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- Tasks: Lead the reliability and improvement of key business applications at DBS.
- Company: DBS safeguards children and vulnerable adults through safer recruitment decisions.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, a generous pension, and 25-30 days annual leave.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on safeguarding services while growing in a supportive culture.
- Qualifications: Experience in digital delivery, Agile methodologies, and user-centred design is essential.
- Other info: Remote work available; SC clearance required for this role.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
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Join to apply for the Lead Application Operations Engineers role at Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) provided pay range
This range is provided by Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.
Base pay range
Lead Application Operations Engineers
Location: Liverpool, Darlington, Hybrid / Remote
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time
Help us transform how safeguarding services are delivered across the UK.
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) plays a vital role in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults by helping employers make safer recruitment decisions. As part of our ongoing transformation, we’re strengthening the technology that underpins this mission, and creating new roles to help us run it better.
We’re looking for Lead Application Operations Engineers to take ownership of key business applications and ensure they deliver stable, secure, and evolving services that meet the needs of our users and teams.
About the roles
These are trusted delivery roles within our Technology and Innovation Directorate, created to support DBS’s shift from legacy systems to a modern, cloud-based environment.
Each engineer is responsible for the day-to-day reliability, improvement, and future direction of key business applications. These roles carry significant responsibility and visibility, particularly during periods of service disruption, change, or transformation.
Working closely with service owners, DevOps teams, product managers and other specialists, you\’ll help ensure the applications you support are resilient, secure, and aligned with wider service goals. Whether focused on integration, case management, or digital evidence platforms, your work will directly impact how DBS delivers critical safeguarding services to the public.
About you:
These roles are ideal for a delivery professionals who thrive on complexity and understand how to lead teams through ambiguity. You’ll be given the space to shape delivery approaches, influence cross-government working practices, and help embed a culture of continuous improvement and agile thinking across DBS. You’ll also play a key part in strengthening our delivery profession internally, supporting capability building, mentoring peers, and sharing best practice.
You’ll bring significant experience of digital delivery in technical environments, with a strong grasp of Agile and Lean methodologies, tooling (such as Jira and Confluence), and user-centred design principles. You’ll be confident engaging across a range of technical and non-technical stakeholders, able to align delivery with both operational needs and wider policy context. Experience within the public sector or similarly regulated environments is desirable, but not essential.
Why choose a career at the Disclosure and Barring Service:
At DBS, we are proud of the work we do and the people we work with. Our culture values collaboration, inclusion, and professionalism. We offer flexibility, trust and room to grow, recognising our people require support, not just responsibility.
Benefits include:
- Civil Service pension with generous employer contributions
- 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days with service, plus public holidays
- Flexible and hybrid working options, including remote working
- A supportive and inclusive organisational culture
- Ongoing learning and professional development opportunities
Remote working is available for this role. Office attendance (Liverpool or Darlington) may be required in accordance with business needs.
How to apply
To learn more about the individual roles and choose the one that best matches your expertise, please click on the apply button.
Monday 4th August (closes at 10am)
Sift to take place: The initial sift to shortlist applications is the week commencing: Monday 4th August 2025.
Interviews are due to take place the week commencing: Monday 11th August 2025
Interviews will be held via Microsoft Teams.
Whilst we will endeavour to provide some flexibility with regards to dates wherever possible, it is unlikely that we will be able to offer an alternative date once an appointment has been scheduled
**SC clearance level is a requirement for this role.**
You must meet the security requirements before you can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.
For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers.
The DBS is an accredited Disability Confident Employer, and we are an equal opportunities employer, welcoming suitably qualified applicants from all backgrounds. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission\’s recruitment principles.
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Lead Application Operations Engineers employer: Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
Contact Detail:
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Application Operations Engineers
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Disclosure and Barring Service's mission and values. Understanding their commitment to safeguarding will help you align your responses during interviews and demonstrate your passion for their work.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of DBS on platforms like LinkedIn. Engaging in conversations can provide you with insider knowledge about the company culture and expectations, which can be invaluable during the interview process.
✨Tip Number 3
Brush up on Agile and Lean methodologies, as well as tools like Jira and Confluence. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will show your technical expertise and readiness to contribute to their transformation efforts.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare examples of how you've led teams through complex projects or changes in previous roles. Highlighting your experience in managing ambiguity and driving continuous improvement will resonate well with the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Application Operations Engineers
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Lead Application Operations Engineers role. Tailor your application to highlight how your experience aligns with their needs.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your CV and cover letter, emphasise your experience in digital delivery within technical environments. Mention specific projects where you've successfully led teams or improved application performance.
Showcase Agile Methodologies: Since the role requires a strong grasp of Agile and Lean methodologies, be sure to include examples of how you've applied these principles in past roles. This will demonstrate your capability to thrive in their environment.
Prepare for Security Clearance: As SC clearance is a requirement, mention your UK residency and any relevant background checks that can support your application. This shows you're aware of the necessary steps and are prepared for the role.
How to prepare for a job interview at Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you have a clear understanding of what the Lead Application Operations Engineer role entails. Familiarise yourself with the responsibilities, especially around managing key business applications and ensuring their reliability and security.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare to discuss your previous experience in digital delivery within technical environments. Highlight your knowledge of Agile and Lean methodologies, as well as any relevant tools like Jira and Confluence that you've used in past roles.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Demonstrate your ability to engage with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Be ready to provide examples of how you've aligned delivery with operational needs and policy contexts in your previous positions.
✨Emphasise Continuous Improvement
Since the role involves shaping delivery approaches and embedding a culture of continuous improvement, be prepared to discuss how you've contributed to such initiatives in the past. Share specific examples of how you've mentored peers or shared best practices.
