Space Planner

Job summary

For jobs located in Wales, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is one of the government’s largest public service departments with a sizeable annual budget, serving over 20 million citizens.

The estate spans 1.4 million square metres across 800+ sites and supports around 78,000 colleagues.

Our vision includes DWP colleagues, supply chain, partners and, most fundamentally, the customers the Department exists to serve. They are the reason for our existence.​

We are responsible for the day-to-day operation of our vast Estate by managing a private sector supply chain that delivers essential services such as Security Guarding, Maintenance, Property and Leasehold Management, Construction, Cleaning and Facilities Management.

DWP Estates is not just about maintaining buildings - it’s about transformation. Our strategic goals include:

• Transitioning to a smaller, more affordable, and adaptable estate to meet future needs
• Investing in infrastructure through planned replacement works
• Embedding sustainability in line with Government Greening Commitments (GGCs)
• Delivering cost-effective services while maintaining high standards
• Creating a professional, best-in-class working culture across the Government Property profession

Our Estates strategy ambitions have been refreshed to take us through to 2030:

• OPTIMISE: Continue to transition to a more affordable and adaptable DWP estate that creates productive environments

• INVEST: Investment in an improved environment that better meets the needs of customers and colleagues and minimises service disruption

• SUPPORT the drive for sustainability throughout DWP

• DELIVER: Expertly deliver improving, cost-effective services for DWP

• THRIVE: Continue to develop a working culture for DWP Estates that is best in class across government

The Space Planning team works from project inception through to post occupancy evaluations to ensure that DWP’s property portfolio is aspirational in its approach to design, inclusivity, and sustainability.

The successful candidate will report to a Space Planning Manager and work alongside a team of space planners to design space, using AutoCAD and Revit. This will enable the DWP to use its buildings more efficiently and effectively, as well as raising the standards of the DWP workplace. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to play a vital role within an influential team within DWP.

AutoCAD, Revit and other space modelling tools and the use of estate wide space management software (as part of a larger CAFM system) will be used to provide important strategic and tactical insight on the efficient management of space.

Job description

Government Property Profession Career Framework (Link)

This role sits within the following:

• Job Family – Technical Specialisms & Assurance
• Core Role - Design
• Level - Practitioner

Key accountabilities

• Design layout plans that comply with DWP Design Guidance and Future Ways of Working principles using CAD software.
• Undertake site surveys to collect data on building layouts, supporting assessments for acquisitions and changes to the existing estate.
• Ensure layout information is captured and kept up to date within the Computer Aided Facility Management (CAFM) system.
• Classify space within CAFM in accordance with agreed standards (e.g. International Property Measurement Standards), with guidance where required.
• Produce reports on space utilisation across the estate and contribute to space feasibility studies to support planning decisions.
• Provide technical input and guidance to stakeholders, including external designers and suppliers, ensuring outputs align with required standards and business needs.
• Review floor plans at key stages of design, identifying issues and escalating where standards are not met.
• Support post-occupancy evaluations and stakeholder engagement activities, helping to identify lessons learned and improvements to DWP’s Design Standards.
• Contribute to the management of supply chain partners by supporting service delivery, monitoring outputs, and assisting with administrative tasks such as issuing drawings.

Person specification

Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Good working knowledge of AutoCAD and understanding of architectural drafting standards [Lead Criteria]
• Experience in space planning, interior design, architecture, or a related discipline.
• Evidence of contributing to workplace or customer-facing space design projects.
• Experience drafting and reviewing floor plans, with awareness of RIBA design stages.
• Practical awareness of technical, legal, and regulatory design considerations, including relevant British Standards.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities across multiple tasks.
• Skilled in analysing space requirements and using informed judgement to develop practical design solutions, with strong active listening and the ability to communicate clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

• Problem-solving skills with the ability to work independently and communicate solutions effectively, escalating where appropriate.
• Ability to work collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams, including stakeholders and external partners.
• Experience of building surveys and site data collection activities.
• Ability to collate and analyse data and present clear insights to support decision-making.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Desirable

• Working towards membership of the IWFM, RICS, RIBA or other appropriate body with a preference if already held.
• Any combination of experience and/or education from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.
• Design experience of commercial, office or retail spaces.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,772, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £11,232 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 a