Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Space Planner
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Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Blackpool, Glasgow & Pontypridd
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
For jobs located in Wales, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is one of the government’s largest public service departments with a sizeable annual budget, serving over 20 million citizens.
The estate spans 1.4 million square metres across 800+ sites and supports around 78,000 colleagues.
Our vision includes DWP colleagues, supply chain, partners and, most fundamentally, the customers the Department exists to serve. They are the reason for our existence.
We are responsible for the day-to-day operation of our vast Estate by managing a private sector supply chain that delivers essential services such as Security Guarding, Maintenance, Property and Leasehold Management, Construction, Cleaning and Facilities Management.
DWP Estates is not just about maintaining buildings - it’s about transformation. Our strategic goals include:
- Transitioning to a smaller, more affordable, and adaptable estate to meet future needs
- Investing in infrastructure through planned replacement works
- Embedding sustainability in line with Government Greening Commitments (GGCs)
- Delivering cost-effective services while maintaining high standards
- Creating a professional, best-in-class working culture across the Government Property profession
Our Estates strategy ambitions have been refreshed to take us through to 2030:
- OPTIMISE: Continue to transition to a more affordable and adaptable DWP estate that creates productive environments
- INVEST: Investment in an improved environment that better meets the needs of customers and colleagues and minimises service disruption
- SUPPORT the drive for sustainability throughout DWP
- DELIVER: Expertly deliver improving, cost-effective services for DWP
- THRIVE: Continue to develop a working culture for DWP Estates that is best in class across government
The Space Planning team works from project inception through to post occupancy evaluations to ensure that DWP’s property portfolio is aspirational in its approach to design, inclusivity, and sustainability.
The successful candidate will report to a Space Planning Manager and work alongside a team of space planners to design space, using AutoCAD and Revit. This will enable the DWP to use its buildings more efficiently and effectively, as well as raising the standards of the DWP workplace. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to play a vital role within an influential team within DWP.
AutoCAD, Revit and other space modelling tools and the use of estate wide space management software (as part of a larger CAFM system) will be used to provide important strategic and tactical insight on the efficient management of space.
Job Description
Government Property Profession Career Framework (Link)
This Role Sits Within The Following:
- Job Family – Technical Specialisms & Assurance
- Core Role - Design
- Level - Practitioner
Key Accountabilities
- Design layout plans that comply with DWP Design Guidance and Future Ways of Working principles using CAD software.
- Undertake site surveys to collect data on building layouts, supporting assessments for acquisitions and changes to the existing estate.
- Ensure layout information is captured and kept up to date within the Computer Aided Facility Management (CAFM) system.
- Classify space within CAFM in accordance with agreed standards (e.g. International Property Measurement Standards), with guidance where required.
- Produce reports on space utilisation across the estate and contribute to space feasibility studies to support planning decisions.
- Provide technical input and guidance to stakeholders, including external designers and suppliers, ensuring outputs align with required standards and business needs.
- Review floor plans at key stages of design, identifying issues and escalating where standards are not met.
- Support post-occupancy evaluations and stakeholder engagement activities, helping to identify lessons learned and improvements to DWP’s Design Standards.
- Contribute to the management of supply chain partners by supporting service delivery, monitoring outputs, and assisting with administrative tasks such as issuing drawings.
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Person specification
Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience
- Good working knowledge of AutoCAD and understanding of architectural drafting standards [Lead Criteria]
- Experience in space planning, interior design, architecture, or a related discipline.
- Evidence of contributing to workplace or customer-facing space design projects.
- Experience drafting and reviewing floor plans, with awareness of RIBA design stages.
- Practical awareness of technical, legal, and regulatory design considerations, including relevant British Standards.
- Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities across multiple tasks.
- Skilled in analysing space requirements and using informed judgement to develop practical design solutions, with strong active listening and the ability to communicate clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
- Problem-solving skills with the ability to work independently and communicate solutions effectively, escalating where appropriate.
- Ability to work collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams, including stakeholders and external partners.
- Experience of building surveys and site data collection activities.
- Ability to collate and analyse data and present clear insights to support decision-making.
Qualifications/professional Memberships
Desirable
- Working towards membership of the IWFM, RICS, RIBA or other appropriate body with a preference if already held.
- Any combination of experience and/or education from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.
- Design experience of commercial, office or retail spaces.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Changing and Improving
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
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 (opens in a new window).
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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Artificial intelligence
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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT
As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a Personal Statement of no more than 1000 words against the essential criteria as outlined above. You will also be asked to provide a short CV.
Your CV should be fairly short and just evidence very brief details of your work history and Qualifications.
Please do not submit a speculative application where you do not meet at least 50% of the essential criteria as these applications will be unsuccessful. Do not include Behaviour examples within your application as these will not be assessed in the sift and will only be used at interview stage.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
There will be an initial sift of applications based on the Personal Statement only, so please ensure you evidence how you meet the Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience requirement contained in the vacancy in this section. This will form a short list for interview.
If we receive a large number of applications we will conduct an initial sift on the Lead Criteria only. If you pass the initial sift you will be progressed to full sift or directly to interview.
STAGE 2 - INTERVIEW
All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will undertake a single virtual video interview.
There, you will be assessed against the experiences listed in the essential criteria.
You may also be asked an additional question to validate your technical knowledge/experience which will be measured against the essential criteria as specified in the vacancy. You will also be asked some Behaviour & Strength questions.
Currently the sift is scheduled to take place w/c 31st August 2026 and interview date is 14th September 2026. Interviews are scheduled to take place virtually and dates are subject to change.
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.
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