Assurance Delivery Lead

Job summary

We are MHCLG

Are you looking for a rewarding role supporting our biggest and highest risk programmes, at the heart of the department? If so, the Assurance lead role is the right fit for you. Our department is at the heart of the government's agenda for change, focused on building good homes and strong communities where people can live, work and thrive right across the United Kingdom.

Positioned in the Central Delivery Unit’s (CDU) Assurance and Approvals Team, you will be responsible for delivering assurance to our biggest and most complex programmes and setting the standard for assurance.
You will work closely with Programme Teams and Senior Civil Servants (SCS). The team have been developing assurance for four years, building a more structured and value-add approach for all stakeholders, utilising various digital tools, working collaboratively across professions, developing guidance for project/programme teams and supporting assurance cross-government.

The wider team also provides expert advice to the department maximising scrutiny and assurance to business case development, planning, management and benefits across all stages of a programme lifecycle.

The ideal candidate will be highly organised with effective project planning skills, strong communication abilities, and the confidence to engage with stakeholders at all grades. They will manage tasks independently or with little supervision.

As Assurance Lead, they will manage the internal assurance system as a whole including liaising with Senior Subject Matter Experts, drafting reports, monitoring actions and tracking progress. You will also be responsible for effective identification of thematic risks facing the department, working closely with teams across CDU to improve programme delivery.

This is a high-profile position, providing you with exposure and insight to a wide range of programmes, internal and external stakeholders. You will be joining a high performing and solutions-orientated team, who value inclusivity and collaborative working.

Job description

• Engage with Portfolio Offices, Corporate Partners and Programme Teams to enable effective planning and risk-led assurance.
• Develop guidance and products associated with the assurance processes and update our internal guidance platform, the Project Delivery Hub.
• Manage and develop products to update our seniors and governance forums on the status of assurance, including identifying themes of risk across multiple reviews.
• Uphold the high standards of assurance through effective stakeholder engagement, assurance planning, report drafting and effective tracking and monitoring.
• Bring together highly-skilled Senior Civil Servants from across government to assure MHCLG’s major and high-complexity programmes.
• Collaborate with Portfolio Offices, the Governance Centre and external partners such as the Government Internal Audit Agency and National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) to maintain effective and proportionate assurance through long-term planning and continuous engagement.
• Collaborate with NISTA on their new Artificial Intelligence tool which supports assurance reviews, with a long-term view to potentially implement the tool in the department.
• Support the identification and implementation of long term continuous improvement to deliver a centre of excellence for assurance in MHCLG.

Person specification

• Attention to detail and strong management skills to deliver a quality service, including excellent communication skills and confidence working with stakeholders at all grades.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and flex in an ever-changing environment.
• Ability to digest complex information and relay in a concise, accessible manner.
• Ability to build strong working relationship at pace.
• Have experience and expertise in assurance, and/or managing a complex secretariat function.
• Hold a certified Project/Programme Management Qualification at Foundation Level such as APMG International Better Business Cases, PRINCE2, Managing Successful Programmes, Association for Project Management, Managing Projects and Leading Workstreams or a willingness to work towards it.
• Hold Foundation Level Government Project Delivery accreditation or willingness to work towards it.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,004, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £12,747 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).At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Staff Benefits Scheme, Childcare Vouchers, and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.

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

Application and Selection

The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:

Behaviours , Experience , Strengths

Please ensure your CV does not contain any personally identifiable information.

Note: We do not consider direct CV applications. All applications must be submitted via the provided application link.

Important: Your CV and Cover Letter must be merged into a single document before uploading.

Stage 1: Sift (CV & Cover Letter)

To apply for this role, please provide a CV and short personal statement of no more than 500 words, setting out why you’re a good fit for the role and how you meet the essential criteria, drawing on relevant examples where possible.

If you run into any technical problems when applying through Be Applied (for example, trouble logging in or submitting your application), their support team can help. Please contact them at [email removed].

If we receive many applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead behaviour listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

Lead Sift - Experience: Within 250 words, please describe a time when you coordinated and delivered a complex piece of work involving multiple stakeholders, competing priorities and senior decision-makers. How did you ensure a high-quality outcome and what was the impact?

Stage 2: Interview

• Behaviours: Managing a Quality Servic