Senior Leader - Functional Lead Team

**Ensure that you read the full information about the selection process thoroughly before starting your application.

Please note the closing date for your full application (Application Form, Test, CV and Written Statement) is 23:55 on 24/11/2026**

Stage 1 – Application Form

Please complete the application form with your basic information, which includes your personal details, eligibility to apply and any reasonable adjustments required.

Stage 2 – Online Test

After submission of the first stage of your application, you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Work Strengths Test.

If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended).

You will need to allow at least one hour to complete the test plus time to complete your CV and full application by the closing date of 23:55 on 24/11/2026.

If you fail to complete the online test and your full application before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Online tests – Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance on the following date:

14 - 16 November – Midnight to 6am

There will be a period during this time where candidates will not be able to access online tests. If you are in the middle of a test when the maintenance begins, your progress will be paused. You will be able to resume your test from where you left off via your application centre once the downtime has ended. Please note that you will not be able to launch any new tests while the system is offline. You will be directed to the Talogy - True Talent – Scheduled Maintenance Window Webpage for online tests during an outage.

IMPORTANT: After the test deadline, we will look at all candidate scores to decide what the job’s pass mark will be. We will consider the impact on protected groups and the number of invitations to the next stage. We may decide to raise the pass mark for the job - if so, you will be informed, and you will be told if you have passed or failed at the raised standard. Meeting the minimum test requirements for a job level is no guarantee of an invite to continue the selection process.

Stage 3 – Curriculum Vitae (CV)

You will be asked to complete a CV with details of your job history, full qualification details and previous skills and experience. You are not required to upload your personal CV.

In the previous skills/experience section you should detail your employment and/or education history relevant to this vacancy (we recommend a maximum of 500 words). The CV will also cover your work history (we recommend you include up to the last 3 roles of employment history, plus any others that you feel are relevant) and your qualifications.

Your CV will not be formally assessed, so please put the main evidence of your skills into your personal statement. Your CV will be used to add context to your personal statement.

Stage 4 – Personal Statement and Sift

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a personal statement detailing the relevant skills and experience you can bring to the role.

In no more than 1250 words, please carefully consider the statements below. You should address these when constructing your personal statement. You do not need to answer each individually as one example of evidence may cover all the questions.

You should also consider both the job description and person specification details above when providing your evidence.

• Experience in leading diverse teams through a major change or a high-profile area of work within a tight deadline. (Lead statement).

• Engaging with various stakeholders to achieve a common goal.

• Experience of using a wide range of data to make a difficult decision and empowering your team to do the same.

Your personal statement needs to set out evidence of how your experience meets the requirements set out above. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. One narrative example may cover the requirements needed. You don’t have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead question. If so, we will sift on:

• Experience in leading diverse teams through a major change or a high-profile area of work within a tight deadline. (Lead statement)

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to an interview.

Stage 5 – Interview

If you pass the written application sift with the required score, you will be invited to a blended interview and will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs account. If high application volumes are received, the benchmark / score for candidates to proceed to the interview stage may be raised.

The interviews will be conducted face to face. The location of the interviews will be confirmed at a later date.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to attend a face-to-face interview, please ensure you state those on your application form when asked to do so.

Interviews are scheduled to take place from 11/01/2027 to 22/01/2027, please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change.

Interviews will be scheduled Monday to Friday, between 09:00 to 17:00.

Communications will be electronic and/or by SMS/telephone; therefore, it is important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder. Telephone calls may show as a withheld number, it is important that you answer so that your interview can be confirmed. If you wish to opt out of SMS messages, please email this address, including the vacancy reference and your candidate ID [email protected]. As part of our commitment to improving the candidate experience, you may be contacted during the recruitment process to provide feedback.

Preparing for the Interview

The interview will take approximately 45 minutes and will consist of behaviour and strength-based questions.

A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation offering a more inclusive approach. The questions explore what you, the candidate, can and have done, but also your potential.

Behaviours

You will be assessed against the Civil Service Behaviours listed at Grade 7 – Level 4.

An example of a behavioural question would be: "How did you lead by example to inspire and motivate your teams?"

It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed, or a situation you have been in, and use the WHO or STAR model to explain:

• WHO - What it was? How you approached the work/situation? What the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? or

• STAR - What was the Situation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you take? What were the Results of your actions?

Strengths

It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role. While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this.

If you withdraw your application at any stage, it will not progress further.

Stage 6 – Offer

Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome by email. Our current plan is that this will be week commencing 08/02/2027.

This may be subject to change. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first

The successful candidate will be notified of a start date following successful pre-employment checks, which is likely to be during March 2027.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 3 months, from which further appointments can be made. If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual part-time working pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in the case of serious ill health).

• If we make an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that for these vacancies we recommend that applicants seek specialist advice on their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship (if applicable) when considering whether to apply for any role.

We can never guarantee sponsorship; requests will be considered in line with the relevant DWP guidance and Home Office policy in place at the time.

Location

The role available will be based in one of the following locations, subject to space availability at the time of posting:

• 11-17 Monkgate, York YO31 7JZ.
• James Cook House, 79 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2BA.
• Wentworth House, 350 Eastern Avenue, Ilford IG2 6NN.
• Pedmore House, Waterfront East, Level Street, Dudley DY5 1XA.
• Ty Taf, Main Avenue, Treforest Industrial Estate, Pontypridd CF37 5YN.
• Hartshead Square, Sheffield S1 2FD (Please note, those who request to be based at Hartshead Square will move to 1 West Bar by early 2028)
• Discovery House, Corby NN17 5BA.
• Benton Park View, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne NE98 1YX. (Please note, those who request to be based at Benton Park View will move to Pilgrim Place during 2026/27)
• Atlantic Quay, Glasgow G2 8SP.
• Fylde View, 1 King Street, Blackpool FY1 3EJ.
• Wear View House, 1 Eden Street West, Sunderland, SR1 3EY. (Please note, those who request to be based at Wear View House will move to Sunderland, Faber Building, by April 2027)

You should only apply for a post where you can travel to and from your home office location daily within a reasonable time. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed. Make sure the location works for you before applying!

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 pattern​

Alternative working patterns will be considered but must meet business needs. We will do our best to let people with existing part-time contracts retain their contracted hours provided they are in line with current business needs.

Hours of work ​

The full-time working week in DWP is 37 hours. You may be required to work at any time between the hours of: ​

• 7:45am and 8:00pm on any day between Monday to Friday, and​

• 8:45am to 5:00pm on Saturday.​

Managers will agree working patterns with successful candidates within these business hours and review these as appropriate. You will be given advance notice of your personal schedule.

Disability Confident Scheme

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Reasonable Adjustments

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for candidates’ section.

Integrity, Plagiarism and Civil Service Principles

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.

Examples of plagiarism can include:

• Presenting the work, ideas and experiences of others as your own.

• Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own.

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

To process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service or Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing:

[email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email [email protected]

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check will be carried out.

Candidates who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any candidate’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Important Information

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWP’s Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Any move to DWP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at the Childcare Choices Website.

Diversity and Inclusion

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub. Click on the Application Guidance link for lots of help and guidance on making your application.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service