Darlington, North East England, DL1 5QE : Manchester, North West England, M1 2WD : Sheffield, Yorkshire and the Humber, S1 2FJ : City of Westminster, London (region), SW1P 3BT
Job Summary
We are recruiting for 2 Benefits Framework Advisors. One to support the Investment Appraisal and Benefit management functions within the Governance, Assurance and Partnerships Division and the other to support the Families Change and Transformation Division.
Governance, Assurance and Partnerships Division
This division brings together key corporate functions for DfE including Public Bodies sponsorship and corporate governance. We are a well established and high performing division which prides itself on having a positive, professional and inclusive culture.
As our Benefits Framework Advisor, you will support the development and implementation of effective benefits management approaches within the department. You will help ensure that benefits are identified, tracked and realised across our projects and programmes, contributing to the departments’ strategic objective.
You will act as a benefits keyholder at investment committee which means you will work closely with project teams, business case authors and stakeholders to provide practical benefits management advice and guidance; supporting the effective integration of the departmental benefits management framework.
Families Change and Transformation Division
Families Group aim is to support every child and young person to be safer, healthier and happier. We lead on key legislation and guidance for families and children’s policies, across four directorates covering Children’s Care system and workforce, including safeguarding, Early Years and childcare, and educational engagement. We deliver programmes supporting children from birth to adulthood. This includes delivering Manifesto commitments on children’s social care, early years childcare and breakfast clubs in primary schools and our important contribution to delivering the Government’s Mission to break down barriers to opportunity. We work closely with policy and delivery partners across DfE, in other government departments, local authorities and service providers in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
This is an exciting time to join Families Group with significant reform programmes underway in both early years and childcare, and children’s social care, which will have a direct impact on the outcomes and wellbeing of children and their families. This role will sit at the heart of the Group and will be critical in supporting the delivery of our Families Group mission. As our Benefits Framework Adviser, you will be encouraged to become an active member in our Families community where everyone has a part to play in ensuring that Families Group is a great place to work. In return, we will support you to develop and to make the most of the many opportunities we have.
Job Description
Job Responsibilities:
- Benefits Framework support:
- Assist in the development and application of the department’s benefits management framework, ensuring consistent and robust processes for identifying, tracking, and realising benefits across projects and programmes.
- Business case support:
- Assist project managers in preparing and updating the benefits elements of the business case, working with specialists as required.
- Act as a keyholder for Benefits Management in DfE’s investment management process.
- Stakeholder engagement
- Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders include Senior Responsible Owners (SROs), Project Managers and benefits owners to facilitate effective benefits management practices.
- Tracking and reporting:
- Support the tracking and reporting of project and programme benefits throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring that benefits realisation is effectively monitored and reported on and analysing data
- Capability building:
- Contribute to building benefits management capability across the department through training, guidance, and knowledge sharing with project teams and the benefits management community of practice.
- Continuous improvement:
- Assist in identifying opportunities to improve benefits management processes and tools, promoting best practices and continuous improvement within the department.
Candidate Engagement Session:
We will be holding vacancy webinars to provide you with the opportunity to find out more about these roles and ask any questions that you may have on Tuesday 28 January 2:00-2:30pm and Thursday 30 January 3:30-4:00pm – if you would like to join one of these please
complete this form and we will send you a calendar invitation.
Candidate Engagement Session:
We will be holding vacancy webinars to provide you with the opportunity to find out more about these roles and ask any questions that you may have on Tuesday 28 January 2:00-2:30pm and Thursday 30 January 3:30-4:00pm – if you would like to join one of these please
complete this form and we will send you a calendar invitation.
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
- Benefits management – Experience supporting benefits management in a project or programme environment, including the application of benefits management tools and methodologies.
- Business case development - Experience in supporting business case development, particularly in relation to benefits identification, measurement, and alignment with strategic objectives.
- Stakeholder engagement - Strong communication and relationship management skills, with experience working with a range of stakeholders to support the successful delivery of benefits.
- Reporting and data analysis - Familiarity with tracking and reporting on benefits realisation, ensuring alignment with project delivery objectives.
- Knowledge of Government Project Delivery/ Benefits Management standards - An understanding of UK government project delivery standards and frameworks, such as those set out by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) and HM Treasury (HMT) in the Teal Book etc.
Desirable Criteria:
- Hold a relevant qualification in Benefits Management (e.g. APMG Management of Benefits - Practitioner, APMG Management of Value - Practitioner).
- Wider Project Delivery skills, knowledge and experience.
- Government Project Delivery Accredited at Practitioner level or above.
Desirable criteria will only be assessed at interview, in the event of a tie break situation, to make an informed decision.
Alongside your salary of £41,458, Department for Education contributes £12,010 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.
As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.
You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.
We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances, but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.
Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.
As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.
Selection process details
Step 1: Application
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
- A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
- A Personal Statement (max word count 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.
We will assess your experience by sifting your CV and Personal Statement against the essential criteria.
Step 2: Interview
If successful at sift, candidates will be assessed via interview.
At interview you will be asked questions to assess your experience in line with the essential criteria listed above.
Other Information
In your application, please don’t include personal information that identifies you.
This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - it's called name blind recruitment (opens in a new window).
Please ensure that you remove from your application, all references to your:
- name/title
- educational institutions
- age
- gender
- email address
- postal address
- phone number
- nationality/immigration status
We understand that you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, and original and doesn’t include ideas or work that isn’t your own. This is so that your application is authentically and credibly your own.
We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.
The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants 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 applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs
Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.
Reasonable adjustment
If a Person With Disabilities Is Put At a Substantial Disadvantage Compared To a Non-disabled Person, We Have a Duty To Make Reasonable Changes To Our Processes. If You Need a Change To Be Made So That You Can Make Your Application, You Should:
Contact Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” 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.
Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
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
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : Katie Hammond
- Email : katie.hammond@education.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : Centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk
Further information
The Department for Education’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via CentralRecruitment.Operations@education.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages
