Deputy Director, Synergy HR Transformation

Job summary

DWP is looking to fill Deputy Director, Synergy HR Transformation role in Corporate Transformation directorate.​

As Deputy Director, Synergy HR Transformation, you will provide strategic leadership for DWP's contribution to the cross-government Synergy Programme and act as DWP's senior HR Functional Lead for HR transformation activity. ​

Reporting to the Director of HR Transformation, you will lead the design, implementation and adoption of future HR services, operating models, technology and organisational capability across DWP and the wider Synergy Cluster.​

You will be accountable for ensuring that DWP is ready to adopt new ways of working enabled through Oracle HCM and Shared Services, whilst shaping the future People Function operating model to deliver improved colleague experience, service performance, workforce insight and value for money.​

The role operates at the heart of one of the largest transformation programmes in government, influencing change affecting over 250,000 employees across DWP, Ministry of Justice, Home Office, Defra and their Arm's Length Bodies.​

Why Join DWP?

Job description

As DWP's senior HR Functional Lead for the Synergy Programme, you will provide strategic leadership for one of the largest people transformation programmes in government. Operating across departmental, cluster and cross-government environments, you will shape the future of HR services, workforce capability and organisational transformation, ensuring DWP's priorities are represented whilst supporting wider Civil Service reform.​

This is a highly influential leadership role at the forefront of government-wide people transformation. The postholder will shape the future direction of HR across DWP and the Synergy Cluster, building strategic partnerships, championing innovation and ensuring the People Function is equipped to meet future workforce and organisational challenges. ​

The role requires a collaborative and visionary leader who can operate effectively in complex environments, influence at the most senior levels, and balance immediate delivery with long-term transformation ambitions.

For more information about the key responsibilities for this role please view the candidate pack attached in the advert.

Person specification

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their knowledge, experience and skills against the following essential criteria: ​

• Significant experience of strategically leading large-scale human resources or workforce transformation across complex, multi-organisation environments.​
• A strong track record of shaping and implementing human resources operating models, services, workforce structures and organisational capabilities, using innovative and technology-enabled approaches to improve outcomes and deliver sustainable business benefits.​
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and programme boards and build trusted partnerships across organisational boundaries.​
• Strong programme leadership experience covering business readiness, organisational adoption, governance, risk management, delivery assurance and benefits realisation, with evidence of achieving measurable outcomes.
• Visible, inclusive and collaborative leadership, combining sound analysis and strategic foresight with the ability to build high-performing teams, operate through ambiguity and communicate complex issues clearly.​

Desirable Criteria:​

• Experience of Oracle Human Capital Management (HCM) or another major Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)-enabled transformation.​
• Knowledge of position management, job architecture, organisational design or strategic workforce planning.​

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £86,000, Department for Work and Pensions contributes

£24,914 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, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 25 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.

Things you need to know

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 and Experience.

Application Process

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process outlined below no later than noon on Friday 11th September 2026​ ​

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years;​
• A personal statement (maximum 1250) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities, and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification. ​

Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say’. All monitoring data will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be provided to the selection panel. The information you provide when submitting your application will help us monitor our progress towards the Civil Service becoming the most inclusive employer.

A reserve list will be held for up to 12 months, which we may use to fill future similar vacancies for candidates who are considered appointable following interview.

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information regarding the role and recruitment process.

Reasonable Adjustments

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, especially 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 senior.recruitment@dwp.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 additional support or adjustments you might need during the recruitment process.

For further information regarding reasonable adjustments, please see following link: Reasonable Adjustments , Civil Service Careers

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

• This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration
• is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them
• to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through

building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above.

This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions.

• Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and
• conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your
• personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any
• absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you

to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Security

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

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window) .

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window) .

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