Strategic Reporting and Assurance Manager

Birmingham, Blackpool, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sheffield

Please note that for candidates requesting to work in Newcastle, this role will be based at Benton Park View from September 2025, and then at 1 Pilgrim Place in Newcastle city centre by the end of 2027

Job Summary
Working in Corporate Transformation is a unique opportunity to engage with the transformation agenda in DWP. This is a chance for you to showcase your knowledge and ability in a fast paced and challenging environment.

You will be building professional partnerships, creating a positive reputation and using your intellect to help deliver a Corporate Transformation agenda crucial to the Department's transformation.

Due to the nature of the role, there is a requirement to be able to work at pace with challenging and demanding timescales, analysing diverse and complex information for potential impacts on the Corporate Transformation Group. The post holder will be expected to work confidently and in tandem with wider group and departmental teams.

Job Description
We are seeking a highly organised and proactive person to support a busy team with a wide ranging portfolio. The role is responsible for:

Efficiently providing secretariat support for key forums and boards, such as the Corporate Transformation Executive (CTE) Board, Deputy Director Forum, and Risk Forum this involves managing and developing agendas, liaison with senior stakeholders and partners across DWP.

Preparing comprehensive forward look products to support boards, managing actions and decisions, conducting governance reviews, and maintaining virtual governance network membership are vital tasks.

Compiling accurate and detailed data packs for the Executive and Corporate Centre Trade Union meetings, utilising key analytic skills and providing insightful analysis to support informed decision-making and strategic planning.

Assurance activities including risk and audit assurance and oversight playing a critical role in maintaining compliance and transparency within the Group. This involves managing risk reporting, ensuring adherence to audit recommendations, and maintaining effective communication with business areas and the Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA).

Building productive, effective working relationships with a range of colleagues, including departmental and group teams, Directors, and Senior Leaders demonstrating a strong understanding of the context in which the group operates.

Supporting workforce planning and recruitment at both team and group level. Coordinating efforts ensuring the selection and onboarding process runs efficiently.

Enhancing team engagement within learning and development. Including maintaining the team SharePoint site established for learning resources, and participation in learning lead meetings collaborating with the personal and professional learning team.

Commissioning from others high quality briefing and advice using data and insight to meet the reporting requirements.

Responsibilities
We are seeking a highly organised and proactive person to support a busy team with a wide ranging portfolio. The role is responsible for:

Efficiently providing secretariat support for key forums and boards, such as the Corporate Transformation Executive (CTE) Board, Deputy Director Forum, and Risk Forum this involves managing and developing agendas, liaison with senior stakeholders and partners across DWP.

Preparing comprehensive forward look products to support boards, managing actions and decisions, conducting governance reviews, and maintaining virtual governance network membership are vital tasks.

Compiling accurate and detailed data packs for the Executive and Corporate Centre Trade Union meetings, utilising key analytic skills and providing insightful analysis to support informed decision-making and strategic planning.

Assurance activities including risk and audit assurance and oversight playing a critical role in maintaining compliance and transparency within the Group. This involves managing risk reporting, ensuring adherence to audit recommendations, and maintaining effective communication with business areas and the Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA).

Building productive, effective working relationships with a range of colleagues, including departmental and group teams, Directors, and Senior Leaders demonstrating a strong understanding of the context in which the group operates.

Supporting workforce planning and recruitment at both team and group level. Coordinating efforts ensuring the selection and onboarding process runs efficiently.

Enhancing team engagement within learning and development. Including maintaining the team SharePoint site established for learning resources, and participation in learning lead meetings collaborating with the personal and professional learning team.

Commissioning from others high quality briefing and advice using data and insight to meet the reporting requirements.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to analyse and process information using data, evidence, and insight to effectively inform senior leaders, including Senior Civil Servants on a wide range of issues in a fast paced and concise way to influence decision-making at the highest level. (Lead Criteria)
• Exceptional Senior Stakeholders Management skills, with the ability to build relationships and demonstrate strong collaborative skills with teams across corporate services. Be able to develop and maintain effective networks with a wide range of senior stakeholders both internally and externally, including Senior Civil Servants (SCS).
• Demonstrate experience in risk management and audit reporting. Ability to maintain and review risk registers, coordinate audit assurance activities, and prepare audit governance reports and assurance packs for senior leadership and external bodies such as GIAA.
• Excellent judgement and have an outstanding ability to prioritise, coordinate, and organise the range of actions across the team. You will need to be comfortable working at pace and on your own initiative to meet deadlines and balance different work priorities, whilst remaining calm under pressure
• Proficiency in SharePoint management and maintenance. Ability to create, manage, and maintain SharePoint sites, ensuring that they are user-friendly and meet the needs of the organisation. This includes managing permissions, creating workflows, and troubleshooting issues.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, MS Forms, MS Teams, and Outlook are essential. Ability to use Excel for data analysis They should be proficient in PowerPoint for creating engaging presentations, MS Forms for designing surveys and forms, MS Teams for collaboration and communication, and Outlook for managing emails and calendars efficiently.
• The ability to adapt to changing priorities is crucial. This role involves being flexible and open to new ideas, approaches, and changes in direction. It requires the capacity to quickly adjust to new situations, learn new skills, and effectively manage multiple tasks and responsibilities.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together

Alongside your salary of £38,772, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £11,232 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year's continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women's Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements.

The CV is an on-line tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobsite and there is no requirement to upload your personal CV.

Our CV element is short and allows an initial check of eligibility but is not scored
so please put the main content of your evidence and skills in your Personal Statement
.

A personal statement (maximum 1,000 words), explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities, and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role against the essential criteria in the person specification.

In the event of a large number of applications we will use the
Lead Criteria
to initially assess your application.

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to analyse and process information using data, evidence, and insight to effectively inform senior leaders, including Senior Civil Servant on a wide range of issues in a fast paced and concise way to influence decision-making at the highest level.
(Lead Criteria)**
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to full Sift or direct to interview.

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Interview
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview lasting up to 45 minutes. This will take place via MS Teams.

The interview panel will be a minimum of two people and will assess Behaviours and Strengths.

Sift and Interview Dates

• Sift week commencing 15 December 2025
• Interviews week commencing 19 January 2026

Further Information
At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub.

Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

Offer
This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office 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 need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. 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.

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 here. Successful candidates will be posted in merit order based on your location preferences, where appropriate, and the geographical requirements of the business. Dependent on your position on the merit list, if none of your location preferences remain at the point we make a job offer DWP may offer you a role at an alternative advertised location. If we are unable to offer you a role in any of your preferred locations, and you are unable to accept a role at an alternative advertised location, we will add you to the reserve list if one is being held.

Important Information – Visa Sponsorship
For these vacancies, we strongly recommend that applicants consult with an immigration specialist or qualified advisor to assess their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship before deciding to apply. Please note that while we consider sponsorship requests in accordance with current DWP guidance and Home Office policy, sponsorship cannot be guaranteed.

Disability Confident Scheme
If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Reasonable Adjustments
We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the "Reasonable Adjustments" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Integrity, plagiarism, Civil Service Principles and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles.

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.

Examples Of Plagiarism Can Include

• Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
• Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out.

Important
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWP's Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Any move to DWP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at the Childcare Choices Website.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : DWP CT DGO Recruitment
• Email :

Recruitment team

• Email :

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: HR..GOV.UK.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.