Systems Improvement & Support Development Manager

This role is a fantastic opportunity to work in a Department that touches the lives of citizens the length and breadth of the UK. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) operates on a scale almost unmatched in public services anywhere in Europe.

The role is based in the Systems and Data Development (SDD) Team, within DWP's Finance Group. Colleagues working in SDD do important work to ensure that DWP's systems are fit for purpose and safe, as well as bringing data to life and making sure it meets needs of customers. SDD is the single trusted source for DWP of system generated Performance, Finance and Productivity Reports. Driving effective decision making and analysis by producing standardised high-quality information in the most efficient way, exploiting the latest technology available.

This role is based in the Systems Improvement and Support Team (SIS) and is to provide strategic leadership to a team of circa 15 technical developers with line management responsibilities for 2 SEO team leaders. You will work collaboratively with other SIS teams to drive change across the business in an agile environment.

The team deliverables include:

• Deliver and maintain, high-quality self-service and interactive dashboards and Management Information (MI) Reporting that spans Performance, Finance and Productivity.


• Rationalise and automate monthly and weekly reporting of Business Finance and Performance Reporting across DWP.


• Collaborate with Digital and other colleagues to ensure our customers have the most efficient and effective access to quality of data and systems.


• Use Agile principles by prototyping and testing products in collaboration with our customers and supporting existing systems to ensure that business continuity for the user is preserved.


• Work closely with other parts of Finance Directorate, wider DWP stakeholders and external consultants to help develop MI, providing constructive challenge and advice where appropriate., This role involves the delivery of financial systems and data management within DWP. The successful candidate will ensure that the delivery of financial systems and data management are efficient, effective and meet the needs of other finance processes. Using knowledge of systems, technology and data management, stakeholder insight and ability to work constructively with people at all grades, they will be a valued contributor to the decision-making process. As a champion for change they will help to deliver continuous improvement as well as supporting wider transformation efforts. They will need to establish and develop effective working relationships with a number of stakeholders across the organisation and the wider finance function, as well as colleagues in other functions and possibly public sector organisations.


The role may include, but is not limited to, some of the following:

• Being a visible leader, providing clear direction, support and motivation to your team.


• Overseeing team priorities and resourcing to ensure the effective delivery of financial systems and the reporting of a range of financial and other data.


• Using insights from stakeholder engagement and data to effectively manage and improve the performance of systems and data delivery.


• Providing expert advice regarding systems and data to stakeholders within the organisation.


• Enabling and managing change that allows more flexibility, responsiveness and improved service delivery and user experience. This may include both continuous improvement and transformation activity.


Places for Growth and Social Mobility

As part of the Places for Growth Programme, we are committed to delivering a more geographically diverse Civil and Public Service that will better serve the public and ministers. As part of this initiative, we are continuously reviewing how we recruit into each location., Your Personal Statement should demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria set out within the Person Specification.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead Essential Criteria: "Demonstrated ability to lead delivery of innovative and technical solutions for financial and performance reporting that support, enhance and increase efficiency of existing business process and products".

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Only candidates who are successful at the sift stage will be invited to attend a video interview.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Stage 1 Assessment - Sift

At sift, we will assess your application by using your personal statement. To be successful, you must demonstrate your experience matching the Essential criteria listed in the personal specification above.

Please note that you are not required to produce behaviour-based examples in the content of your Personal Statement as these are not assessed at sift. Applications will be sifted and scored based on the information supplied in your Personal Statement and entered as one overall score within the results.

Stage 2 Assessment - Interview

If you are successful at the sift stage, you will be invited to a video interview using MS Teams, where you shall be assessed on your experience against the Behaviours listed below :

• Leadership (Lead behaviour)


• Communicating and Influencing


• Changing and Improving


• Delivering at Pace


This interview will take place via Microsoft Teams and should take approximately 45 minutes. You will need to produce evidence of ID at the video interview.

It will consist of the following:

Blended Interview

You will be asked Behaviour questions, as well as experience questions (as per the essential criteria) via a short presentation.

A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation at interview offering a more inclusive approach.

The Behaviour based questioning explores what the candidate can and has done, but also their potential.

An example of a Behavioural question would be -,
• 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
  
  Lead criteria - Demonstrated ability to lead delivery of innovative and technical solutions for financial and performance reporting that support, enhance and increase efficiency of existing business process and products.


• An Agile practitioner qualification, with experience in leading a Data Visualisation Development team with an ongoing portfolio of multiple projects for Finance/Performance reporting.


• Leadership skills with excellent people management skills and the ability to promote team cohesion, adapting to changes and improvements.


• Strong communication and presentation skills and ability to communicate and influence at all levels and areas of expertise.


• Excellent stakeholder management skills to build collaborative relationships with a range of people and teams across organisational boundaries and ability to manage conflict effectively., Leadership


• Communicating and Influencing


• Changing and Improving


• Delivering at Pace, Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

DWP - Finance Group - DWP Finance Group, Payments, Systems and Financial Control, Systems and Data Development, DWP colleagues will have the opportunity to join HASSRA, a vibrant and successful organisation that provides a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly). It also has an important part to play in helping us achieve a healthy work-life balance and wellbeing in the workplace., 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 DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

£52,412 - £63,517
Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary. New Entrants to the Civil Service will start on the band minimum.,
• 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%