Senior Operational Leader - Corby

Job summary

DWP helps people lift themselves out of poverty and to stay out of poverty, through work, saving and support. This is a hugely important public service, and our challenge is bigger than ever. As part of Counter Fraud and Compliance & Debt (CFCD) Directorate you will be at the heart of DWP’s front line operations, helping to change people’s lives and supporting the CFCD purpose of fighting fraud in the welfare system.

As Senior Operational Leader, you will role model excellent senior management leadership, taking responsibility for the flexible, effective, personalised delivery of customer service, quality, and performance. You will provide transformational leadership, leading through others, driving people engagement, and inspiring colleagues to deliver objectives.

CFCD is a great place to work where the leadership team are passionate about attracting the best talent whilst nurturing and valuing new and existing colleagues to be the best they can be. We are looking for people who can demonstrate our values and commitment to leadership which are based around collaboration, resilience and inclusivity. We look for emotionally aware leaders who enable teams to be innovative, adaptable and flexible. We want you to be comfortable challenging the norm and finding daring and dynamic solutions that support our values and enable colleagues to shine in whatever role they do.

Job description

As a Senior Operational Leader, you will report to a Grade 7 and be accountable for leading a large team of Higher Executive Officers (HEOs). You will set strategic priorities, drive performance and ensure the effective delivery of business objectives.

You will provide visible leadership, leading managers through change, developing capability and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Working collaboratively with senior stakeholders across DWP and partner organisations, you will build effective relationships to support delivery and improve customer outcomes.

You will oversee performance, risk and compliance within your area of responsibility, using management information to inform decision-making and ensure resources are deployed effectively. You will also lead the implementation of new policies, processes and ways of working, ensuring operational changes are successfully embedded across the business.

There will be occasional travel and overnight stays.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead operational delivery, ensuring achievement of performance, quality and customer service objectives.
• Drive performance improvement and continuous improvement across areas of responsibility.
• Lead and support the implementation of business change, policies and operational processes.
• Develop and support managers to deliver high performance and effective people management.
• Build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders to achieve business outcomes.
• Manage risk, compliance and governance requirements.
• Use management information to inform decision-making, resource planning and performance management.

Person specification

We are looking for an experienced operational leader with a proven ability to deliver results through others in a complex, customer-focused environment.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders, build collaborative relationships and create an inclusive, high-performing culture. They will be resilient, adaptable and comfortable making sound decisions in a fast-paced environment.

They will also have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use evidence and management information to improve performance, manage risk and support effective decision-making.

Essential Requirements

• Experience of leading large diverse teams through others.
• Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience of coaching, developing and motivating people to perform at their best.
• Ability to deliver change and continuous improvement in a complex operational environment.
• Strong analytical, decision-making and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of risk management, business continuity and equality considerations.
• Ability to balance competing priorities and deliver results through others.
• High levels of integrity, professionalism and personal credibility.
• Strong collaboration, planning and organisational skills.

Key Criteria

Candidates will be able to demonstrate:

• Strong transformational leadership experience, with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with colleagues, partners and stakeholders to drive service improvements and promote an inclusive culture. (Lead Criteria)
• Experience of leading large diverse teams, delivering through others and managing competing priorities whilst maintaining accountability for performance. (Second Lead Criteria)
• A track record of driving performance improvement, proactively managing processes and ensuring compliance with performance management policies and procedures.
• The ability to empower, develop and motivate people, encouraging innovation, continuous learning and engagement with apprenticeships and development opportunities.
• Knowledge of risk management, including risk assessment processes, business continuity planning and equality impact assessments.
• Resilience and effective problem-solving skills, taking ownership of issues and delivering positive outcomes.
• Strong analytical and performance management skills, using management information to monitor performance, influence others and deliver objectives while maintaining quality.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,447, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £12,876 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).

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, Nati