Private Pensions Policy Advisor

Leeds, Quarry House, LS2 7UA: London, Caxton House, SW1H 9NA; Sheffield, King’s Court, S3 7UF. No other locations will be considered. For all locations, travel to other sites may be required.

Job Summary

Private Pensions and Arm’s Length Bodies Directorate (PPALB), within DWP’s Policy Group, is responsible for developing and delivering policy in relation to UK occupational pensions. Additionally, PPALB are responsible for management and oversight of DWP’s Arm’s Length Bodies.

The advertised roles are within the Automatic Enrolment and Defined Contribution Division (AEDC), within PPALB. This Division is responsible for all elements of Automatic Enrolment and Defined Contribution pensions policy, from steps to support and encourage people to begin pensions saving, to the DC market and what happens to their money once they are saving, to the choices people make at the point of retirement when they seek to turn their savings into an income in older age.

Job Description

Private Pensions Policy Advisor (SEO)

The Government is at the start of a significant period of reform in the Private Pensions space, with the Pensions Scheme Bill currently in Parliament and the Pensions Commission looking at future reform.

As part of the team, you will play an important role in shaping and delivering this reform agenda.

Tasks May Include:

• Working with the Pensions Commission to develop evidence and options for reform across the DC pensions landscape, including high profile areas such as Automatic Enrolment.
• Working with colleagues across the Directorate to develop and deliver our strategy for responding to the Pensions Commission’s recommendations.
• Supporting policy coordination and management of the programme of reforms contained within the Pension Schemes Bill.
• Supporting the Director to deliver their priorities and cross-cutting activity across the Directorate, including through their Private Office and the Central Enquiries Team.
  
  

All roles in PPALB involve close working with the pensions industry and stakeholders, working with HM Treasury who share some responsibility for pensions and financial regulation, and working with our independent regulators. We work closely with the joint DWP-HMT Minister for Pensions.

Successful candidates will be matched to one of two similar available roles, with the aim of doing so in line with the candidates’ preferences between the sorts of responsibilities described above, where possible. If there are many suitable candidates, a reserve list may be held for any future vacancies which arise.

Private Pensions Policy Advisor (SEO)

The Government is at the start of a significant period of reform in the Private Pensions space, with the Pensions Scheme Bill currently in Parliament and the Pensions Commission looking at future reform.

As part of the team, you will play an important role in shaping and delivering this reform agenda.

Tasks May Include:

• Working with the Pensions Commission to develop evidence and options for reform across the DC pensions landscape, including high profile areas such as Automatic Enrolment.
• Working with colleagues across the Directorate to develop and deliver our strategy for responding to the Pensions Commission’s recommendations.
• Supporting policy coordination and management of the programme of reforms contained within the Pension Schemes Bill.
• Supporting the Director to deliver their priorities and cross-cutting activity across the Directorate, including through their Private Office and the Central Enquiries Team.
  
  

All roles in PPALB involve close working with the pensions industry and stakeholders, working with HM Treasury who share some responsibility for pensions and financial regulation, and working with our independent regulators. We work closely with the joint DWP-HMT Minister for Pensions.

Successful candidates will be matched to one of two similar available roles, with the aim of doing so in line with the candidates’ preferences between the sorts of responsibilities described above, where possible. If there are many suitable candidates, a reserve list may be held for any future vacancies which arise.

Person specification

Experience Key Criteria:

• Experience of developing and delivering public policy reform (lead criteria), with experience of private pensions policy desirable but not essential.
• Excellent communication skills, including written communication and communicating with other teams
• The ability to build relationships and work well with other teams to deliver joint priorities
• The ability to set direction for your own team and others and ensure progress
  
  

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
  
  

Alongside your salary of £44,447, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £12,876 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.

Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.

Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).

Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.

Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.

An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

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 guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

• Application & Sift
  
  

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a 750 word Personal Statement. 

Your personal statement needs to set out evidence of how your experience meets all of the Experience Key Criteria set out above and not the published behaviours listed in this advert.

We are not looking at how much time you have spent in a job, but rather how you have performed. Your Personal Statement must show demonstrable evidence of what you did, how you did it, and what outcome was achieved. This should include the impact of your approach and evidence of your ability to take forward different approaches in different circumstances.

The standards detailed in the Experience Key Criteria are the minimum expectations for the role and only candidates with the strongest evidence will be invited to interview. In the event of a large number of applications, meeting the pass standard for the lead criteria "Experience of developing and delivering public policy reform " will determine if the other criteria are scored. Candidates will have to meet the standard for all criteria to progress to interview.

Your statement must not exceed 750 words and you are advised to take advantage of the full word count.

• Interview Stage
  
  

If you are successful at the sift you will be invited to a MS Teams interview which will comprise of Behaviour-Based questions. The guidance on Success Profiles explains these selection tools. The Behaviours being assessed are detailed in the job advert. 

Note that the Behaviours will be assessed at interview stage only.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

When applying for these roles, you will be required to state in preference order which of the three Policy Group Hub locations you can work from, Leeds, London or Sheffield. Please be aware these roles can only be carried out in the UK, not overseas, and your office base must be one of the three Policy Group Hubs. Appointments may be made to candidates in merit order based on location preferences and geographical requirements  

By indicating your preferred Policy Group hub location(s) in your application you are stating that you are willing to accept a post in any of your chosen hub location(s). 

• Quarry House, Leeds, LS2 7UA 
• Caxton House, Tothill St, London, SW1H 9NA 
• King’s Court, Hanover Way, Sheffield, S3 7UF 
  
  

The Department is committed to promoting flexible ways of working, whilst enabling the business to operate at maximum efficiency and will expect colleagues to work from a blend of locations, including some time working at home, as required.

Further Information

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.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 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 cases of serious ill health).
• If DWP makes 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.
  
  

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 DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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 applicants' 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 experience 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 Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

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. 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.

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

Important

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.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

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.

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 : Ben Wilkins
• Email : BEN.WILKINS@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.