Resourcing Policy and Strategy Lead (maternity cover)

Job summary

This role is part of DCMS’s resourcing team, which is Part of the People and Workplace (P&W) directorate. P&W is made up of the department’s people team, which encompasses all of our HR functions, alongside colleagues working in security and property/workplace services.

It is an exciting time to join DCMS HR. We have recently launched a People Strategy which sets the direction of our work for the years ahead, and there is lots to do. This role is one of three team leader roles within our resourcing team. Our remit has recently expanded, and we are looking for a team leader to join us who is up for the challenge of helping us to navigate and embed an increased set of responsibilities - which cover:

• Recruitment - we have a team of resourcing business partners and coordinators who work with hiring managers across DCMS to fill roles from entry to executive (SCS) level.
• Exit management and redeployment - we have recently expanded the remit of this part of the team and are in the process of creating a centre of expertise on these areas.
• Executive (SCS) performance and talent - which is another area we have recently taken on that involves running a comprehensive programme of performance and talent activity for leaders across the department.

Our team is fun, energised, motivated and focussed on delivery. We pride ourselves on providing expert advice, excellent customer service, and on delivering work that makes a tangible difference. We are focussed on delivering our services in ways that are innovative, forward thinking and accessible - things we’re particularly proud of, and which the post-holder will help us to continue delivering, are:

• The support - via periodic workshops - that we provide to prospective applicants to break down barriers to civil service recruitment.
• How we’re using AI to transform the delivery of our services - we’ve created AI tools that assist with various aspects of the recruitment process.
• The relationships we’ve built up across DCMS which have contributed to delivery of some of the department’s most important work.

If you’re someone who enjoys working in an operational environment, who isn’t afraid to get stuck in, and who wants to deepen their expertise in the strategies and policies that make our resourcing efforts function with maximum effect - then we are keen to hear from you.

Job description

The post-holder will be one of three team leaders in the resourcing team. They will lead on:

• Resourcing policy – the post-holder will take ownership of our suite of resourcing policies, which includes our recruitment process, alongside more specific interventions such as expressions of interest, secondments and visa sponsorship. They will need to make sure our policies and approaches are fit for purpose and aligned to organisational strategy. This part of the role would suit someone who already has, or who is looking to deepen, their policy drafting experience. Some of the areas can be complex, and they are often topical - so the post-holder will need to grasp the key concepts quickly.
• Redeployment and exits – this is a primary area of focus for the role at the moment. We are in the process of redesigning our redeployment approach so that it better serves organisational goals around our workforce. The post-holder will lead this work and will need to work across the department to embed the approach that we land on. They will also lead work to create a ‘centre of excellence’ for exit management - this is relatively new territory for DCMS but will involve bringing together policies and approaches around things like exit management, and acceptance of external appointments, to ensure they are fit for purpose.
• Resourcing strategy – this is a broad area which encompasses lots of different things, and which always involves working at a departmental and cross-government level. It often involves completion of commissions and close working with some of our most important stakeholders - such as Government People Group, and the Civil Service Commission. It also involves working closely with our Matrix programme team - who are delivering a new HR and finance platform which DCMS will move onto. The post-holder will have a link into this work and will be able to design and shape the delivery of the system.
• Diversity and inclusion - the post-holder will work across a broad array of work which seeks to build a more representative department. This often involves close working with our D&I team, as well as the testing and evaluation of various initiatives in the resourcing space - recent examples have included sharing interview questions in advance, and providing more bespoke support with application and interview preparation. We have ambitious plans in the social mobility space coming up over the next 12 months and the post-holder will have a role to play in delivering some of these.
• Leadership - the post-holder will provide day to day leadership across the team (to our resourcing business partners, resourcing coordinators and our policy manager). As an operational area, this often involves advising on particular cases, and can also involve dealing with escalations, or covering work whilst others are on leave.

On all of these, much of the work involves interaction with stakeholders at the highest levels of the department – including our directors, Chief People Officer, Directors General, and the Permanent Secretary. The post-holder will need to be comfortable in presenting their work, and representing the team, in front of these audiences.

The role also comes with the opportunity to task managers others - namely our resourcing policy manager. There is also the opportunity to co-manage our resourcing budget, working closely with our operations lead to do so.

Person specification

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience, please note that desirable skills will only be used in the event of tied candidates:

Essential requirements:

• Seeing the big picture: An understanding of departmental and government wide priorities and an ability to distil these down into priorities and activities for staff within the department.
• Communicating and influencing/working together: Strong communication skills (written and verbal) and a proven track record of influencing and negotiating with others – particularly senior stakeholders. Able to build and maintain strong networks to achieve progress on shared objectives.
• Managing a quality service/delivering at pace: Experience of running successful projects and/or programmes – independently, and as part of a team. The post-holder will need to oversee the delivery of set pieces of work/projects – the ability to manage competing deadlines, to plan and organise work effectively, and to manage key stakeholders (within and outside of the team) is paramount.
• Making effective decisions: Ability to draw together different sources of data to make decisions – and to explain the rationale behind those decisions clearly.

Desirable Skills:

• CIPD qualification/willingness to work towards this.
• Previous experience of working in resourcing.
• An aptitude for drafting clear, accessible procedural documents, guidance, or frameworks.

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by the vacancy holder, and will take place on:

• 16th June at 15:00

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.

Please register your interest before 15th June, 4pm by filling out this Registration form and you will be sent an invitation. Invites will only be sent after this deadline has passed.

Please note that the session will not be recorded and will not focus on the DCMS recruitment process - please direct any queries that you have on this topic (timelines, reasonable adjustments, onboarding etc) to resourcing.team@dcms.gov.uk

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £54,582, Department for Culture, Media and Sport contributes £15,812 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We’re committed to developing talent, and supporting colleagues to have great careers in our department. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:

• Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working - DCMS staff work on a flexible basis with time spent in offices, and time spent working from home

• 26.5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years’ service

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

• Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice

• 3 days of paid volunteering leave

• Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave

• Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year

• Occupational sick pay

• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice

• Active and engaged staff networks to join including the LGBT+, Ethnic Diversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality Networks

• Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day to day work

• Season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and much more!

Terms and conditions at SCS grades will vary. Those applying for SCS roles should refer to the candidate information pack for more information on terms and conditions.

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 and Experience.

To apply for this vacancy, you will need to submit the following documents which will assessed against the experience success profile:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages and you should insert your CV into the "Job History" section on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
• A Statement of Suitability (max 750 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed however these will not be considered in the assessment of your application except in circumstances where there are a high number and calibre of candidates.

For the shortlist, we will select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.

For support in writing your application and interviewing, please refer to the ‘Application and Interview Guidance’ document attached to the job advert.

The interview process will assess behaviours and strengths.

The behaviours to be tested at interview are:

• Seeing the big picture
• Communicating and influencing
• Managing a quality service
• Delivering at pace
• Making effective decisions

You will not be made aware of the strengths being assessed prior to your interview.

You will also be required to prepare a presentation/scenario based task. Full details of this, including the topic, length of time, and whether or not you will
need to use visual aids, will be sent to you prior to your interview.

Your interview will take place remotely via GoogleMeets.

Further Information

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

Any move to Department for Culture, Media and Sport 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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

DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the ‘Candidate Information Pack’ attached.

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

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service 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 Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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 applicant’s 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.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Reasonable Adjustment

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process.

In order to request an adjustment, please:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on 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 a verbal test rather than a written one.

Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the 'contact point for applicants' section of the job advert.

If the vacancy is offered as FTA/Loan, existing Civil Servants must join on a Loan basis only. Prior agreement to be released on loan must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Feedback

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 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 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

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 : Jack Whitbread
• Email : jack.whitbread@dcms.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact recruitment.team@dcms.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact/

Attachments

20260602_ CIP Resourcing Policy and Strategy Lead (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 8MB)DCMS Application & Interview Guidance for Candidates Aug 23 (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 180kB)