Child Maintenance Service – Management Information Development & Reporting Lead Developer

Job summary

As the UK government’s largest public service provider, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policies.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) supports parents who are unable to reach a private financial agreement by ensuring – and when necessary, enforcing – their legal responsibility to contribute to their child’s living costs. Our mission is simple: to get money to children, because it makes a real difference in their lives.

While we’ve made significant progress in transforming our service, we remain ambitious about what more we can achieve for the families who rely on us. CMS is a dynamic and rewarding place to work. Step into any of our service centres and you’ll find passionate, dedicated professionals committed to supporting our customers.

We are proud to foster an inclusive and diverse workforce where everyone can thrive. If you're looking to make a difference, this could be the career for you.

This is a fantastic opportunity to start or grow a fulfilling career in the Civil Service. We offer a flexible work-life balance, along with opportunities for growth, challenge, and personal development.

Job description

This is a technically challenging and rewarding key role, leading the development and delivery of crucial management information from concept to delivery, supporting performance improvements and operational delivery within Child Maintenance Systems (CMS).

You will be commissioned to develop new Management Information requirements for CMS Senior Leaders, Operational Managers and others across wider DWP.

• Although there are no direct line manager responsibilities in this role, you will be required to effectively use all resources available, including leading and developing others to deliver products within timescale and utilising a range of technical / digital products, providing value for money. Ensuring performance analysis and reporting products are developed, communicated extensively to support and drive CMS/DWP in delivering its strategic intent and vision.
• Assuring that delivery of reports, products and written advice are completed both within agreed timescales and in compliance of data security, policy, legislation and/or senior leadership steers.
• Have experience of developing and implementing an assurance strategy to ensure all products, reporting and advice provided are quality assured whilst creating and embedding a continual improvement culture.
• Leading or task managing a team of EOs using excellent communication skills and well-developed emotional intelligence instincts to support and coach others including senior leaders.
• Building and maintaining strong stakeholder engagement with colleagues across CMS and DWP – acting as a focal point for helping to resolve national performance and reporting queries.
• Being accountable for supporting a performance culture through strong and effective leadership, providing appropriate challenge and support to Directors and Operational leaders.
• Identify potential risks to Key Performance Indicators, CMS Service Delivery and customer service.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

Your personal statement will be assessed against the following essential criteria. Please ensure you provide specific, evidence-based examples that clearly demonstrate how you meet each one.

• Experienced in advanced Microsoft Excel, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), Statistical Analysis System SAS/SAS Enterprise Guide or a natural aptitude for quickly building technical expertise, increasing efficiency and reducing costs. (Lead Criterion)
• Strong leadership and coaching skills, able to identify and support the development needs of themselves and others.
• Confident communicator in delivering a high standard of written and verbal communications with the ability to engage, negotiate and collaborate with people a wide range of people at all levels, across the wider team and Department.
• Ability to work flexibly and at pace to meet changing priorities, managing a diverse workload and optimising resources to meet current and future customer expectations.
• Ability to positively inspire, encourage and influence others to obtain buy-in from colleagues, actively seeking and listening to feedback by encouraging discussion.
• Ability to critically analyse products and processes including MI, to identify areas for action, resolving issues and making suggestions for improvement.
• Ability to lead and develop management information reports from conception to delivery.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Developing Self and Others

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).

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 benefits available to as a Civil Servant.

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 gui