Universal Credit Operational Leader - Scotland (Ref: 748)

You should not apply for the role in this location you unless you are prepared to travel or re-locate to at your own expense. Candidates who are made an offer and decline or are unable to take up post within a reasonable timeframe will be withdrawn from the campaign.

Please note that these vacancies are not currently eligible for new applications for Visa Sponsorship on the Skilled Worker route, for any candidates who do not currently have permission to be in the UK as a Skilled Worker where they were sponsored before 4 April 2024, even if relying on tradeable points (including the new entrant tradeable points option) as they are not included in the published Immigration Salary List. This information is offered as guidance only, and we recommend that applicants seek specialist advice on their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship (if applicable) when considering whether to apply for any role.

About the job

Job summary

• Do you have a passion for delivering exceptional customer service, helping positively change lives in your local community?
• Do you enjoy working full time on site, leading and coaching a team to deliver quality service in a face-to-face office environment?
• Are you looking for a public service leadership role at the centre of operations, leading the delivery of Universal Credit on the high street?

If so, we would like to hear from you!

As part of the DWP Operational Delivery you will be at the heart of DWP’s front line operations helping to change people lives in our communities from around the 20 million plus customer base.

DWP is responsible for:

• helping people to move into work and supporting those already in work to progress, with the aim of increasing overall workforce participation
• helping people to plan and save for later life, while providing a safety net for those who need it now
• providing effective, efficient, and innovative services to the millions of claimants who rely on us every day, including the most vulnerable in society
• improving experience of our services while maximising value for money for the taxpayer

This rewarding role in Universal Credit operations offers a range of benefits including competitive salary, pension, flexible working, employee discount schemes, and a range of development programmes including professional learning and accreditation.

About us – Department for Work and Pensions GOV.UK

Please ensure you read all the process information for this campaign as we are conducting a voluntary assessment trial and there are additional elements to be aware of. We would be grateful if you would participate in this to help to shape our future recruitment processes aiming to improve our candidate experience.

Operational Leaders are accountable for creating an environment to support the flexible, effective, personalised delivery of customer service to those receiving support via Universal Credit.

You will lead a team of 12-15 Jobcentre colleagues – potentially across multiple sites – to support a caseload of customers to move closer to, or into work, ensuring performance measures are achieved and quality standards are met.

You will be office-based (these are not hybrid / home-working roles), with travel between Jobcentres and within the community required.

This is a fast-paced role, where you will be faced with challenging circumstances whilst supporting some of the most vulnerable in our society, requiring resilience and strong, adaptable leadership skills.

Leadership behaviours that show a caring, inclusive, flexible, adaptable approach will be key to your success. Enabling your teams to explore options and identify solutions to achieve successful business outcomes is critical for this role.

You will gain knowledge of the local labour market and sustain various relationships across the organisation, other government departments, and partner organisations to support the effectiveness of your team and the service provided to customers.

You will also take into account the impact of devolution in Scotland.

You will be responsible for managing the workload of your team and undertaking first line manager tasks such as regular discussions with your team members relating to wellbeing, performance, development, and career aspirations. Your role also includes applying and making decisions in line with DWP People Policies.