Technical Assurance Coordinator

Job summary

We are looking for a confident and versatile individual with a keen interest in education buildings to join the Design Team as a Technical Assurance Coordinator.

This role sits in the Technical Standards division (covering estates design, cost, engineering, sustainability and building technology expertise) and is based in the multi-disciplinary Design Team which advises on architecture, building and climate in the education estate.

The successful candidate will report to the Head of Technical Assurance (Design). This role will manage programmes of work to help deliver healthy, safe and sustainable places for education.

Job description

The Department for Education’s Design Team advises on architecture, building and climate, and is a key part of the DfE with roots that go back to 1947. We aim to provide children and young people with better spaces and greener places across the school and college estate and deliver good quality environments in which to learn and teach. The team has a substantive role in setting school premises standards and developing technical specifications.

In May 2025, we launched a new service for carrying out the quality assurance of projects that are delivered through major capital programmes. The role of the Technical Assurance Coordinator is vital to help us deliver this process efficiently, and manage the organisation, data and findings to inform continuous development.

As the Technical Assurance Coordinator, you will coordinate the quality assurance of centrally delivered projects across England, working in close collaboration with Design Team colleagues and other teams within the DfE. You will manage a programme of work ensuring that activities are carried out in accordance with timescales to a good standard of quality in line with our scope. You will liaise with a wide range of audiences and stakeholders including Responsible Bodies, Construction Delivery, Contractors and Technical Advisors. You will gather and review feedback, report on findings and develop a programme of training and communications to support continuous improvement.

The role of the Technical Assurance Coordinator is wide-ranging and will be driven by government priorities and adapt to changing requirements, organisational priorities and business needs.

You will report to the Head of Technical Assurance (Design) and other senior stakeholders, respond to relevant queries and carry out official government business.

The successful candidate will work across a number of areas, including for example:

• Programme management: organising and coordinating technical assurance review meetings from end to end. You will carry out a process to enable teams to meet quality, time and cost objectives.
• Communication: coordinating training and presentations to internal and external audiences to support DfE objectives. You will prepare business cases, case studies and reports in written, verbal and visual formats.
• Evidence and data: Contributing to a ‘knowledge hub’ of data, best practice and lessons learned to support continuous improvement. You will collate evidence and stakeholder queries, manage and analyse data, report on outcomes and synthesise findings and identify knowledge gaps. Gathering and analysing feedback on programmes of work and proposing refinements of the service where required.
• Technical policy: Supporting on any policies which may require technical assurance input (e.g. educational, sustainability).
• Collaboration: Coordinating with key internal and external stakeholders to ensure the smooth running of the technical assurance service and to share best practice and build effective relationships.

We are looking for candidates with a good understanding and experience of managing projects or programmes of work, carrying out data analysis and understanding of public sector procurement processes and systems.

You will have a broad understanding of DfE objectives and an interest in school and college buildings.

This is a rewarding post for a resilient, self-motivated, organised, high calibre professional who is able to see the bigger picture.

You will work at pace as part of a multi-disciplinary team, manage competing and evolving priorities and demanding deadlines to deliver policy objectives.

You will have strong communication skills to enable you to work with and effectively influence a range of technical and non-technical audiences with purpose, integrity, clarity and enthusiasm.

The successful candidate will be able to work independently and as part of a team and within a large organisation and can adapt to evolving requirements.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Project or programme management: Experience in coordination, planning, executing, managing, monitoring and reporting on projects or programmes of work to deliver successful outcomes in line with timescales, budgets and quality objectives. Comfortable using data and evidence to inform reports and recommend priorities and continuous improvement.
• Communication: Has the experience, knowledge and ability to communicate technical and quality requirements to a range of audiences and respond to official correspondence. Able to present and report clearly and effectively to senior internal and external stakeholders in a range of settings and formats. Good written, visual and verbal presentation and engagement skills
• Team Working: The successful candidate will need to be organised, flexible, and able to work independently or collaborate as part of a team, within a large organisation.
• Data management and analysis – Experience maintaining records. Ability to gather, analyse interpret and present qualitative and/or quantitative evidence, to support decision making.

Desirable Criteria

• Project management qualification or working towards one.
• Experienced in representing the client’s interests on education capital construction projects, or working within local authorities, Responsible Bodies, schools or Trusts.
• Experience in public sector procurement and project delivery.

Desirable criteria will only be assessed at interview, in the event of a tie break situation, to make an informed decision.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,806, Department for Education contributes £12,400 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

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 and Experience.

Application

At application, you will be required to provide a CV and a Statement of Suitability (750 words maximum).

• Your CV should include your employment history and the skills and experience gained from those roles.
• Your statement (max 750 words) should demonstrate how your experience aligns with the essential criteria listed above.

We will sift using your CV and Statement to assess your experience and suitability of the essential criteria.

To confirm, the maximum word count for the Statement of Suitability is 750 . Please adhere to this limit as anything over 750 words will not be taken into account.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Interview

At interview you will be asked questions to assess your experience in line with the essential criteria listed above. We will also ask questions around the behaviours listed in the advert.

As part of the interview process, you will also be asked to prepare a 5 minute presentation, the subject of which will be sent out in advance of the interview. The presentation will be assessed against the behaviours.

Other Information

Interviews may be via Microsoft teams or face to face; the vacancy manager will confirm prior to the Interview.

In your application, please don’t include personal information that identifies you.

This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - it's called name blind recruitment (opens in a new window).

Please ensure that you remove from your application, all references to your:

• name/title
• educational institutions
• age
• gender
• email address
• postal address
• phone number
• nationality/immigration status

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.

We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.

The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe 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 circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.

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

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.

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.

Reasonable adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” 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 you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Please refer to the attached ‘Reasonable Adjustments Guide 05_2025 – accessible version’ at the bottom of the advert, for further information.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming 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/

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.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

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.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 : Gareth Thomason
• Email : gareth.thomason@education.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk

Further information

The Department for Education’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via CentralRecruitment.Operations@education.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages

Attachments

DFE Terms & Conditions - accessible version Opens in new window (pdf, 215kB)Reasonable Adjustments guide 05_2025 - accessible version Opens in new window (pdf, 723kB)OGD Transfer Supplementary information - accessible version Opens in new window (pdf, 327kB)