written communication skills to explain complex issues in a way that is engaging and easy to understand.

• Take a proactive role in wider senior leader forums across the department.

• Be a visible and accessible senior leader who cares about our people and the services we deliver.

• Role model and actively demonstrate a strong commitment to self-development and the development of others.

Due to the geographically dispersed nature of this team and the nature of this role, there will be regular travel across the UK and occasional overnight stays.

Person specification

You will have:

• Strong effective senior leadership experience in a complex large-scale organisation with proven ability to empower and inspire people to work together to solve complex problems.
• Proven experience of delivering at pace, ensuring plans reflect wider priorities to gain a broader understanding of issues as they arise.
• Ability to communicate with colleagues, stakeholders, and senior leaders with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm to grow excellent working relationships to inspire delivery confidence.
• Excellent verbal and written drafting skills including report writing, briefings and presentations.
• Evidence of proactively supporting a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture.
• Resilience to effectively manage multiple competing priorities across a diverse and challenging stakeholder landscape.

Essential Security Criteria

Please notethat the role that you are applying for requires National Security Vetting (NSV) to the level Security Check (SC). You can find more information at United Kingdom Security Vetting: Applicant - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) .If you are successful in your application, you will need to attain SC clearance before you can take up the post. This is mandatory and is in addition to completion of Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).

The purpose of the NSV process is to provide a level of assurance about an individuals trustworthiness, integrity and reliability, and other factors that increase their vulnerability to corruption or risk of committing a security breach. It involves the investigation of an individuals background and circumstances to achieve this aim.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Candidates are required to meet the UK residency requirements so that National Security Vetting (NSV) checks can be conducted. Depending on the level of NSV required, you must have resided continuously in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years, 2 of which must have been the immediately preceding years from the point of applying for this job.

The application process will ask for personal details about you, your address history,previous relationships, your parents, your employment history, your financial circumstances, and details of any pending, spent or unspent convictions. This list is not exhaustive. Please view the Vetting explained - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for more information.

If you require any further information, please contact the vacancy holder. The details are on the jobs portal through which you made your application.

If you are successful in your application, we recommend that you familiarise yourself with the NSV process and advise that you collate as much information as you can prior to starting your vetting application.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 44,447, Department for Work and Pensions contributes 12,876 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 years continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

**Ensure that you read the full information about the selection process before starting your application. Please note the closing date for your full application (Application Form, Test, CV and Written Statement) is 23:55 on 23/09/2026**

Stage 1 Application Form

Please complete the application form with your basic information, which includes your personal details, eligibility to apply and any reasonable adjustments required.

Stage 2 Online Test

After submission of your Application Form, you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Management Judgement Test. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24 - 48 hours is recommended). You will need to allow at least one hour to complete the test, plus time to complete your CV and written application (see below for details). Guidance and a practice test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.

Online Test Maintenance

You will be directed to the Talogy - True Talent Scheduled Maintenance Window Webpage for online tests during an outage.

Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between 12pm and 1pm on 13th September 2026. You will be unable to access tests during this period.3, 6 & 11

If you are in the middle of a test when the maintenance begins, your progress will be paused. You will be able to resume your test from where you left off via your application centre once the downtime has ended. Please note that you will not be able to launch any new tests while the system is offline.

IMPORTANT : After the test deadline, we will look at all candidate scores to decide what the jobs pass mark will be. We will consider the impact on protected groups and the number of invitations to the next stage. We may decide to raise the pass mark for the job - if so, you will be informed, and you will be told if you have passed or failed at the raised standard. Meeting the minimum test requirements for a job level is no guarantee of an invite to continue the selection process.

Stage 3 - Curriculum Vitae (CV)

If you pass the test with the required score, you will be asked to complete a CV with details of your job history, previous skills and experience. You are not required to upload your personal CV.

In the previous skills/experience section you should detail your employment and/or education history relevant to this vacancy(we recommend a maximum of 500 words).

The CV will also cover your work history (we recommend you include up to the last 3 roles of employment history, plus any others that you feel are relevant).

Your CV will not be formally assessed, so please put the main evidence of your skills into your personal statement. Your CV will be used to add context to your personal statement.

Stage 4 Personal Statement and Sift

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a personal statement detailing the relevant skills and experience you can bring to the role. In no more than 500 words, please carefully consider the question below. You should address this when constructing your personal statement. You should also consider both the job description and person specification details above when providing your evidence.

• Describe a situation where your inclusive leadership led you to achieve a successful outcome in a complex environment. How did you inspire and influence others, and what was the impact of your actions?

Your personal statement needs to set out evidence of how your experience meets the requirements set out above. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. One narrative example may cover the requirements needed. You dont have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used.

If you do not have work-based examples then please give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.

In the event we dont receive a high number of applications we may not undertake a sift and progress all candidates to interview.For these reasons, the timeline is subject to change depending on the approach we take.

**The closing date for all stages of your application is 23:55 on 23/09/2026. If you fail to complete all stages before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn**

The sift is scheduled to be held from 24/09/2026 to 25/09/2026.These dates may be subject to change.
Following completion of the sifting period above, results will be collated, and candidates will receive confirmation of the outcome. Those candidates who have met the agreed pass mark will be invited to the Assessment Centre and Interview.

No feedback will be provided at this stage.

Stage 5 Assessment Centre

If you pass the written application sift with the required score you will be invited to an Assessment Centre and Interview,both on the same day.

You will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs account.

You will be required to undertake two assessments at the Assessment Centre. These assessments are undertaken both as an individual and in a group environment.

The Assessment Centres and Interviews will be conducted face to face at our office inCaxton House, Tothill Street, Westminster, SW1H 9NA.

The Assessment Centres and Interviews are scheduled to take place onTuesday03/11/2026 and Wednesday 04/11/2026.You will have a choice, to book one, of the above dates. Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change.

**Please note you will be required to attend a full day from 9am 5pm as the interview will follow in the afternoon**

Please prepare for attending a full day and bring your refreshments/lunch with you.

The Assessment Centre will take place in the morning session, and you will be assessed against the two Behaviours listed below.

1. Seeing the Big Picture
2. Communicating and Influencing

If you require any reasonable adjustments to attend an Assessment Centre and face-to-face interview, please ensure you state those on your application form when asked to do so.

Communications will be electronic and/or by SMS/telephone therefore it is important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder. Telephone calls may show as a withheld number, it is important that you answer so that your interview can be confirmed. If you wish to opt out of SMS messages, please email this address, including the vacancy reference and your candidate ID [email protected]

Stage 6 - Interview

Following the assessment centre in the morning, all candidates will be interviewed in the afternoon at the same Caxton House office.

Preparing for the Interview

The interview will take approximately 30 minutes and will consist of a presentation focussing on the Leadership behaviour, plus a question on the Delivering at Pace behaviour and questions on the Success Profile Strengths.You will be provided with a pack prior to your interview detailing the requirements of the presentation. A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation offering a more inclusive approach.The questions explore what you, the candidate, can and have done, but also your potential.

Behaviours

You will be assessed against the Civil Service Behaviours listed at Senior Executive Officer Level 3. An example of a behavioural question would be How did you lead by example to inspire and motivate your teams?.

It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed, or a situation you have been in, and use the WHO or STAR model to explain:

• WHO - Whatit was?Howyou approached the work/situation? What theOutcomeswere, what did youachieve? or
• STAR - What was theSituation? What were theTasks? WhatActiondid you take? What were the Results of your actions?

Strengths

It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role.While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this.

If you withdraw your application at any stage, it will not progress further.

Stage 7 Offer

Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome by email. Our current plan is that this will be week commencing 23/11/2026, but this may be subject to change. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first. The successful candidates will be notified of a start date following successful pre-employment and security checks, which is likely to be during April 2027.

Further Information

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub .

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual part-time working pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in the case of serious ill health).

If we make an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that for these vacancies we recommend that applicants seek specialist advice on their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship (if applicable) when considering whether to apply for any role.We can never guarantee sponsorship; requests will be considered in line with the relevant DWP guidance and Home Office policy in place at the time.

Location

Please see the candidate pack for a list of possible locations. You should only apply for suitable posts where you can travel to and from your 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. Make sure the locations works for you before applying!

Hybrid working

This 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. If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office. If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Working pattern

Part-time, part-year, compressed-hours and job-sharing working patterns within working hours will be considered but must meet business needs. Wewill do our best to let people with existing part-time contracts retain their contracted hours provided they are in line withcurrent business needs. Please note that successful candidates with agreed alternative working patterns may be required to work full timefor specific periods to complete all training and consolidation.

Hours of work

The full-time working week in DWP is 37 hours. You may be required to work at any time between the hours of:

• 7:45am and 8:00pm on any day between Monday to Friday, and
• 8:45am to 5:00pm on Saturday.

Managers will agree working patterns with successful candidates within these business hours and review these asappropriate. You will be given advance notice of your personal schedule.

Disability Confident Scheme

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Reasonable Adjustments

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 the 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.

Integrity, Plagiarism and Civil Service Principles

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.

Examples of plagiarism can include:

• Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
• Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

To process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service or Disclosure Scotland 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.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email [email protected]

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

Candidates 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 candidates 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.

Important

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

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. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWPs Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

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. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

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 the Childcare Choices Website.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub . Click on the Application Guidance link for lots of help and guidance on making your application.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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.

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.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window) .

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 : CFCD RECRUITMENT TEAM
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments 478830 - DWP Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 229kB) 478830 DWP Candidate Pack W Opens in new window (pdf, 240kB) DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 17kB) Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview Opens in new window (pdf, 635kB)