Service Delivery Lead

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

The Asylum Group is driving the government’s commitment to operate a fair, efficient and transparent asylum system. The key priorities include, operational excellence, ending the use of hotels to house asylum seekers and reducing the number of people supported by the asylum system. The group brings together analytical, data science, policy and operational teams responsible for transforming the asylum system, efficient decision making, operating new and existing accommodation models, asylum support, and excellent Management Information and data modelling.

Job description

The role leads the delivery of asylum accommodation contracts, ensuring high-quality service for vulnerable individuals. The post holder will manage provider performance, lead a service delivery team, and oversee contract governance. They will work closely with internal and external stakeholders, including local authorities, health services, and MPs to ensure services meet legal, policy, and customer standards.
This is a high-impact leadership role at the heart of public service delivery. You’ll shape strategy, drive performance, and influence national policy outcomes, making a real difference to people’s lives.

You will manage service delivery of asylum accommodation contracts in a dynamic and fast-paced environment and be accountable for managing relationships with service providers, working alongside commercial colleagues to manage performance against the contracts. This involves setting direction and leading a Service Delivery team who will carry-out the day-to-day contract management functions and driving performance of their team and respective providers in line with contract KPIs.

You will work closely with colleagues in Risk and Assurance to continuously drive improvements across all the contracts, in line with audits by the Immigration Chief Inspector, the National Audit Office and the Home Affairs Committee. They will work to embed customer insight and use management information to drive improvement across the contracts. Ensuring that the contracts deliver for Service Users and stakeholders, with the customer at the heart of what we do.
The post-holder will be expected to build strong relationships and represent HO with internal customers and external public sector stakeholders including Local Authorities, Health and Police as well as OGD and MPs. This will involve, attending and presenting progress updates for internal stakeholders on service delivery and leading communications for the contract to external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery and performance management of asylum accommodation contracts, holding providers to account using KPIs and contractual levers. Overseeing formal contract governance, including Contract Management Groups and Strategic Review Management Boards, ensuring compliance with Home Office standards.
• Use data insights and dashboards to challenge provider strategies, maximise bedspace utilisation, and drive continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with commercial colleagues to ensure value for money, balancing operational needs with cost efficiency and risk mitigation
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners, including Local Authorities, Health, Police, and MPs.
• Provide regular updates and briefings to senior stakeholders across the Home Office and contracted providers
• Lead and manage a Service Delivery team, with line management and countersigning responsibilities, including performance reviews and staff development.

Working Pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis. This role is also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work 5 days / 32 hours per week due to business requirements.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Either hold, or be studying towards completion of one of the following qualifications - Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) Level 4–6, or GCF Commercial Practitioner/Expert accreditation
• Experience in leading contract management within a service provision environment, including managing external supplier performance against KPIs and contractual levers.
• Demonstrate strong leadership skills, setting direction and supporting teams in fast paced, shifting and politically sensitive environments.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities, competing demands and unexpected situations on a daily basis.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders, with confidence to challenge, negotiate and deliver difficult messages when required.
• Have a strong customer focused approach, with clear understanding of the needs of vulnerable service users.
• Have a proven track record of continuous improvement and driving change, with the ability to work independently in a distance managed contract or service delivery setting.

Desirable criteria

• An understanding of the Data Protection Act and General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), knowledge of change management principles, protocols and models and an awareness of process analysis, benefits identification, business continuity and handling of Freedom of Information Act requests.

Behaviours

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

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

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.
• See more of our benefits on our careers website.

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