Lead Front End Developer - DWP - G6

Job summary

Are you an expert Front-end Developer capable of leading the development of products that help other teams design and deliver services? 

We’re recruiting a Lead Front-end Developer to be part of our Design System Team. 

The 2022-25 DWP Digital Strategy "Our Digital Future" identifies the DWP Design System as a key product in delivering our goals. The DWP Design System helps to deliver consistent customer and colleague experiences faster and with less rework, by codifying design standards into reusable interface patterns.  

We are looking for an expert in front-end development to lead the build of the DWP Design System. The role extends beyond expert technical knowledge to encompass effective communication and advocacy, driving adoption of best practice design. 

The successful candidate will join the DWP Design System Team to design, improve and deliver citizen-facing and agent-facing solutions that work across multiple teams, benefits and strategic products. They will care about software quality, inclusive design and user needs. 

What really excites the successful candidate is problem-solving and the opportunity to work on and advocate for a product that carries real value for teams and users.

Job description

Our Lead Front-end Developers are experts in front-end development with proven experience in the design and build of software products at scale.  You will: 

• Lead the technical direction and development of reusable patterns and components used by multiple teams
• Lead on the strategy for technical testing
• Release, maintain and support the deployment of products and code packages
• Input into design standardisation processes
• Coach and mentor more junior colleagues
• Engage with teams across different levels and capabilities
• Be an enabler for multiple teams, driving consistency, standards, pace and quality, resolving technical blockers, and promoting re-use and collaboration through the wider communities
• Engage with and contribute to the engineering and user-centred design communities
• Have an excellent ability to self-organise and define priorities

As part of the role, you may be required to travel regularly to the other digital hubs. The frequency of this will be discussed further should you be successful. 

Person specification

In your personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with the following essential criteria: 

• Lead criterion: Expert in front-end development with strong leadership experience, able to communicate technical concepts and to influence and mentor others*
• Expert knowledge and extensive experience of open-source technologies including HTML, CSS, client and server-side JavaScript
• Knowledge of WCAG 2.2 compliance and extensive experience of delivering highly tested, accessible, robust and predictable code
• Expertise in making and communicating effective technical decisions and giving advice based on evidence, a consideration of alternative options, and understanding of risk
• Experience of using or integrating with a wide range of technical systems, and able to identify appropriate technology and approaches to solve problems
• Experience of leading the technical direction across multiple products, ensuring development quality and consistency by promoting standards and best practice

* Lead criterion: An initial sift may be conducted using the lead criteria stated above. Candidates who pass the initial sift will progress to a full sift. 

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact sam.hackett@dwp.gov.uk.

Benefits

Alongside your salary, the Department for Work and Pensions contributes 28.97% towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We also 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.

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.

Salary Information

Pay for this role is from £69,869 to £89,995.  

The maximum salary for the grade is £77,740, however a Digital Allowance of up to £12,255 per annum is available for exceptional candidates. Digital Allowance is non-salary, and non-pensionable, and is classed as a temporary allowance. It is reviewed annually where it could be retained, amended, or removed.  

Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.  

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current salary.  

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion may move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or 10% increase in salary whichever would be the greater. 

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Your application will consist of three parts:

1. A Personal Details application form.

2. Your employment history detailing your responsibilities, skills, accomplishments, plus your qualifications and relevant training. Please copy this information into the box field provided.

3. Personal statement up to 1000 words. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria listed in the Person Specification.

The sift panel will use the information in your employment history and personal statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge against the essential criteria above.

Applications will be sifted at regular intervals from the date the posts are advertised. Please apply as soon as you can, do not wait until the end of the campaign. 

You will receive one combined score for both your Employment History/CV and Personal Statement, which will be provided in your Personal Statement score.
Important Information

• You will be asked to complete your employment history any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.
• Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.
• If your employment history/personal statement contains any personal details your application will be withdrawn.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Stage 2: Interview

If you’re successful at sift stage you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the experiences listed in the essential criteria.

You will be asked to do a 10-15 minute presentation on a specific topic.  There will be a further 15 minutes for questions.  Further details will be provided to candidates invited to interview.

Interviews will take place from mid-November 2024. 

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.

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

Reserve list candidates will be posted in merit order by location.

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.

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 DigitalRecruitment.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.

For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How We Recruit, page

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).