We will be holding an MS Teams information session to talk through the application process on Tuesday 22 September at 16:00. Please contact us at analysts.seorecruitment@DWP.GOV.UK if you would like to join this live session. Recordings will not be available.
If you are an existing civil servant and want to know more about transferring to another department you should refer initially to your current departments guidance on transfers within the Civil Service and seek advice from your HR business partner. If you have further specific questions about transferring to DWP, you should contact the vacancy holder.
If you are already a member of Government Operational Research (GORS), please follow the instructions on the Essential Qualifications section and answer yes on the membership question when you complete your application form.
Please check you are eligible and follow the instructions on the Essential Qualifications section of the candidate pack when completing your application form.
Selection will be by a sift of the written application, followed by an interview for candidates who pass the sift stage.
After sift, if you are not currently a badged member of GORS you may also be required to complete further testing prior to, or at, interview. Full details will be provided to candidates where applicable.
Written Sift
The written sift will be conducted in two parts one to check qualifications (on your employment history and qualifications as listed on your CV) and one to check Essential Criteria evidence (on your personal statement).
If you are not an existing member of GORS and do not meet the eligibility requirements (the first stage of the sift), then your personal statement will not be sifted, and your application will be withdrawn at pre-sift stage.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
CV
The CV is an on-line tool accessed through Civil Service Jobs and there is no requirement to upload your personal CV. It is made up of several boxes on the application form and should be short. Your CV will be used to check eligibility on qualifications and to outline your employment history.
Please make sure that you fully complete the qualifications and employment history section in the application form. We do not require qualifications below degree level to be listed.
For non-badged candidates, applications submitted without key details like: degree studied, grades and credits or without sufficient detail of relevant modules will be discounted. Failure to provide this information clearly will result in your application being sifted out of the process.
The CV (qualifications and employment history sections) should be used to detail the information required on qualifications and relevant experience if applicable and the main content of your evidence against the Essential Criteria should be put in your personal statement.
Personal Statement
When completing your personal statement, please read and understand the three Essential Criteria listed in the person specification section thoroughly as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against.
Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You need to provide evidence against all three Essential Criteria as you will be scored against each one separately. You may choose to address each criterion separately, however, one narrative example may cover and evidence three Essential Criteria. You dont have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills, experience you have used.
If you are interested in applying to these roles as a job share then please submit separate applications and, if there is an existing partnership, make it clear in the separate question about the route under which you are applying (i.e. as either a badged member or holding the required qualifications) that you would like to be considered as a job share (do not provide any names). Once sifting has been completed if you are invited to interview, we will contact you directly about assessment arrangements.
Please do not use excessive forward slash (/), backslash (\) or dashes (-) in your personal statement. By excessive, we mean hyphenating words that are not normally hyphenated, using slashes between many words or formatting slashes in white font so they cant immediately be seen. Any applications that do this will not be sifted or the form will be amended to remove the excess slashes and then anything after the750 word count will be ignored.
Badging Exercises
If you are not currently a badged member of GORS then you will be required to complete additional testing.
Full details of this testing will be provided to candidates who reach the relevant stage in the recruitment process.
Candidates who are required to sit badging exercises and do not meet the required standard will be withdrawn from the recruitment process.
Candidates will be asked if they require any reasonable adjustments for any additional testing.
Interview
Information on the interview process will be provided to candidates who reach that stage of the recruitment.
Further details
Near miss candidates
Candidates who achieve a high score but do not meet the required standard for appointment at Senior Executive Officer (SEO) level may be offered a position at Higher Executive Officer (HEO) level instead.
Offers will be made in line with business requirements and may be on a permanent or fixed-term basis.
Sift and interview dates:
Closing date for applications: 29 September 2026 at 23:55
Sift: Approximately 8 October 2026 - 23 October 2026
Interviews: Approximately 16 November 2026 - 18 December 2026
Results notified: Approximately week commencing 11 January 2027
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.
Reserve List
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:
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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).
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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.
Disability Confident Scheme
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.
Reasonable Adjustments
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 youre 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.
Integrity, plagiarism and Civil Service Principles
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:
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Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own.
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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 applicants 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.
Important
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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 DWPs 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.
Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.
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.
