Head of Departmental Planning and Performance

Help shape the strategy and performance of one of the UKs largest government departments

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) delivers vital services to millions of people across the UK. At the heart of this work sits Strategic Finance and Business Strategy (SFBS), providing financial and strategic leadership, shaping departmental priorities and maintaining DWPs critical relationship with HM Treasury.

We are seeking an outstanding leader to join as Head of Departmental Planning and Performance. This is a high-profile role with significant influence across the Department, offering the opportunity to shape strategic decision-making, drive performance improvement and provide assurance on the delivery of ministerial priorities.

About You

We are looking for a strategic, collaborative leader who can operate confidently in a complex, high-profile environment. You will bring experience of strategic planning, performance management, assurance, governance or corporate strategy in a large organisation, together with strong analytical judgement and the ability to turn complex information into clear, practical advice.

You will be a confident influencer with excellent stakeholder management skills, able to work across organisational boundaries and with senior leaders. You will balance strategic thinking with delivery focus, build capability in others and lead a high-performing, inclusive team.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to make a direct impact on the delivery of government priorities and public services that matter to millions of citizens. Working at the centre of departmental decision-making, you will help shape the future direction of one of the largest and most complex organisations in government

The Role

You will lead DWPs strategic planning, performance management and assurance function, ensuring ministers and the Executive Team have a clear, credible view of performance, risk and deliverability. You will oversee the Departmental Quarterly Performance Report, lead the refresh of DWPs Strategic Plan and support performance reporting to the centre of government.

A key part of the role will be advising on departmental deliverability during fiscal events, including Budgets, Spending Reviews and Spring Statements. Through high-quality analysis, insight and assurance, you will help DWP stay focused on delivering outcomes efficiently and effectively.

For more information about the role have a look at the Candidate Pack

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their knowledge, experience and skills against the following essential criteria:

• Exceptional strategic leadership skills, with the ability to set clear direction for the team, inspire confidence, and lead a multi‑site, multi‑disciplinary team. Experience leading both generalist and specialist (e.g. analytics, performance, or operational teams) functions, driving robust assessment of organisational performance and continuous improvement at pace.
• Strong strategic, analytical and problem‑solving capability, able to assess organisational readiness, interpret complex system‑wide issues, and translate strategic intent into practical frameworks, processes and products that support delivery of the department's objectives.
• Proven ability to build strong, trust‑based relationships with senior stakeholders, including SCS colleagues, executive or board-level leaders across a variety of corporate functions, skilled at navigating competing priorities, influencing decisions, and aligning stakeholders around shared strategic outcomes. Highly effective communicator, able to distil complex issues into clear, compelling insights and advice to support and encourage confident, evidence-based decisions.
• Strong track record of delivering complex, high-impact work in fast-paced environments, balancing long-term transformation with immediate priorities. Demonstrates the ability to deliver through others, maintaining high professional standards under pressure.
• Experience operating effectively within large, complex, and highly governed environments (public, private, and/or regulated sectors), with a strong understanding of governance, corporate culture, and cross-organisational working. Able to navigate decision-making structures. Able to lead teams to adopt digital tools and use data to drive insight and high-quality outcomes.