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Workplace Design Standards Lead

Hybrid in Manchester·Added today (last checked 27 Oct)

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

22 open roles

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Our summary

Salary
£57,946 - £68,205 a year

About £3,680 - £4,180 a month after tax.

Work mode
Hybrid, Manchester
Closing date
Apply by Sunday 15 November
Pension
28.97% employer pension
Commute
Cycle to work and season ticket loan

Skills

Nice to have

Requirements

What we're looking for

  • Extensive knowledge of statutory processes, Building Regulations and construction related legislation able to evidence involvement in complex estate change in either office/ retail/ banking or educational environments
  • In depth understanding of construction methods and materials and fully conversant with CDM Regulations
  • Experience of dealing with technical, legal or regulatory design issues at a policy and practical level
  • Experienced in new build, conversions, extensions and major refurbishments developments
  • Proven experience of managing design and Furniture Fixings & Equipment specification experience.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Ability to use evidence alongside analytical thinking to make decisions
  • Strong analytical skills including research and investigatio
  • Ability to present at a senior level, sometimes in larger forums, in a clear and concise style varying the presentation according to the target audience with an ability to work collaboratively with mixed teams, consultants and stakeholders
  • Comfortable challenging the status-quo to achieve a better outcome

Nice to have

  • Interior Architecture, Interior Design or Architecture Degree
  • Working towards RIBA with a preference if already held
  • Working towards RICS (MRICS/FRICS) with a preference if already held

Languages

For jobs located in Wales, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable.

Pay & benefits

What you'll get

£57,946 - £68,205

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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. 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.

Visa & relocation

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.

The role

Government Property Profession Career Framework (Link)

This role sits within the following:

  • Job Family - Technical Specialisms & Assurance
  • Core Role - Design
  • Level - Senior Practitioner

What you'll do

  • Lead the development of technical property standards for various building types across the portfolio ensuring, as a minimum, legal compliance but aspiring to the achievement of a 'great place to work' or engage with the DWP. Propose amendments as required, welcoming and responding to views and challenges from others
  • Lead the preparation and implementation of Design Guides and ensuring the products complement and support the Governments wider design strategy. This to include 'Smart Working' principles as outlined in PAS3000 all communicated in a clear and creative way whilst clearly articulating how any changes will benefit the business
  • Oversee and assist design consultants directly delivering projects relating to the DWP's requirements. Understand the varying needs of the team and ensure they are supported and their experiences utilised
  • Owner of all Furniture Fixtures and Equipment product design standards, welcoming and responding to views and challenges from others despite any conflicting pressures to ignore or give in to them
  • Support and integrate branding, working with peers and Project Managers and supplier partners to ensure compliance, creating an inclusive working environment where all challenges and options are taking into account
  • Oversee the resolution of technical issues with significant legal or commercial risk
  • Lead on all aspects of Workplace planning for the diverse workforce, e.g. disability, age, PAS3000 'Smart Working', sustainability etc along with linked initiatives and policies. Working in partnership with the supply chain, in particular the Integrator, being receptive to innovative solutions and proposal
  • Lead on space optimisation - developing standards methodologies and guidelines, in partnership with the Strategy and Portfolio Planning team
  • Approve design compliance with, or justifiable variance from, the standards for all Real Estate projects across all DWP business departments. All Business Cases will require approval of their technical strategy and design as part of the governance process
  • Take the lead ensuring the integrity of DWP's Estate portfolio, confirming that new and upgraded properties are fit for purpose and comply with the standards necessary to maintain a robust, consistent, integrated technical infrastructure to support business continuity
  • Validate changes to technical standards recommended by subject matter experts and either pass the recommendation back to the supplier partner or project manager for revision or, where validated, pass the recommendation to the relevant approval process
  • Lead and play key driving role in the full change management aspect of initiatives and policy change impact, across the Estates organisation and portfolio
  • Lead the team managing all areas of workplace, architectural and technical design guides and assets, promoting or defending the team's actions and decisions where neede
  • Setting and delivery of the programme for the maintenance and development of a BIM technical standards librar
  • Setting and delivering the team's continuous improvement programme, based on the collection and analysis of data, and the provision of training and support as require
  • Overseeing Post-Occupancy Evaluation and stakeholder engagement sessions and converting feedback into changes required in the Design Standards documentatio
  • Running regular training sessions with the various supporting teams and consultants to improve performance and understanding of key areas for development
  • Representing the Estates team and wider DWP with other Government Departments on technical and performance improvement matters. Sharing best practice and attending cross government workshops, working groups or conferences as appropriate

How you'll work

Permanent

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

Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Blackpool, Glasgow (Atlantic Quay) & 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

For candidates requesting to work in Blackpool Peel Park, please note these roles will initially be based at Blackpool Peel Park and will then move to Blackpool Fylde View by April 2027
For candidates requesting to work in Sheffield Hartshead Square, please note these roles will initially be based at Hartshead Square and then move to 1 West Bar by early 2028

This 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.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.

If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Successful candidates will be posted in merit order based on your location preferences and the geographical requirements of the business

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

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

For candidates requesting to work in Blackpool Peel Park, please note these roles will initially be based at Blackpool Peel Park and will then move to Blackpool Fylde View by April 2027

For candidates requesting to work in Sheffield Hartshead Square, please note these roles will initially be based at Hartshead Square and then move to 1 West Bar by early 2028

Reference number

487352

Job grade

Grade 7

Type of role

Estates
Property

Number of jobs available

2

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.

Important

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

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

Job contact :

  • Name : Matt Pepper
  • Email : matt.pepper@dwp.gov.uk

Hiring process

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

  • Changing and Improving
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together

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 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.

While your CV is not formally scored it will be used to validate the evidence of your Personal Statement.

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.

All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will undertake a single virtual video interview.

There you will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the vacancy.

You will also be asked questions to validate your knowledge which will be measured against the essential criteria as specified in the vacancy. Your will also be asked some Behaviour & Strength questions.

Currently the sift is scheduled to take place w/c 26th October 2026 and interview dates w/c 9th November 2026. Interviews are scheduled to take place virtually and dates are subject to change.

If invited to interview you will be required to do a 5 minute presentation at the start of your interview. Details of the presentation and what is required will be supplied as part of the invite to interview.

About Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Industry
Government Administration

In their own words

About the company & team

DWP - Corporate Transformation

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

There is no better time to join the award winning DWP Estates team.

The Design Standards team works from project inception through post occupancy evaluation to ensure that the DWP's property portfolio is aspirational in its approach to design, inclusivity and sustainability.

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

Additional information

Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 15th November 2026

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

To process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service or Disclosure Scotland 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 the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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.

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.

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

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

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

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

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)

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 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.

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.

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