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- Tasks: Lead and innovate in DevOps practices, shaping the technical landscape.
- Company: Join the UK's largest government department focused on digital transformation.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, flexible hours, and a generous pension contribution.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a significant leadership role with great work-life balance.
- Qualifications: Experience in DevOps leadership and a passion for driving technical excellence.
- Other info: This role offers autonomy to define DevOps strategies within the organisation.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 90000 £ per year.
Pay up to £92,522 plus 28.97% employer pension contributions, hybrid working, flexible hours, and great work life balance.
This is a real and significant DevOps leadership role in the UK\’s largest government department. Here you will have the freedom and autonomy to drive the development of our technical landscape and define what DevOps looks like in DWP
DWP. Digital with Purpose.
We\’re looking for someone who has the vision to lead multiple teams through the adoption of cutting-edge infrastructure and development technologies.
You\’ll be a leading, expert voice in a DWP Digital community that is driving a once-in-a-generation transformation of public services.
We have a unique purpose – putting better, more efficient services in the hands of DWP users. The scale of our engineering challenge is also huge:
- We have 1bn lines of code in over 12,000 code repos and 90+ programming languages.
- We run around 294 days\’ worth of testing every day through automation.
- Our APIs receive 173 million requests, and we spin up 280,000 AWS servers every month.
- Over 22 million people – 1/3 of the UK\’s adult population access our services daily.
- Over 100,000 colleagues and agents use the kit, tools and systems we roll out. We build and maintain systems behind payments worth over £195bn payments annually.
What skills, knowledge and experience will you need?
- Experience of leading and supporting Engineers in multi-disciplinary teams in an agile environment and sharing knowledge and good practice with the wider organisation.
- Significant experience of version control systems as well as building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines e.g. git with GitLab CI or Jenkins.
- Significant experience of Infrastructure-as-code and configuration of code for one or more cloud providers.
- Experience of containerisation and container orchestration.
- Experience of multiple scripting and/or programming languages (e.g. Bash, Python).
- Significant experience of the full life cycle of a cloud-based platforms and applications from designing, through deployment to supporting and patching in particular AWS.
You and your role
Our Lead DevOps Engineers lead and set the strategy as well as build our products and applications with researchers, testers, architects, analysts and designers as part of multi-functional agile delivery teams.
You\’ll also be part of a supportive Engineering community of practice, with hundreds of engineering experts from across the UK, united by passion and purpose. We\’ll give you the tools and time to build your capability, with coaching, mentoring, qualifications and formal learning, meet-ups or whatever else works for you.
Location: You\’ll join us in one of our brilliant digital hubs in Leeds, Manchester or Newcastle, whichever is most convenient for you.
Hybrid Working: We work a hybrid model – you\’ll spend some time working at home and some time collaborating face to face in a hub.
Pay: We offer competitive pay of up to £92,522.
Pension: You\’ll get a brilliant civil service pension with employer contributions worth 28.97%, worth over £21,000 per year.
Holidays: A generous leave package starting at 26 days rising to 31 days over time.
You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi-time. You\’ll also get all the usual public holidays.
We have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:
- Flexible working including flexible hours and flex-friendly policies
- Time off volunteering and charitable giving
- Bring your authentic self to work with \’I Can Be Me in DWP\’
- Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more
- Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it\’s even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference
- Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities.
And we have an award-winning environment and culture:
- DWP have been recognised as 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year at the Computing Women in Tech Excellence awards
- Diverse and Inclusive Leadership at Digital Leaders Awards 2024
- Commended as Best Place to Work in Digital category in the Computing Digital Technology Leaders awards 2025
- Recognised as one of the Best Public Sector Employers at 2025 Women In Tech Employer Awards
Process:
We know your time is valuable, so our application and selection process are just two stages:
Apply: complete your application on Civil Service Jobs. There\’ll be full instructions when you click through.
Interview: a single stage interview online.
CLICK APPLY for more information and to start your application.
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Contact Detail:
DWP Digital Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead DevOps Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific tools and technologies mentioned in the job description. For a Lead DevOps Engineer role, having hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines, containerisation (like Docker), and cloud platforms (such as AWS or Azure) will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your leadership skills by preparing examples of how you've successfully led teams or projects in the past. Highlighting your ability to mentor others and drive change will resonate well with the hiring managers looking for someone to define DevOps practices.
✨Tip Number 3
Network with current or former employees of the department. Engaging with them on platforms like LinkedIn can provide you with insider knowledge about the company culture and expectations, which can be invaluable during interviews.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss how you would approach the challenges faced by the UK's largest government department. Research recent projects or initiatives they've undertaken and think about how your skills can contribute to their goals, especially in terms of improving efficiency and collaboration.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead DevOps Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Take time to thoroughly read the job description for the Lead DevOps Engineer position. Understand the key responsibilities and required skills, as this will help you tailor your application to highlight relevant experiences.
Tailor Your CV: Customise your CV to reflect your experience in DevOps and leadership roles. Emphasise your technical skills, project management experience, and any specific tools or methodologies mentioned in the job description.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for DevOps and your vision for the role. Mention how your previous experiences align with the goals of the department and how you can contribute to shaping their technical landscape.
Proofread Your Application: Before submitting, carefully proofread your CV and cover letter for any spelling or grammatical errors. A polished application reflects attention to detail, which is crucial in a technical leadership role.
How to prepare for a job interview at DWP Digital
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you have a clear understanding of what a Lead DevOps Engineer does, especially in the context of a government department. Familiarise yourself with the specific responsibilities and how they align with the organisation's goals.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As this is a leadership role, be prepared to discuss your previous experiences in leading teams and projects. Highlight any successful initiatives you've driven and how you foster collaboration within your team.
✨Demonstrate Technical Expertise
Be ready to talk about your technical skills and experience with DevOps tools and practices. Discuss specific technologies you've worked with and how you've implemented them to improve processes or outcomes.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving abilities and decision-making process. Think of examples from your past where you faced challenges and how you overcame them, particularly in a DevOps context.
