Workplace Designer
Government Property Agency
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 17th November 2024
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Project Delivery
Property
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About the job
Job summary
The Government Property Agency is the largest property holder in government, with more than £2.1 billion in property assets and over 55% of the government’s office estate.
We are transforming the way the Civil Service works by creating great places to work, leading the largest commercial office programme in the UK, working towards halving carbon emissions from government offices, and achieving greater value for taxpayers. And we are looking for innovative, solutions-focused people to join our team.
Representing the best covenant in the UK – His Majesty’s Government – we are leading transformational programmes such as the Government Hubs Programme, Whitehall Campus Programme and Net Zero Programme, as well as delivering modern, cost-effective real estate service solutions.
Innovation and progress are at the heart of our behaviours. We foster a culture of lifelong learning, where curiosity and self-improvement are encouraged. And we’re dedicated to becoming a leading, inclusive employer both in the external market and throughout the Civil Service. Our strong emphasis on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is not just about driving inclusion across our organisation, it is also about ensuring our services meet the needs of government departments and the civil servants who use our spaces.
Join our dynamic and diverse team that leads with purpose, improving sustainability, nurturing social value, driving inclusivity and flexibility, and kick starting economic growth. We are driven by purpose, and you can be part of it too: where you make a meaningful impact; where you influence; where your voice really matters; where you help to shape our future direction.
The GPA is committed to representing the communities we serve by making Diversity, Equality and Inclusion part of everything we do.
To ensure that we are always recruiting and retaining a diverse mix of talent, we are particularly inviting applications from candidates who are disabled, ethnically or gender diverse, and people who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Job description
The Workplace Designer (WD) is responsible for ensuring the Government Workplace Design Guide and supporting technical annexes are applied consistently across specific projects. They also provide day to day advice and guidance to the project team on design matters.
Supporting the Workplace Design Manager, and acting as the tactical Intelligent Client on specific projects, the WD interprets the Government Workplace Design Guide, GPA’s Employer Requirements and any client specialist requirements, informing design briefs for developers and GPA’s consulting design partners to produce designs for each RIBA stage.
The WD provides assurance that all designs support the GPA’s commitment to create workplaces that are safe, inclusive and accessible and as flexible as possible to support smarter and hybrid working practices.
Working as part of a wider team, the WD provides ad-hoc support on other projects as required, including the development and maintenance of our guides and standards to ensure our projects are at the forefront of sustainable and inclusive workplace design.
Key Responsibilities:
Reporting to a Workplace Design Manager, the Workplace Designer is responsible for:
- Advising the Workplace Design Manager on the status of the project’s design, ensuring they are aligned to the Government Workplace Design Guide and supporting technical annexes.
- Providing professional advice and guidance to the project team, escalating design related risks and issues as appropriate to the Workplace Design Manager.
- Technically assuring the designs produced by the GPA’s consulting design partners and developer’s architects, to ensure compliance with GPA standards, including inclusive and accessible design and the GPA look and feel.
- Supporting client engagement on all design matters.
- Implementing the Government Workplace Design Guide in full, as far as is reasonably practicable, and managing exceptions (client specialist requirements) into appropriate briefing material for designers to use during Cat A and Cat B RIBA stages, minimising the need for bespoke spaces.
- Work with the Stakeholder and Approval Manager(s) to review client specialist requirements to minimise costs and unnecessary derogation from the Government Workplace Design Guide and technical annexes.
- Providing information to inform detailed briefings, options analysis and information on design for senior leaders and stakeholders.
- Monitoring and reporting on the project specific design progress.
- Supporting the GPA Workplace Experience team to advocate smarter working.
- Supporting the GPA’s Technology and Data team to deliver interoperable AV/IT solutions.
- Supporting the GPA Workplace Solutions team to design customer focussed products and services.
- Working with subject matter experts in design-related areas across government, and private sector professionals including the property industry.
- Acting as a client design point of contact for designers, contractors, consultant partners and their supply chains on specific projects.
The Workplace Designer is directly accountable to the Workplace Design Manager for the status of their allocated project’s design.
Person specification
We are looking for an experienced design professional who can demonstrate practical experience of design management and delivery on large scale projects or programmes in ‘multi-disciplinary’ project teams.
Experience & Technical Skills
Essential criteria:
- Knowledge and understanding of construction, technical specifications, workspace design and procurement.
- Successful end-to-end delivery of large change projects through forming effective relationships with senior stakeholders, customer groups, policy makers, and creating engaged teams.
- Experience of effective client engagement and relationship management with senior leaders and stakeholders.
- Ability to make value based decisions and drive continuous improvement.
- Excellent IT skills including Adobe Creative Suite, MS Office and PDF mark-up software (e.g. Bluebeam Revu).
- Experience of effective team working.
- Experience of communicating and influencing at a senior level.
- Understanding of project management methodologies.
- Experience gained in an architectural, design or construction based role.
Desirable criteria:
- Managing effective governance controls in a complex business environment.
- Experience developing, maintaining and applying design guidance and standards.
- Understanding of Government or BSRIA Soft Landings process.
- Understanding of projects using BIM level 2.
- Experience using Common Data Environments (CDE) for document management.
- Experience of working in or with the Government Property Profession.
Qualifications and Accreditation's:
Desirable criteria:
- An associate or bachelor's degree in architecture, interior design and/or another relevant subject.
- Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. ARB, Chartered Society of Designers etc.)
- Relevant project management qualification (eg APM, MSP etc).
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Working Together
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Customer Perspective
- Commercial Acumen
- Property Market Knowledge
- Innovation
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
- Generous annual leave
Things you need to know
Selection process details
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities and wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and well-being and aim to create a sense of belonging in a workplace where everyone feels valued.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 and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
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 (RIS) to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
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).
Sift
The sift is due to take place week commencing 18th November 2024.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to include a CV and a 1000 word personal statement. The personal statement should then align with the person specification.
Interview
Applicants successful at sift will be invited to interviews, which are due to take place week commencing 3rd December 2024 in the Leeds office. This is subject to change dependent upon where most successful candidates are based. You must be willing to travel to any of the GPA locations for your interview. If you are unable to attend a face to face interview due to extenuating circumstances, we advise that you reach out to the recruitment admin team to find out if alternative means can be arranged prior to submitting your application.
At interview, applicants will be scored against 3 behaviours Working Together, Communicating & Influencing and Delivering at pace.
Interview questions will be a blend of Behaviour, Experience, Technical (core skill) questions and a presentation at interview.
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to GPA 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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 you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
GPA policy is for interviews to be held face to face, with virtual interviews only by absolute exception. The date and location will be confirmed if you are invited to interview. If you feel this will be a problem for you, please contact recruitment@gpa.gov.uk to discuss prior to submitting your application.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via gparecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the ‘Assistance required’ 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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Andrew Nelson
- Email : Andrew.Nelson@GPA.GOV.UK
Recruitment team
- Email : gparecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission:
Click here to visit Civil Service Commission
