Job Description

On behalf of DWP, we are looking for a Workplace Design Standards Manager for an 8-month contract inside IR35, based on a hybrid model (3 days a week) at the nearest DWP HUB. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions, and child maintenance policy. As the UK's largest public service department, it administers the State Pension and various benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers. Operating at a scale almost unmatched in Europe, most people in Britain will come into contact with us at some point in their lives.

Working with DWP, your priorities will include:

• Helping people into work and supporting those already in work to progress, aiming to increase workforce participation
• Assisting people to plan and save for later life while providing a safety net for those in need now
• Providing effective, efficient, and innovative services to claimants, including the most vulnerable
• Improving service experiences while maximizing value for money for taxpayers

Your main responsibilities as a Workplace Design Standards Manager will be to:

• Create and enforce workplace design guides and technical property standards to ensure legal compliance and a positive working environment
• Collaborate with stakeholders on HVAC, lighting, power, and BMS systems; provide strategic advice to senior stakeholders and external designers
• Offer design assurance, support delivery teams, review and approve design compliance, and manage technical issues
• Promote sustainable design innovations, drive lifecycle cost efficiency, and align with Net Zero and Greening Government Commitments
• Deliver training to internal teams, represent DWP in cross-government forums, and ensure accessibility and inclusivity through audits and reviews

Essential criteria include:

• Proven stakeholder management
• Architectural background in complex estates (commercial workplace or retail)
• Strong understanding of Building Regulations, British Standards, and UK construction legislation
• Experience with space planning, test fits, and RIBA stage documentation

Desirable criteria include:

• Architecture degree or Master's
• RIBA membership (or working towards)
• Project management qualifications (e.g., PRINCE2, APM)

Please note that this role is limited to the UK and cannot be performed overseas. DWP guarantees to interview all candidates who meet all essential criteria and are part of the Confident Scheme, which encourages applicants with neurodivergence or mental health conditions. In cases of high volume, the best candidates within qualified groups will be shortlisted. The role may require active security clearance. Additionally, the role falls under the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation, and pay rates will reflect gross daily rates subject to taxes and statutory costs, which may affect your take-home pay.