Eligibility
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that these vacancies are not currently eligible for new applications for Visa Sponsorship on the Skilled Worker route, for any candidates who do not currently have permission to be in the UK as a Skilled Worker where they were sponsored before 4 April 2024, even if relying on tradeable points (including the new entrant tradeable points option) as they are not included in the published Immigration Salary List. This information is offered as guidance only, and we recommend that applicants seek specialist advice on their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship (if applicable) when considering whether to apply for any role.
Location
Applicants should only apply for roles where they can reasonably commute to and from their selected home office location daily.
Training
During the initial 11 weeks of your employment, you must attend full-time (42 hours per week), 100% office-based training. This will be immediately followed by a 3-month consolidation period, which will also be office based.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit a CV and 1000-word Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Important Information Regarding Anonymisation
When completing your application form, CV and personal statement you must remove any personal details that could be used to identify you. This includes name and contact details which might usually appear on a CV or personal statement.
Failure to do so will result in your application being withdrawn.
Personal Statement
Write an evidence-based statement demonstrating your suitability for the role, reflecting on the essential criteria outlined in the Job Description.
Your evidence-based statement should be no longer than 1000 words. Avoid generalised claims focus instead on specific examples that highlight your achievements. For each example, explain the context, the challenges you faced, the actions you took, and the outcomes you achieved.
Sift
The sift panel will assess your evidence-based statement to evaluate your experience, skills, and knowledge against the essential criteria outlined in the job advert. To progress to the next stage of the application process, you must provide clear and sufficient evidence demonstrating how you meet these criteria.
If we receive a high volume of applications, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead criterion: Effective leadership skills and the ability to build capability in your team. Candidates who pass this initial sift may either proceed to a full sift or be invited directly to interview.
CV
Your CV is for reference/context only and is not scored, put the main content of your evidence and skills in your personal statement.
Interview
The interview will assess your behaviours and strengths.
For the purposes of the selection process, the Lead Behaviour will be Leadership.
Your interview will be conducted by video (MS Teams).
See the Personal Statement Guidance and Candidate Pack attachments for full details of the application and selection process.
Approximate campaign timeline:
Sift Period: 16th - 23rd June 2026
Interviews: 6th - 8th July 2026
Results/Offers: 13th July 2026
Security & ID Checks: July / August 2026
Start Dates: August / September 2026
Sometimes we might decide to invite all candidates straight to interview without assessing the written application evidence, therefore sift and interview dates are subject to change.
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:
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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
Provisional Offer of Employment
If you receive a provisional offer of employment, please note that the pre-employment checking process can take up to 8 weeks for external candidates. (Refer to the candidate pack for details regarding the required documentation.)
In some cases, a conditional offer may be made. This means you could begin your role before all checks are completed. However, if any of the outstanding checks are unsuccessful, your employment may be terminated.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for up to 3 months, during which further appointments can be made.
If your application is successful but we are unable to offer you a post immediately, you may be placed on this reserve list. Please note the following:
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If you are offered the role you originally applied for, in a location you selected as a preference, 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, except in exceptional circumstances*.
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If DWP offers you an alternative role or location that differs from your original application and you choose to decline, you will remain on the reserve list.
- Exceptional circumstances may include, for example, where a candidate has requested a contractual part-time working pattern that cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered, or in cases of serious ill health.
All further appointments from the reserve list will be made in merit order.
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.
DWP Employees
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.
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.
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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
Criminal Record Check
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to 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]
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.
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.
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.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
