Department for Work and Pensions

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Birmingham, Blackpool, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Pontypridd, Sheffield

About the job

Job summary

For jobs located in Wales, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable.

From the design and development of policies to the delivery of services supporting work, welfare, pensions and child maintenance, DWP is the Government’s largest department.

People are at the very heart of what we do. We ensure disabled people can live more independent lives; help tackle poverty and homelessness; provide a financial foundation for a secure old age; and support families ensuring children can fulfil their potential.

DWP has the largest commercial estate in government and our team is committed to being smaller, greener and better – helping people to work, grow and thrive. Our estate provides accommodation for colleagues who support millions of daily customer interactions in Jobcentres and Health Assessment centres, back of house offices delivering frontline services and hub sites housing expert functions such as Policy, Finance, Digital and HR.

Our ambitions are to:

• Transition to a smaller, more affordable, and adaptable estate
• Invest in improving DWP’s buildings and infrastructure, conducted mainly through an extensive programme of planned replacement works 
• Meet our agreed Government Greening Commitments - creating a culture where sustainability is embedded
• Expertly deliver cost effective services
• Create a professional working culture that is best in class across the Government Property world

This senior management position will be an ambassador for the business providing advice, support and guidance at a senior level on all matters of governance and operating control. Driving the cultural transformation we aspire to whilst preserving the Authorities integrity by making sure it stays on a lawful and ethical course. You will be qualified in line with GPP professional framework, as given the highly complex and large portfolio, this role is essential in the mitigation of all aspects of risk and relevant quality management, providing a safe and assured place of work for all DWP colleagues and customers.

As a compliance specialist, you will focus heavily on assurance and governance across the Estates Directorate and its supplier partners in legal and internal standards, encompassing the sets of regulations that govern properties and their components, in-house policies, workplace standards and procedures across the portfolio; whilst also playing the business facing assurance and guidance role on all governance matters as required.

Job description

Key accountabilities

• Lead a team of various SME’s who support critical activities across DWP Estates while also providing challenge to the Estates leadership team on a variety of topics. 
• Continue the development and implement a governance and compliance assurance framework that will ensure all property and Real Estate legislation, policies and processes are efficiently and effectively managed across Estates, bringing together views, perspectives and diverse needs of stakeholders to gain a broad understanding of the issues surrounding policies and activities.
• Lead and direct compliance across all aspects of the above framework monitoring effectiveness to ensure a robust control system is managed to prevent or deal with violations of legal guidelines and internal policies.
• Ensure alignment and relevance for a comprehensive and appropriate end to end operating system for all policies and processes between DWPand it’s supplier partners. Ensuring seamless hand-offs.
• Lead as a subject matter expert in evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of controls and improve them continuously, highlighting their value and mitigation of risk, welcoming and responding to views and challenges from others despite any conflicting pressures to ignore or give in to them.
• Lead and directly manage a team of SME’s for Risk, Governance, Business Case Assurance, Estates Business Continuity, Quality & Continuous Improvement across Estates, and ensure their impact and value is understood and they operate with the gravitas required to undertake their roles whilst standing by, promoting or defending the team’s actions and decisions where required.
• Lead the implementation and management of DWP Estates chosen quality and continuous improvement framework and related annual improvement plans, including assurance of supply chain quality systems.
• Responsible for the definition, modification, approval and where relevant, implementation of significant and impactful policies and procedures which are appropriate and relevant for a very large and complex portfolio.
• Creation and maintenance of the property business case approval processes, working collaboratively across Estates and with external stakeholders, e.g. Cabinet Office National Property Controls.
• Ownership and accountability of Estates Business Continuity Plan/s and Disaster Recovery Planning, working collaboratively with supply chain partners and the central business continuity function.
• Provide oversight and challenge to the business to ensure that risk is being managed within stated risk appetite.
• Work with the supply chain management organisation to ensure there is a robust monitoring plan, according to key performance indicators and Business facing service level agreements. Monitor risk events including progress on open actions, review closed risk events, ensure risk plans have been updated and continuous testing of our control and mitigation plans.
• To develop and embed an effective and robust risk management framework through innovative policies and practices, ensuring the clear controls are in place across the business.
• Keep abreast of regulatory developments within or outside of the Authority as well as evolving best practices in compliance control x-Government.
• Manage the Estates Property Damage Claims Process.
• Support with driving supply performance relating to corporate social value commitments.
• Deputise for the Head of Policy and Compliance as required.
• Responsible for ensuring Estates have a robust and operationally effective governance model with effective reporting and fully embedded three lines of defence methodology. Responsible for managing the interface with internal and external auditing bodies, e.g. NAO and GIAA.

Person specification

Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Experience within a property profession discipline
• Understanding of the end to end property lifecycle process and related legislation, risk management and compliance requirements
• Understanding and complying with Real Estate and related Statutory, Regulatory and Professional requirements
• Proven track record of formulating and implementing risk, governance and compliance management strategies and operating practices
• Willingness and ability to constructively challenge at all levels
• Methodical and diligent with outstanding planning abilities
• An analytical mind with the ability to take a broad overview of the complexities and procedures and regulations
• Previous experience in the coordination and certification in industry based quality accreditation schemes
• Proven senior experience in a similar Compliance role, in particular with implementing framework and governance structures
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and management capability

Desirable

• Experience of working with government property approvals processes desirable.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Desirable

• Membership of IWFM (MIWFM), RICS, Institute of Risk Management or equivalent professional membership.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £72,664, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £21,050 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

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 : Matt Pepper
• Email : matt.pepper@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.

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