Child Maintenance Service: Case Query Support Team Leader

Department for Work and Pensions

Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 28th October 2024

 

Details

Reference number

370509

Salary

£35,711 - £36,545

Job grade

Higher Executive Officer

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

DWP - Service Excellence - Child Maintenance Group

Type of role

Operational Delivery

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available

2

Contents

Birkenhead, Dudley, Plymouth

Job summary

Family separation is never easy. The Child Maintenance Service helps parents, who are unable to make a private financial agreement in support of their child(ren)’s living costs, ensure and at times enforce, the legal responsibility to provide financial support. Our mission is to ‘get money to children’ because it makes a real difference to children’s lives. Child Maintenance Service is not only undergoing a significant period of change as we drive forward our transformation agenda, but in tandem, we continue to deliver a politically significant and fundamentally crucial service to millions of separated families around the country who depend upon the work we do. Our story over the last two years is one of impressive progress and improvement. Despite the progress we’ve made, we are unashamedly ambitious about what more we can achieve and the difference we can make for the families who need us. Child Maintenance Service is an amazing place to work. Walk into any one of our service centres and you will be overwhelmed by the passion and commitment that our people have for supporting our customers.

Job description

Case Query Support (CQS) provide assistance and technical direction on all caseworker issues with Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to ensure case progression, also addressing knowledge gaps in system processes and procedures. Their aim is to reduce the number of queries raised, which adversely impact the service we provide to customers, by identifying trends and developing changes to processes and procedures that will improve outcomes and reduce system issues.

The job holder enables CQS Analysts by leading and providing proactive support / triage as part of the CQS team.

Case Query Support Team Leader Roles and Responsibilities include:

  • Provide effective leadership for a team of CQS analysts.
  • Effective leadership, emotionally aware, enabling the team to be innovative, adaptable and flexible.  Management, and development of their teams, providing a clear focus on priorities and empowering their people to succeed by creating an inclusive working environment promoting good decision making and problem solving.
  • Continuously improve the provision of the service CQS provide, ensuring a joined up approach with Business as Usual Incident processes.
  • Take responsibility for maximising own development and that of the team, creating a culture where good performance is praised and poor performance is challenged/addressed.
  • To identify and implement processes to enable caseworkers, team leaders and Case Query Support to resolve queries at the earliest point in the process.
  • Be an integral member of the team, working closely with colleagues to lead, support and influence the national strategy, design, development and implementation of changes, identifying, highlighting and resolving new issues.
  • Ensuring appropriate and robust Management Information and reporting is in place on incident levels and incident reasons/content.
  • Leading the team to analyse incident trends and volumes to identify caseworker education, and alternate ways of working to reduce incident volumes.
  • Working closely with internal and external stakeholders and suppliers such as Live Service Support (service management) and digital colleagues.
  • Working closely with Operations to identify ways to reduce telephone queries and share best practice.
  • Ensuring procedures and materials are updated to reflect education delivery.
  • Develop robust and achievable plans to deliver improvements on incident processing.
  • Attending case conferences to provide support with coordinating any actions the Business are required to complete.
  • Providing on site user education including delivery of overviews.
  • Support transformation programme and channel optimisation in reaching its business objectives.

Please note:

  • Some travel to other CMS sites may be required.
  • You must be able to work a minimum of 34 hours per week.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

This is what you will be assessed against, and should align your personal statement to.  Your evidence will be assessed against the following essential criteria. You must ensure you provide specific examples to demonstrate these criteria in your personal statement.  Candidates will be able to demonstrate the following:

  • Strong remote leadership experience, a confident decision maker, proactively managing team performance, demonstrating firm and fair approach to people management responsibilities whilst supporting development needs of themselves and others. (Lead Criteria)
  • Effective and confident communicator - both orally and in writing, with an ability to communicate with clarity, providing clear direction, owning difficult messages, inspiring, and securing commitment and showing genuine care for colleagues and teams.
  • Ability to build trusting relationships and credibility with a range of colleagues and stakeholders, through effective collaboration and working partnerships to generate commitment to goals, gaining buy in and demonstrating strong engagement skills.
  • Responsibility for developing and delivering high quality performance and outcomes, with focus and energy, that meet customer needs/improves customer service, encouraging and creating opportunity for innovation across teams.
  • Experience of incident management and business processes / procedures to support incident resolution and reduce failure demand.

Behaviours

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

  • Leadership
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Managing a Quality Service

Working for DWP will include benefits such as learning and development tailored to your role, an environment with flexible working options, a culture encouraging inclusion and diversity and a Civil Service pension Civil Service pension.

CMS is committed to the Wellbeing of all colleagues, support includes Wellbeing conversations, dedicated Wellbeing Advocates in each Service Centre to develop and deliver health and wellbeing initiatives and our own Intranet site offering a wealth of information, guidance and support.

We Value Everybody is one of our five Core Values here in CMS. We have active National Network Groups for Race, Disability, Carers, Wellbeing, Faith & Belief and Age. Our monthly People Group meeting draws these groups together to listen, act, and update CMS Directors with our plans.  

CMS Colleagues have the opportunity to join HASSRA, a vibrant and successful organisation that provides a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly). It also has an important part to play in helping us achieve a healthy work-life balance and wellbeing in the workplace.

Working hours - The contracted working hours for the Department are 07:45 hours to 20:00 hours, Monday to Friday, and 08:45 hours to 17:00 hours on Saturday.  Employees are contracted to work a specific number of hours per week within the above times.  Employees will be required to work the number of hours per week for which they are contracted. For example, for full time employees this will be 37 hours net (42 hours gross including meal breaks). For part-time employees it will be less.

Hybrid Working 

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.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Location 

Applicants should apply for suitable posts where they can travel to and from their home office location daily within a reasonable time.   

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed.  

Access to flexible working hours scheme will be available.

Please refer to the candidate pack for further information contained in this section of the advert and more information in relation to the Benefits of working for DWP.

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.

Stage 1: Application & Sift 

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete:

1. Personal Details application form ​

2. Personal Statement (1250 word limit)

3. Anonymised CV 

Use your 1250 word Personal Statement to describe how you meet the Essential Criteria as detailed in the job advert. 

Your Personal Statement should contain no more than 1250 words. The layout is entirely your choice, you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You may choose to address each criterion separately; however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several of the criteria. Please share with us what makes you suited to this role. We would like to find out what you can do, the skills you hold and the life experience or passion that you have that could be aligned to the criteria listed within the Person Specification.

The CV is an on-line tool, there is no requirement to upload your personal CV.  When giving details of your employment history, you should include details of work you have completed and projects you have been involved in. ​However the CV is not scored so please put the main content of your evidence and skills in your Personal Statement.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ANONYMISATION​

Due to the DWP’s use of anonymised recruitment practices it is not possible for applicants to upload/attach a CV; any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.

When entering information relating to your employment history you will be asked to remove any personal details that could be used to identify you. This relates to name and contact details which might usually appear on your CV/Personal statement. Failure to do so will result in your application being withdrawn.​

Sift​

The sift panel will use the information in your Personal Statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge against the essential Criteria outlined in the advert. ​

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Lead Criteria:

  • Strong and effective remote leadership experience, a confident decision maker, proactively managing team performance, demonstrating firm and fair approach to people management responsibilities whilst supporting development needs of themselves and others.

Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift where all applications will be assessed and sifted against all the essential criteria outlined in the advert.

Please note depending on the volume of applications we may choose to invite candidates straight to interview and dispense with the sift stage.  For this reason, the timeline for the interview window is subject to change depending on the approach we choose to take.

Stage 2: Interview

Unless you are otherwise informed, the final stage of the process will be a blended interview via Microsoft Teams.

All elements of the interview will be via video link, and the whole process should take approximately 30-40 minutes.

A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation at interview, offering a more inclusive approach.

The Strength and Behaviour based questioning explores what the candidate can and has done, but also their potential.

The Behaviours being assessed at interview are:

  • Leadership (Lead Behaviour)
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Managing a Quality Service

Please refer to the Candidate Pack for further information.

Approximate sift and interview dates:

Sift Period: 29/10/24 - 12/11/24.
Interviews: 25/11/24 - 05/12/24.

Sift and Interview dates are subject to change.

Further information:

Find out more about Working for DWP

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

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 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.

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.

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. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

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. 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.

DWP takes development seriously. Our aim is for our colleagues in these roles to be appropriately skilled and qualified – as determined by the business. To support this aim you may be required to undertake a work based qualification, which may be in the form of an apprenticeship, which will support you in further developing your professional knowledge and skills for this role and your future career development. The qualification can be undertaken in work time, you agree to take this job on the basis that you may be required to undertake a work based qualification; a candidate’s failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, may be a breach of their employment contract. 

Important 

If you hold a level 3 qualification (2 A levels or equivalent) then please bring your certificates with you to the interview if you have them.

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

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 Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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.



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

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.

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.

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 : Jennifer Ross
  • Email : jennifer.ross@dwp.gov.uk

Recruitment team

  • Email : dwprecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

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.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.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.

Share this page