Associate Digital Portfolio Manager

About the Opportunity

This role may be located in one of the following locations; Birmingham, Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield.

Please find further information on the Corporate hub locations here.

Please note that for candidates requesting to work in Newcastle, the role will initially be based at Benton Park View. It will then move to 1 Pilgrim Place in Newcastle city centre by the end of 2027.

Job Summary

Do you thrive in a fast-paced and varied environment?

Are you a highly organised self-starter, who is analytical and a strategic thinker?

If so, we have an amazing opportunity for Associate Portfolio Manager to start an exciting career in DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) Digital.

DWP Digital is transforming DWP services by unlocking the potential of leading edge technologies and ways of working. With our partners, we're focused on building and running innovative digital technology solutions that meet and respond to the changing needs and expectations of millions of people. We want to make it quicker, easier and less costly for DWP's customers to get the support they need.

Portfolio Management is key within DWP Digital in ensuring that decisions surrounding the timing, structure, prioritisation and delivery of projects & programmes, are correctly planned and managed.

Job Description

We're looking for Associate Digital Portfolio Managers who can help us transform DWP's (Department for Work and Pensions) services by unlocking the potential of leading edge technologies and ways of working.

• You will support in the management of the portfolio's functional demand pipeline, considering priorities, outcomes, budget and resources available.
• Ensure there is capacity to meet the delivery plans, triggering recruitment activity or budget requests when required.
• Support tracking, analysis and delivery of outcomes within your portfolio, supporting delivery teams in accelerating delivery, assisting in unblocking issues whilst helping to ensure that proper controls and risk mitigation procedures are in place.
• Support in ensuring compliance with standards and supporting adherence to all governance and assurance activity for the Service Teams or DWP Digital, ensuring all service standards are being met.
• Support and collaborate with teams to identify and manage inter-project dependencies, ensuring where delivery is at risk, actions are in place to mitigate and enable successful delivery.
• Advise and support project setup and monitoring to proactively assure project success.

Please note: A foundation qualification in Portfolio Management is desirable but not essential.

Person Specification

See selection process for further details.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact Oliver.Canham1@dwp.gov.uk

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical Skills

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

• Portfolio Management
• Relationship Management

Benefits

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 here.

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.

Hybrid Working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home.

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.

Salary Information

New entrants to the Civil Service will join on band minimum.

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

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion will move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or receive a 10% increase applied to their current substantive salary, whichever is greater.

Any temporary allowances that you are currently in receipt of will not form part of the calculation to determine your pay. Any allowances that are in payment will cease when you move into your new role.

Selection Process Details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application

Your Application Will Consist Of Four Parts

• A Personal Details application form.
• Employment history - this should contain your work experience and any skills, qualifications and accomplishments relevant to the jobs you have completed.
• Personal statement - up to 750 words.
• Technical statement (up to 250 words).

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Ensure that all examples provided in your statements are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.

If you choose to use gen-AI to support your statements, you must follow the guidelines outlined in the Artificial intelligence and recruitment guide.

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

An initial sift will be conducted using the technical statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift.

If you do progress to a full sift, you will be provided with one combined overall assessment score for both your employment history and Personal Statement.

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 or technical statement contain any personal details your application will be withdrawn.

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 following Behaviours and Technical Skills:

• Behaviour: Communicating and Influencing
• Behaviour: Working Together
• Technical Skill: Relationship Management
• Technical Skill: Portfolio Management

Interviews will take place from the end of August 2026. Interview dates to be confirmed.

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

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 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)
• 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

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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.

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.

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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

Name: Oliver Canham

Email: Oliver.Canham1@dwp.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email: digitalrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk