Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Area Head of Office
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Job Summary
This is a high-profile, business-critical leadership role that sits at the heart of operational delivery across Scotland and Northern England. As an Area Head of Office, you will play a pivotal role in supporting senior leaders to deliver strategic priorities, drive operational excellence, and ensure services achieve the best possible outcomes for customers.
Working closely with the Area Director and Senior Leadership Team, you will provide strategic leadership across a large and complex business area, using performance insight, workforce planning, governance, and resource management to support the effective delivery of services across multiple locations.
You will lead a range of business functions, ensuring robust operational oversight, effective risk management, and the delivery of key organizational priorities. The role requires a highly collaborative leader who can influence at senior levels, build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and translate strategic objectives into practical delivery.
This is an outstanding opportunity to contribute to services that support people into employment, improve customer outcomes, and help deliver the UK's wider employment and economic ambitions.
This role covers Scotland and Northern England. The successful candidate may be based at any suitable site within the area; however, the role requires frequent travel throughout Scotland and Northern England. Please see the attached list of districts and sites within the area.
Please note, this vacancy is not currently eligible for new applications for Visa Sponsorship on the Skilled Worker route, for any candidates who do not currently have permission to be in the UK as a Skilled Worker where they were sponsored before 4 April 2024, even if relying on tradeable points (including the new entrant tradeable points option) as they are not included in the published Immigration Salary List.
This information is offered as guidance only, and we recommend that applicants seek specialist advice on their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship (if applicable) when considering whether to apply for any role.
Job Description
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Governance
- Oversee risk management, and business performance activity to help deliver organisational priorities and achieve operational objectives.
- Act as a trusted adviser to the Director maintaining oversight of priorities, commitments and emerging issues.
Communications and Stakeholder Engagement
- Develop and deliver effective communication strategies, provide high-quality and timely briefing materials for senior leaders, and build productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Support visits by Ministers and senior officials, ensuring clear and consistent communication of organisational priorities.
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Continuous Improvement and Innovation
- Promote collaboration, innovation, and the sharing of best practice across teams.
- Identify opportunities to improve processes, increase efficiency, and enhance the effectiveness of service delivery.
Leadership and People Management
- Lead and develop high-performing teams, creating an inclusive environment where colleagues feel supported, valued, and empowered to succeed.
- Drive performance, capability development, wellbeing, and engagement while ensuring compliance with relevant policies and legislation.
Customer Focus
- Use customer insight and operational intelligence to improve services and drive better outcomes, ensuring customers receive an effective, efficient, and joined-up experience.
Person Specification
Key Criteria
- Demonstrated experience of leading business performance and delivering organisational priorities within a large and complex organisation.
- Experience of building and maintaining effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior leaders, external partners and other key decision-makers.
- Proven experience of leading teams and stakeholders through periods of change, uncertainty or transformation.
- Experience of using data, insight and sound judgement to monitor performance, identify risks and opportunities, and support effective decision-making.
- Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and develop high-performing teams.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and confidently to a range of audiences.
Behaviours
- We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £57,946, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £16,786 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
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.
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Selection Process Details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
Stage 1 – Application
Initially you will be asked if you have the right to work in the UK and meet Civil Service nationality requirements and your personal details. (if you are successful after interview you will be asked to provide documentation to prove this. This will include proof of ID, including photo ID or equivalent biometric passport/share code and proof of address).
Stage 2 - A name blind CV
We will ask you to provide your CV in an anonymised format. This will remove information that could identify you, such as your name, age or gender. The CV is an on-line tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobs site and there is no requirement to upload your personal CV.
Stage 3 - Personal Statement
The written sift will be conducted using evidence from your Personal Statement and will be assessed against the Key Criteria above.
Please complete up to 1250 words providing examples of how things you have done in the past and your skills and experience help you demonstrate the Key Criteria requirements.
Stage 4 - Interview
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a face-to-face blended Interview in Falkirk Jobcentre, lasting up to 1 hour. Interviews are expected to take place during November 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.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
Email: uc.scotlandrecruitment@dwp.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Email: dwprecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
For further information on job nationality requirements and the right to work in the UK, see the Civil Service Nationality rules and the UK Visas and Immigration rules.
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