Operations Centre Manager

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; London; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government seeks a skilled Operations Centre Manager. This pivotal role involves leading a cross-disciplinary team in response management, ensuring that government operations run smoothly during emergencies. The successful candidate will exhibit strong leadership and strategic thinking skills, overseeing crucial operational functions across multiple locations. A focus on communication and decision-making is essential as part of a demanding work environment requiring shift flexibility.

Benefits

Learning and development tailored to your role

Flexible working options

Civil Service pension with employer contribution of 28.97%

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a leader in a managerial role.
• Ability to assess operational priorities and resources effectively.
• Experience in crisis management and emergency planning.

Responsibilities

• Managing the Departmental Operations Centre (DoC) and overseeing incident responses.
• Driving continuous improvement in operational capabilities.
• Providing leadership in stressful and high-pressure situations.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Strategic Thinking

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Education

Developed Vetting

Job description

Join to apply for the Operations Centre Manager role at Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Join to apply for the Operations Centre Manager role at Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Bristol, Darlington, Leeds, London, Manchester, Wolverhampton

Job Summary

Are you a confident, inclusive leader?

Have you got exceptional written and oral communication skills?

Are you able to confidently back your own ideas and opinions with the ability to explain your thought process in a clear and effective way?

If so, we have an exciting opportunity for a Departmental Operations Centre Manager to join our team at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and we'd love to hear from you!

This is a key role in the Response Management Team (RMT) within the Resilience and Recovery Directorate (RED) acting as one of three G7s whose principal role is to manage a permanent Departmental Operations Centre (DoC).

RMT is a cross-disciplinary team charged with ensuring that Ministers, RED, wider HM Government and Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) are sighted on the local and national picture.

The successful candidate will report to the G6 Head of RMT and work closely with them to oversee the team’s planning for, response to and recovery from known and no-notice emergencies in England.

It is important to note that when applying for this role there will be occasions where operational requirements determine the need for shiftworking and duty cover which includes working after 8 p.m. and at weekends. You should reflect on whether you will be able to work unsociable hours/shift patternsand consider this carefully before submitting your application. Additionalhours working and duty cover would be remunerated via overtime and on call payments.Job Description

As the DOC Manager your responsibilities will include:

• Standing up, shaping and leading the DOC responding to a wide range of incidents by following protocols set out in MHCLG's Emergency Plan.
• Continuously assessing RED’s response posture and associated resource needs, and providing advice to seniors.
• Anticipating and identifying issues and assessing operational priorities to meet deadlines by tasking and directing multiple DOC cells.
• Horizon scanning for potential issues and incidents at the local level through a range of resources, including RED’s regional hubs, our duty team and government departments, and taking pre-emptive action as appropriate.
• Developing, training, exercising and continuously improving your own and others’ capability to fulfil the role.
• Contributing to and influencing wider governmental C3 structures that impact on the work of RED.
• Time-limited project-based work to meet corporate objectives.
  
  

As The DOC Manager Your Responsibilities Will Include

• Standing up, shaping and leading the DOC responding to a wide range of incidents by following protocols set out in MHCLG's Emergency Plan.
• Continuously assessing RED’s response posture and associated resource needs, and providing advice to seniors.
• Anticipating and identifying issues and assessing operational priorities to meet deadlines by tasking and directing multiple DOC cells.
• Horizon scanning for potential issues and incidents at the local level through a range of resources, including RED’s regional hubs, our duty team and government departments, and taking pre-emptive action as appropriate.
• Developing, training, exercising and continuously improving your own and others’ capability to fulfil the role.
• Contributing to and influencing wider governmental C3 structures that impact on the work of RED.
• Time-limited project-based work to meet corporate objectives.
  
  

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• A strong, proven and inclusive leader
• Flexible, agile and calm under pressure
• Proactive and forward thinking, with an ability to anticipate issues and mitigate risks
• A strategic thinker and able to anticipate and fulfil the needs of seniors, ministers and stakeholders
• An effective and confident communicator – both verbally and in writing
• Able to make effective decisions and defend them when made with partial and/or conflicting information
• A self-starter with a strong focus on achieving solutions and results
• Willing to undergo Developed Vetting
  
  

Alongside your salary of £54,531, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £15,797 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
  
  

Selection process details

As part of our pre-employment checking process we will be using your CV to confirm your job history. Please note that by providing us with your CV you are consenting to us using the information enclosed as part of the checking process. Unless stated otherwise in the advert, your CV will not form part of the assessment but will be used for information purposes and only shared with the panel at interview stage.

Our application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system – this means that a hiring manager does not know your name, your details, see your whole application in one go (or have your CV at review stage unless stated otherwise).

Your answers are randomised and chunked up. This means that each assessor views sets of responses to questions, for example all candidates’ responses to ‘Seeing the Big Picture’ rather than seeing a candidate’s full application. The science behind this is that recruitment can be subject to ordering and fatigue effects and we want to reduce this as much as possible.

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.

When Writing Your Application, Remember

• The assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially.
• Do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers.
• If talking about something in your first answer, make sure that you write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!)
  
  

At sift, we will be assessing

Behaviour 1 (lead behaviour) - Leadership

Behaviour 2 - Seeing the Big Picture

Behaviour 3 - Delivering at Pace

Behaviour 4 - Managing a Quality Service

Behaviour 5 - Changing and Improving

There is a 250 word limit per question.

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead behaviour listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of the following success profiles elements:

Behaviour - Delivering at Pace, Managing A Quality Service, Leadership, Changing and Improving, Seeing The Big Picture

Strengths - The strength-based questions will require natural responses from the candidates.

Candidates invited to interview will be expected to prepare a short presentation. Further details of this will be sent along with invites to interview. The presentation will be assessed against the behaviour Seeing The Big Picture

In the full campaign we will test the below Success Profile Elements:

Strength: Yes

Behaviours: Yes - Delivering at Pace, Managing A Quality Service, Leadership, Changing and Improving, Seeing The Big Picture

Please contact the vacancy manager if you have any questions about the role.

We do not consider direct CV applications – you must apply for this role via the application link on Civil Service Jobs.

Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign.

Grade 7 salary

• The salary for this role is £59,946 (London) or £54,531 (National).
• For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If you apply for a role that requires a transfer of location, for example if you are transferring from London to a National location, your salary will be adjusted in accordance with our policy on transfer between HQ pay ranges.
  
  

Please note that the average employer pension contribution is based upon the National minimum salary for this role. Should your agreed starting salary for this role be different, the average employer pension contribution will be calculated accordingly. If you are a Secondee, this will not apply as you will remain on your home organisation’s terms and conditions.

Benefits

Transfers across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018:

Any move to MHCLG 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

For further information about the benefits available to MHCLG employees, please see the attached Candidate Pack.

Location

• London
• Wolverhampton
• Darlington*
• Leeds
• Manchester
• Bristol
  
  

There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role.

• Please note: The Darlington Economic Campus is a pioneering new cross-government hub which will bring together people across departments and public organisations to play an active role in the most important economic issues of the day. The work of the Campus will make a real difference to people both across the UK and internationally. There will be substantial career opportunities and exciting prospects - a career at the Campus means you will be working at the heart of Government, with access to the benefits and fantastic opportunities offered by the civil service.
  
  

For further information on the DEC, please take a look at the attached DEC candidate pack.

At present, a minimum of 60% of your working time will be spent in your contractual office location. Requirements to attend other office locations or off-site meetings will be counted towards this. You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.

Sift and Interview dates

Sifting is envisaged to take place starting 16/06/2025 with interview dates to be confirmed. All interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall.

Reserve List

In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details on a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact [e-mail] to be removed from the reserve list.

SC (Security Check)

Important note

Successful candidates for roles based in our 2 Marsham Street building must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Security Check and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete.

Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the Security Check – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 5 years. Please refer to the MHCLG Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Security Check (SC).

Candidates should also note that with effect from 1st August 2018 the department will also check all applicants who are successful at interview, against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) held by the Cabinet Office. In accordance with the Civil Service Internal Fraud Policy, any applicant who is included on the IFD will be refused employment by MHCLG. Please see the Candidate Pack for further information on the Internal Fraud Database.

Candidate Pack Information

Please see attached Candidate pack for further information.

Internal Fraud Database

The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to MHCLG as a participating government organisations. MHCLG then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.

For more information please see- Internal Fraud Register

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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.

Successful candidates must undergo a 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.

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).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : Doug Taylor
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Management and Manufacturing

• Industries

  Government Administration

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