How we will communicate with you
Throughout the selection process we will communicate with you electronically and/or by telephone.
Please ensure you regularly check your Assessment Centre account, 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.
Stage 1- Apply
Please complete the application form and write up to 500 words providing examples of how things you have done in the past and your skills and experience help you demonstrate the Success Profiles behaviour Communicating and Influencing at Executive Officer (EO) level.
You may provide evidence taken from a work situation or somewhere else, such as work experience, volunteering, in connection with a hobby. You should choose examples that enable you to describe specific things you did and clearly demonstrate the behaviour.
A NOTE ON ANONYMISATION
DWP operates an anonymised recruitment process, you should remove any personal details that could be used to identify you. This relates to name and contact details which might usually appear on your Personal Statement. Failure to do so will result in your application being withdrawn.
More information on Success Profiles and Civil Service Behaviours can be accessed by clicking the links.
Stage 2 - Selection
Situational Judgement Test
After submitting your application, you will be sent an invitation with a link to complete an online Situational Judgement Test. This is designed to test your skills for the EO role.
The Situational Judgement Test is a timed exercise designed to see how you would naturally react in situations and how you would communicate with others. It consists of multiple-choice scenarios. You do not need any knowledge or experience specific to DWP to be able to complete the exercise, nor do you need any specific knowledge or experience relating to the scenario presented. You should allow 30-45 minutes to take the test.
You must complete and submit the test by the deadline stated in your invitation. If you do not complete and submit the test before the deadline, your application will not progress.
IMPORTANT: After the test deadline, we will look at all applicant 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.
Sift
Those candidates who meet the minimum required test score will have their written application form evidence assessed.
Depending on application numbers we may progress all candidates who have been successful at the online test through to interview without assessing the written application evidence
Interview
If you meet the required standard and your application is successful, you will receive an invitation to a face-to-face interview, held in Westminster
Your interview will consist of 6 questions.
You will be assessed against three Civil Service Behaviors (Executive Officer - EO level)
- Communicating and Influencing
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Working Together
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Managing a Quality Service
You will also be asked 3 Strength based questions. These questions are designed to gather your immediate response.
The evidence you provide must relate to your own thoughts and experiences.
Feedback will only be provided following an interview.
More information about the job role and additional guidance on the selection process is available here.
Stage 3 - Offer
Offers will be made in merit order and business continuity.
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 / Executive Officer Recruitment , DWP
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months which we may also use to fill future similar vacancies.
If you are placed on a reserve list if your application is successful, but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:
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If you are 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 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 cases of serious ill health).
- If DWP makes 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.
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If you accept an offer of a post, you will be expected to withdraw from any reserve lists of campaigns you have applied for, with DWP, at this grade.
Disability Confidence
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 Shared Services Connect Limited 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, Civil Service Principles and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
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:
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Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
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Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
The same applies to all stages of your application
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 Shared Services Connect Limited of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
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.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out.
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 successful you must be able to be released from your current post within 4 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.
Hybrid Working
This job role is not suitable for hybrid working and is fully office based.
Training
Part time and job share candidates will be required to work full time to complete and consolidate training, after which colleagues should be able to adopt their agreed working pattern.
DWP takes development seriously. Our aim is for our colleagues in these roles to be appropriately skilled and qualified as determined by the business. To support this aim you may be required to undertake a work based qualification, which may be in the form of an apprenticeship, which will support you in further developing your professional knowledge and skills for this role and your future career development. The qualification can be undertaken in work time, you agree to take this job on the basis that you may be required to undertake a work based qualification; a candidates failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, may be a breach of their employment contract.
Hours of work
DWP contracts are based on 42 hour week however you will work 37 hours (under certain circumstances 36 hours for existing DWP staff based in London).
All customers must receive a consistently good service no matter how or when they decide to contact DWP as such: You may be required to work at any time between the hours of 7.45 am and 8:00 pm on any day between Monday to Friday, and 8.45 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday.
A working pattern that meets business needs will be discussed and agreed once you have started. You will be given advance notice of your personal schedule.
Working pattern
New recruits will be required to work full time during the training and consolidation periods
Part time and job sharing working patterns within working hours may be available but must meet business needs. We will do our best to let people with existing part time contracts retain their contracted hours provided they are in line with current business needs. Please note that successful part time and job share candidates may be required to work full time for specific periods to complete and consolidate training
Location
DWP is a family-friendly employer and part-time and term time working patterns may be available but must meet business needs.
Successful candidates will be appointed to a particular DWP office but may be required to travel regularly to other DWP premises or locations in the community that are within a reasonable daily commute from the home office.
We will discuss this further with you, if you are successful and at the point of agreeing your start date.
This vacancy is only for the locations shown above. If you are not within a reasonable daily travel distance of these locations, you would need to consider applying for other vacancies within your travel area.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed
Please note: We are not able to consider requests to move your application to other vacancies advertised elsewhere in the UK.
Complaints
If you feel that your application has not been treated in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, please contact SSCL [email protected] in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission here to visit Civil Service Commission.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
