Contents
- Location
- About the job
- Benefits
- Things you need to know
- Apply and further information
Leeds, Quarry House, LS2 7UA; Sheffield, King’s Court, S3 7UF; Sheffield, 2 St Pauls Place, S1 2JF. No other locations will be considered. For all locations, travel to other sites may be required.
About the job
Job summary
Candidates must be a current University of Leeds, University of Sheffield or Sheffield Hallam University student in your first or second year, with availability through summer 2025.
- The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), The Department for Education (DfE), and The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) are large government departments that are offering rewarding policy careers at their Northern hub locations. DWP is based in both Sheffield and Leeds, DfE is based solely in Sheffield and DHSC is based solely in Leeds.
- On application you will be invited to state which department would be your first choice and which would be second choice. We will try to accommodate your preference, but this cannot be guaranteed. There is more detailed information on the roles of each of the different government departments in the attached candidate pack and links further down the job advert.
- The Policy Summer Internships involve paid work placements that provide an opportunity to see what working in the Civil Service is like. Successful applicants will be given a placement that provide hands-on experience and insight into opportunities available in the Civil Service in the North of England.
- A Summer Policy Placement is a great way to prepare for a career in public administration and will last for 10 weeks starting on 30 June 2025. To ensure maximum benefit from the placement you will be expected to be available for the large majority of the duration.
- There are numerous internships available through this scheme and you will be allocated a directorate within DWP, DfE or DHSC to work in.
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion matters to us. We are keen to hear from candidates from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.
- Please note that there are differences in salary with DWP offering £26,337, DHSC offering £24,209 and DfE offering £25,605 pro-rata.
Job description
Your placement will involve you working on real-life policy making. You could be:
- Assisting with the creation of policy documents.
- Considering research findings.
- Engaging with senior stakeholders on major issues.
- Shadowing civil servants to understand different roles.
- Providing project support.
- Some occasional travel to other locations may be involved including overnight stays - this will be covered by each Department's expenses policy.
What induction and ongoing training will be provided?
- A placement manager to support and guide you.
- Support and mentoring from colleagues in your department.
- Involvement in a range of activities and visits.
- Access to our Policy Group learning offer and other learning and development opportunities.
Person specification
We’re looking for enthusiastic people who are considering a career in public administration/public policy. Successful candidates must meet the following key criteria at sift:
- (Lead criterion) Show commitment to developing skills, knowledge and experience of public policy making.
- Produce high quality written work which is accurate and concise.
- Demonstrate inclusive and collaborative ways of working, working effectively as part of a team.
- Use inter-personal skills to develop professional relationships.
Qualifications
Candidates must be a current University of Leeds, University of Sheffield or Sheffield Hallam University student in your first or second year, with availability through summer 2025.
Please note that should you be invited to interview, you will need to provide student ID and a named University contact at the start of the interview.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £24,209, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £7,013 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
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 : Interns Recruitment Team
- Email : policy.universityinterns@dwp.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dwprecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: HR.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.GOV.UK.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.
Read Full Description