Overview

Join to apply for the Head of Strategic Workforce Planning role at Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

DWP is the UK’s largest public service department, supporting over 20 million people annually. The People and Capability Group lead on HR, Health & Safety, Organisation Development, and Learning Design and Delivery, supporting around 85,000 colleagues across 980 sites. We enable DWP’s transformation and deliver its strategic priorities through our people.

You’ll join the Resourcing, Workforce Strategy and Reform team as Head of Strategic Workforce Planning, leading one of DWP’s key priorities: ensuring the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time. We shape resourcing strategy, employer brand, recruitment policy, and manage relationships with key partners.

You’ll lead our Strategic Resourcing team, working with the Deputy Director to align long- and short-term planning, policy, and governance to ensure the department is future-ready.

Your Role and Impact

As Head of Strategic Workforce Planning, you’ll drive the development and delivery of DWP’s workforce and resourcing strategies, enabling informed decision-making at senior levels.

Through expert leadership in workforce planning, exit strategy, contingent labour, and governance, you’ll influence how DWP responds to change, manages resources, and builds a capable, agile workforce.

You’ll lead our centre of expertise for Strategic Workforce Planning, ensuring compliance with Civil Service Compensation Scheme protocols, overseeing governance and assurance (including supply and demand levels), and reporting to senior boards. You’ll champion a culture of compliance and challenge non-compliance to protect organisational integrity.

We’re looking for someone who embraces innovation and continuous improvement. You’ll draw insights from across government and external partners, build capability across the workforce planning community, and lead a high-performing team to new standards of excellence.

What skills and experience do you need? How will this be assessed?

You’ll complete both a technical statement and personal statement in your application. This is your opportunity to evidence examples of how you meet the following criteria:

Technical Statement:

• Demonstrable experience of Strategic Workforce Planning and Workforce Planning gained in a large complex and multi geographical organisation with evidence of the ability to manage a complex and volatile strategic resourcing landscape.

Personal Statement:

• Proven ability to quickly build effective relationships at a senior level and demonstrable experience of engaging, influencing and persuading senior stakeholders to reach consensus on complex business issues whilst offering constructive challenge.
• Strong evidence of presenting complex ideas, data, and analysis in a visually accessible way, which has enabled senior stakeholders to make informed decisions at strategic level. You must possess strong Excel skills, with an accomplished ability to interpret, manipulate and produce data modelling, this is critical due to the fast-paced nature of corporate requests.
• Strong evidence of successfully building and leading multi-disciplinary diverse teams with the ability to motivate, set direction in ambiguity, and build capability so they are recognised as professional experts in their field.
• Ability to respond to changing business requirements at pace and translate business strategy into workforce implications. (long-term workforce trends, scenario planning, and forecasting).
• Strong evidence of being a creative problem solver, with the ability to interpret complex organisational strategies and operating models. You will have used insight into long-term workforce trends, scenario planning, and forecasting to evaluate risks and develop innovative yet pragmatic solutions to complex resourcing challenges such as aligning workforce plans with estates strategy and fiscal constraints while ensuring compliance with legislative requirements.
• Be an advocate for change and innovation within strategic resourcing using evidence, insights, and best practice to continuously improve resourcing processes including supporting effective delivery of changes through ongoing engagement and evaluation.

Qualifications: Chartered Member of CIPD or willing to work towards this upon the commencement of the role.

Location: You’ll join us in one of our brilliant sites in Leeds, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Birmingham, Sheffield, whichever is best suited to 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 £80,267.

Pension: You'll get a brilliant civil service pension with employer contributions worth 28.97%.

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:

• An award-winning environment and culture: Employer of the Year 2023 (Women In IT Awards), Founders Award for Outstanding Digital Leadership 2023 (Digital 100)
• 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
• Sports and social activities
• Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Government Administration