Occupational Psychologist in Norwich

Locations available nationally. You'll work from a Jobcentre office near you - this post will involve some travel to other DWP offices and employer organisations. DWP's Strategic Relationships Team is looking for a Senior Occupational Psychologist to partner with and support employers across the UK. The Strategic Relationships Team is at the heart of building DWP's relationships with national employers across all sectors and of all sizes. This includes delivering cross-sector networking and events, promoting vacancies and agreeing bespoke recruitment activities, and giving information and advice about Jobcentre Plus initiatives and programmes.

As a qualified Occupational Psychologist, you know getting people into good work is built on the foundations of strong job evaluation, design, assessment, and workplace adjustment. You will bring your expertise in these areas to support UK employers of all sizes, who do not have access to in-house or external sources of expertise. You will meet with employers to gain an understanding of their needs and deliver solutions that reduce barriers to employment, for some of the most vulnerable people in the UK. You will leave a legacy of evidence-based outputs that can be used by others in their continued work with employers.

To maintain your connection with the profession, you will be professionally led and supervised by the DWP's Chief Psychologist, Dr Antonia Dietmann, and will be warmly welcomed into the profession in DWP.

Your role

We are looking for an experienced Occupational Psychologist with strong organisational leadership experience. You will be an inspiring and inclusive leader, who can deliver at pace and successfully influence senior stakeholders. This is a rare opportunity in the Civil Service to apply our science to an area in which we have not worked before. You will bring your expertise in assessment, learning, and work design into the Strategic Relationships Team to support employers across the UK. Your input will help employers create good jobs that are appropriate and accessible for DWP's customers.

Building on the foundation of skills that you developed in your Masters degree, your career in the Government Occupational Psychology Profession will develop both your technical and consultancy capabilities. We welcome people from a range of different backgrounds as this helps to increase the diversity of thought and perspectives when developing solutions. Collaborating across departments and sharing learning is key to how we work. Throughout the year there will be many opportunities to connect with other members of the profession and build the relationships that will make the most rewarding occupational psychology career.

Key Responsibilities

• Autonomously and at pace, scope, plan and deliver a 12 month programme of work that understands and meets the needs of employers of all sizes to develop their skills in job evaluation, design, assessment, and workplace adjustment, particularly in the context of an increasing number of working age people with health conditions and disabilities.
• Deliver appropriate evidence-based outputs (including but not limited to toolkits/resources/learning) as identified in the programme of work.
• Effectively use the occupational psychological evidence-base and concepts in 1) psychological assessment at work, 2) learning, training & development, and 3) work design, organisational change and development to deliver resources, tools, learning and other outputs to support employers in these areas.
• Deliver customer-centric occupational psychology solutions for a wide range of clients using effective consultancy skills.
• Maintain strong professional integrity, standards and ethics including upholding standards to deliver a safe, ethical, and legally compliant occupational psychology service in line with British Psychological Society and Health & Care Professions Council requirements.
• Horizon scan across the occupational psychology profession, bringing knowledge, expertise and direction grounded in notable practice to support the Strategic Relationships Team's objectives.
• Act as a role-model and an ambassador for the occupational psychology profession, identifying opportunities where it can contribute more widely across DWP and the Civil Service.
• Participate in and contribute to the DWP and Government Occupational Psychology Profession as agreed with the DWP Chief Psychologist. This includes supporting to build the awareness of Occupational Psychology across the Strategic Relationships Team and Employer and Partnerships team to help colleagues understand the benefits the profession can bring.
• Adhere to all DWP Occupational Psychology Profession policies including those regarding continuous professional development, clinical governance, maintaining memberships and registration.
• Chartered Psychologists and Registered Occupational Psychologists are required to supervise Trainee Occupational Psychologists on the qualification to achieve Registered Occupational Psychologist status.
• If not already registered on the Register of Applied Practice Psychology Supervisors (RAPPS), you will work towards RAPPS eligibility within a reasonable timescale of starting the role. The requirement to be a Supervisor within the timeframe of this position will be discussed on appointment.

Successful candidates will need to demonstrate the following Key Criteria:

• You must meet the Qualification, Licences and Membership requirements as listed in the Qualifications Essential and Licences Essential and Memberships Essential sections.
• Significant past experience of delivering evidence-based occupational psychology services and projects relating to job evaluation, design, assessment, and workplace adjustment.
• Strong theoretical and practical understanding of occupational psychology evidence-base and concepts in 1) psychological assessment at work, 2) learning, training & development, and 3) work design, organisational change and development.
• Ability to work autonomously and at pace to deliver a high-quality programme of work from scoping to delivery stages in a way that meets project aims, costs and timescales.
• Significant past experience of using consultancy skills to deliver customer-centric occupational psychology solutions for a wide range of clients from different sectors and of different sizes.
• Evidence of delivering a safe, ethical, and legally compliant occupational psychology services in line with British Psychological Society and Health & Care Professions Council requirements.

Licences

• Registered Occupational Psychologist with the Health & Care Professions Council with no sanctions or restrictions on your registration or willing and eligible to apply for registration.

Qualifications

• MSc Occupational Psychology (or equivalent titled course) approved as Stage 1 by the British Psychological Society.
• British Psychological Society Qualification in Occupational Psychology Stage 2 (QOPS2) or have completed Part 1 and Part 2 of a professional doctorate in occupational psychology, which confers Chartered Member with the BPS and Full Member of the Division of Occupational Psychology and Registered Occupational Psychologist with the HCPC.
• If you are within 6 months of successfully completing either qualification listed above, please discuss your eligibility to apply with the recruitment team. Queries must be raised in good time to allow us to respond before the closing date, as deadlines cannot be extended.