Planning and portfolio manager (Debt advice) in Bedford

Join us at the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) as a Planning and Portfolio Manager (Debt Advice). This role offers you the chance to make a significant impact. In this pivotal role, you’ll work closely with the Debt Advice Strategy Manager to coordinate and deliver key projects and workstreams under the MaPS debt advice strategy. If you’re passionate about making a difference and thrive in a supportive environment, we want to hear from you!

You’ll be part of a dynamic team dedicated to helping people across the UK improve their financial wellbeing.

Role Overview

The Planning and Portfolio Manager will report directly to the Debt Advice Strategy Manager. In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Providing high-quality project support with strong, hands-on project management capability, including developing detailed plans, coordinating delivery, and consolidating reports into clear, actionable updates for stakeholders while building strong, positive working relationships.
• Developing, maintaining, and monitoring team plans, and supporting effective resource planning across the debt function.
• Identifying and monitoring risks and issues, developing mitigating actions, and escalating as appropriate, while working with related project and workstream leads to manage interdependencies.
• Supporting effective governance and decision-making across the project.
• Providing and maintaining reporting mechanisms to support delivery, including the timely and accurate socialisation of key artefacts.
• Engaging with assurance reviews and supporting action on recommendations.
• Supporting the development of Business Cases, incorporating input from relevant specialists as required.

Skills and Experience

To excel in this role, you will need to demonstrate:

• Demonstrable knowledge and experience of planning, monitoring and controlling workstreams including budgeting and resource allocation procedures.
• Experience of working effectively with a wide range of stakeholders across other government departments, directorate/business group lines.
• Experience of impact assessing new and complex areas of work.
• Experience of overseeing risk and issue management.
• Experience of day-to-day support of workstreams and/or projects.
• Experience of managing or supporting governance forums ensuring timely and accurate socialisation of key artefacts.
• Understanding of the commercial lifecycle.
• Experience of the debt advice sector and advice development and delivery.

About Us

The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) is based in Bedford, in a recently renovated modern office. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to become an integral part of a dynamic organisation, working to help people across the UK.

At the heart of the Money and Pensions Service are our values – caring, connecting, and transforming, which are the foundation of our success. They permeate every area of our work and define all our business relationships and the way we work with each other.

We’re not only looking for the best people to come and work for us, but we need people who align themselves with our values:

• Caring: We care about our colleagues and the people whose lives we are here to transform.
• Connecting: We will transform lives through our ability to make positive connections.
• Transforming: We are committed to transforming lives and making a positive societal impact.

By fostering our values, we are immensely proud of the inclusive working environment that we have created. The diversity of our people is a strength that we embrace and wish to build upon, so we are committed to attracting people of all backgrounds.

What We Offer

• Pension scheme – contributions matched 2 to 1 (up to 10% of your salary).
• Interest-free loan for season tickets for buses and trains.
• Cycle to work Scheme.
• Subsidised eye tests & flu jabs.
• Give as you earn scheme.
• Employee assistance programme (EAP).
• Enhanced family and sick pay.
• Paid volunteering (2 days a year).
• Recognition Scheme.
• Discounts portal to numerous retailers.

Flexible Working

At MaPS, we take pride in our flexible approach to work. As standard, we work on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days in the office per month. Hybrid working is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and our headquarters in Bedford will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business needs, but personal and other relevant circumstances will also be considered.

If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

In MaPS, we take career development seriously. We actively encourage and support applications from our existing MaPS colleagues. However, we do follow the Civil Service Commissioner recruitment principles, which means that you will be required to participate in a full, open, and fair process.

Important Information About Applying

To make sure your application reaches us safely, please submit it only through our official MaPS application links. Applications sent via third-party or unauthorised websites, or emailed directly, unfortunately can’t be considered. Please also note that MaPS is unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time.

Reserve List

If you are successful at interview, we operate a reserve list where your details will be held for up to 6 months. Should a vacancy come available in that time with the same essential criteria, reserve list candidates will be offered that position with no further assessment required.

Application Process

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact the Money and Pensions Service via email. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.