Child Maintenance Service - Modernisation Project Manager

Job summary

Family separation is never easy. The Child Maintenance Service helps parents, who are unable to make a private financial agreement in support of their child(ren)’s living costs, ensure and at times enforce, the legal responsibility to provide financial support. Our mission is to ‘get money to children’ because it makes a real difference to children’s lives.

Child Maintenance Service is not only undergoing a significant period of change as we drive forward our transformation agenda, but in tandem, we continue to deliver a politically significant and fundamentally crucial service to millions of separated families around the country who depend upon the work we do. Our story over the last two years is one of impressive progress and improvement.

Despite the progress we’ve made, we are unashamedly ambitious about what more we can achieve and the difference we can make for the families who need us. Child Maintenance Service is an amazing place to work. Walk into any one of our service centres and you will be overwhelmed by the passion and commitment that our people have for supporting our customers.

The CMS Modernisation Project Manager’s main responsibilities are to lead and manage individual/multiple projects that support the delivery of the CMS Modernisation agenda. However, there will be some projects including those related to DWP wide changes, that the Project Manager may be asked to lead on for CMS. Project Managers will be expected to personally lead individual project deliveries as well as leading and developing a small team of SEO/HEO project managers who will have their own individual projects, providing clear direction and support.

Job description

The Project Manager will have accountability and responsibility to:

• Manage project(s) using appropriate techniques and governance arrangements.

• Identify and evaluate project risks and issues, ensuring risk is controlled through implementing and monitoring appropriate risk management plans and escalation is completed in a timely manner.

• Engage effectively with project stakeholders, developing and managing stakeholder communications plans.

• Build and manage project team, including engaging specialist/supplier/commercial expertise as appropriate.

• Planning, development and implementation of all requirements, and the production of project documentation.

• Identification and management of all impacts to ensure the projects’ objectives meet the needs of the business.

• Ensuring monitoring of progress to plan, and reporting through existing programme governance structure.

• Awareness of other DWP and CMS initiatives and requirements to inform any required contingency planning.

• Commissioning and monitoring delivery of work from various areas of the business and suppliers.

• Effective and creative implementation and landing of changes into CMS Operations.

• Delivery of all requirements/products to adhere to the DWP Change Lifecycle to ensure the successful continuation of the project.

• Preparation of a project communication strategies to ensure that all appropriate areas of the business are fully informed and engaged.

• Line management of project & programme/project support colleagues providing coaching, advice, input and support through all stages of the project lifecycle.

There will be some business travel mainly between key DWP/Government sites in the future but not currently.

Person specification

This is what you will be assessed against, and should align your personal statement to. Your evidence will be assessed against the following essential criteria. You must ensure you provide specific examples to demonstrate these criteria in your personal statement. Candidates will be able to demonstrate the following:

Essential Criteria:

• Significant experience in the delivery of complex projects, with particular emphasis on the management of multiple suppliers and stakeholders in both business change and IT projects (Lead Criteria).

• Experience of delivering to challenging deadlines, demonstrating the ability to effectively prioritise using evidence available and engagement with stakeholders.

• Experience of governance and risk control frameworks with experience of engaging with high level governance forums and the management and appropriate escalation of risks.

• Strong planning and organisational skills, including ability to translate high level plans into detailed working level plans.

• Strong inclusive leadership including the ability to build high-performing, multi-disciplinary teams with colleagues from across large organisations as well as suppliers.

• You possess strong analytical skills with a proven ability to persuade and influence decision-making.

• A passion for transforming the service we deliver to customers, improving efficiency and achieving best value for the taxpayer.

Desirable Criteria:

• PRINCE2 Practitioner, APM practitioner or possess equivalent qualifications.
  
  
• Experience of working within large complex organisations.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,946, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £16,786 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

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

Working for DWP will include benefits such as learning and development tailored to your role, an environment with flexible working options, a culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.

Annual Leave

23 days annual leave rising with service to 30 days, plus public holidays.

Flexi Time

Access to flexible working hours scheme will be available.

Hybrid Working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.

If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Working Hours

The Department’s contracted working hours are:

• Monday to Friday: 07:45 to 20:00
• Saturday: 08:45 to 17:00

Employees are contracted to work a set number of hours per week within these timeframes.

• For full-time employees, this is 37 net hours per week (equivalent to 42 gross hours, including meal breaks).
• For part-time employees, the number of hours will be proportionally less, based on their contract.

Employees are expected to work the full number of hours for which they are contracted.

See the Candidate Pack for more of the