Correspondence Operations Lead and Correspondence Data and Digital Lead

Job summary

We are MHCLG

The Correspondence Unit sits at the heart of MHCLG, playing a vital role in how the Department engages with Parliamentarians, members of the public and key stakeholders. By providing timely, empathetic and high‑quality responses, the Unit promotes transparency, builds public trust and supports a thriving democracy.

Within the Correspondence Unit, the Operations and Digital team delivers essential correspondence operations while driving process, data and digital improvement. The team plays a key role in ensuring correspondence is managed effectively and consistently. We are recruiting for two roles within the team: a Correspondence Operations Lead and a Correspondence Data and Digital Lead.

The Correspondence Operations Lead plays a key role in keeping the Correspondence Unit running smoothly. They are responsible for managing a sub‑team of Operations Officers, assigning work, setting clear expectations and maintaining high standards across performance, behaviours and quality of work. The Operations Team is responsible for the effective delivery of the Unit’s correspondence operations, ensuring the timely and efficient handling of correspondence transfers, contribution requests, No.10 requests, inbox management, casework triaging and logging in line with individual KPIs. With a strong focus on continuous improvement, the Operations Lead identifies opportunities to streamline processes, improve efficiency and strengthen ways of working across the Unit. They may also support delegated digital and process improvement projects that help embed improvements across correspondence operations. The ideal candidate will have excellent organisational skills, enjoy working in a fast‑paced environment, and bring an inclusive, collaborative and supportive management style.

The Correspondence Data and Digital Lead will generate insights from correspondence that the Correspondence Unit and wider Department can use to support informed case handling decisions and effective feedback loops. Using strong analytical skills and curiosity, they will identify themes and patterns within correspondence data and lead the production of performance reports to inform service improvements, guide senior leaders and support policy teams. This work will also support the centralised drafting function and the development of AI‑assisted drafting. In addition, the role includes maintaining the Department’s case management system, ensuring it operates effectively and continues to meet the needs of the Correspondence Unit and wider Department. The ideal candidate will be delivery focused, with a strong interest in data, innovation and continuous service improvement, alongside excellent organisational skills and strong attention to detail.

Job description

Correspondence Operations Lead job description

• Hold responsibility for the effective delivery of correspondence operations, ensuring work is handled accurately, efficiently and to agreed standards whilst driving a culture of continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to streamline processes, improve efficiency and strengthen service delivery
• Oversee the timely management of correspondence transfers, contribution requests, No.10 requests and casework triaging and logging against set KPIs
• Provide management of Operations Officers, assigning work across the team to meet deadlines, ensuring workload is balanced and risks are managed
• Act as a first point of escalation for operational issues, supporting staff with complex or novel requests
• Contribute to wider Operations & Digital objectives, working collaboratively with colleagues across the Unit
• Support delegated digital and process improvement projects Correspondence Operations Lead desirable criteria
• Experience working in an operational or casework environment, including the use of case management systems or similar operational tools
• Line or task management experience, including supporting performance, development and wellbeing
• Interest or experience of supporting or contributing to digital or process improvement projects

This role is London-based due to in-office tasks that can only be completed from the London office.

Correspondence Data and Digital Lead job description

• Analysing correspondence data to identify themes, trends and emerging issues
• Producing, maintaining, improving and delivering high quality data, insight and performance reports for a wide audience, including policy teams, senior leaders and the Correspondence Unit
• Maintaining the Department’s case management system and responding to associated support requests
• Supporting the development of AI assisted drafting and the centralised drafting function • Contribute to wider Operations & Digital objectives, working collaboratively with colleagues across the Unit
• Support delegated digital and process improvement projects Correspondence Data and Digital Lead desirable criteria
• Experience working with data to identify themes, or building reports, dashboards or insight products
• System administration experience of case management systems or similar operational tools
• Interest or experience of supporting or contributing to digital or process improvement projects

This role can be based in any of the advertised locations.

Candidates will be invited to share if they prefer a particular role at interview. Roles will be offered in merit order and according to location.

Person specification

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate:

• Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deliver results in a fast paced environment
• A proactive and solution focused approach, with a clear commitment to continuous improvement
• The ability to work confidently under pressure, adapting to changing priorities
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to build positive, effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders
• An inclusive, supportive and professional working style that contributes positively to team culture.
• Experience using Microsoft 365 tools and a willingness to learn and adapt to new systems and ways of working

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,169, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £10,478 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Staff Benefits Scheme, Childcare Vouchers, and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.

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

Application and Selection
The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:

Behaviours , Strengths ,

Stage 1: Sift

• Behaviour: Changing and Improving (Lead Behaviour)
• Behaviour: Managing A Quality Service
• Behaviour: Delivering at Pace

There is a 250-word limit per question.

When writing your application, remember:

• the assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially

• do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers

• if talking about something in your first answer, make sure that you write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!)

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead behaviour listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

If you run into any technical problems when applying through Be Applied (for example, trouble logging in or submitting your application), their support team can help. Please contact them at hello@beapplied.com.

Stage 2: Interview

• Behaviours: Changing and Improving, Managing A Quality Service, Delivering at Pace.

• Strengths: The strength-based questions will require natural responses from the candidates.

Candidates will be asked to prepare a 5-minute presentation, further details will be provided on invitation to interview. The presentation will be assesed against Changing and Improving

Sift and Interview Dates

Sifting is envisaged to take place the week commencing 13/05/2026.

How We Recruit

Find out more about our recruitment processes here.

• Applying

• Sifting

• Interview

• Interview Results & Feedback

• Reserve List

• Near Miss

• Civil Service Grades

• We are a DCS, RIS & GPTWV employer

• Reasonable Adjustments

How to Apply

Find out everything you need to know before applying here.

You must review the following information from the MHCLG Career's Site before submitting your application. This step is essential to ensure your eligibility for the role and that your application is completed correctly.

• Security Clearance Requirements

• Civil Service Nationality Requirements

• Right to Work

• Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles

• CV Declaration

• Sponsorships

• Salary and Grade

• Existing Civil Servants

• Conflict of Interest

• Location and Flexible Working

• Fixed Term Contracts

• Internal Fraud Database

• Appeals and Complaints

Security Clearance Requirements

National Office:

London Office: + CTC

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist 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 theCivil 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

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 : Ciara Carter
• Email : ciara.carter@communities.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@communities.gov.uk

Further information

If you are unsure about any part of the process or require additional information about the post to enable you to progress your application, you should speak to the Resourcing team - recruitment@communities.gov.uk. Candidates can appeal at any stage of the recruitment process if they believe there has been:

a procedural irregularity

an infringement of the Civil Service equal opportunities policy

exceptional circumstances which were not notified to the interview panel which might have affected performance on the day.

It is important to note that these are appeals about the process not the decision. In the first instance, an appeal should be directed to the MHCLG Resourcing Hub at recruitment@communities.gov.uk.

If the MHCLG Resourcing Hub is unable to satisfactorily resolve your complaint, you may contact put your complaint in writing to the Civil Service Commission, Room G8,1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ or by email to: info@csc.gov.uk