The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is recruiting 4 Apprentice IT Service Managers in Newcastle upon Tyne.
This is a permanent apprenticeship offering a salary of £32,137, practical IT service management experience and the opportunity to work towards a Level 3 qualification while employed by DWP Digital.
The role could suit applicants looking to build a career in IT service management while gaining experience with digital services used by millions of people across the UK.
Job Details
- Employer: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- Role: Apprentice IT Service Manager
- Reference: 480763
- Salary: £32,137 per year
- Grade: Executive Officer
- Contract: Permanent apprenticeship
- Business area: DWP Digital
- Job type: Digital / Information Technology
- Vacancies: 4
- Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
- Working pattern: Full-time, part-time and flexible working
- Expected start: January 2027
- Closing date: 6 October 2026 at 11:55 pm
The Newcastle role will initially be based at Benton Park View and is expected to move to 1 Pilgrim Place in Newcastle city centre by the end of 2027.
At a Glance
Salary: £32,137
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Vacancies: 4
Contract: Permanent apprenticeship
Start: January 2027
Qualification: Level 3
Part-time minimum: 30 hours per week
Hybrid: Potentially available, subject to the role and agreement
New Skilled Worker sponsorship: Not currently available
Closing date: 6 October 2026
Why This Opportunity May Be of Interest
This apprenticeship combines paid employment with structured training and practical experience.
Successful candidates can develop experience in:
- IT service management.
- Incident management.
- Change management.
- Problem management.
- Service monitoring.
- Customer service.
- Working with operational teams.
- Supporting live digital services.
- Digital transformation.
You will also receive dedicated support from a line manager, skills coach, apprenticeship team and other colleagues.
About the Role
DWP Digital develops and maintains digital services supporting areas such as benefits, employment support and pensions.
As an Apprentice IT Service Manager, you will help support the reliability and quality of live IT services while developing your own technical and professional skills.
Some travel to other DWP digital hubs may be required.
Depending on your placement, you may work within Children Live Service or Digital Payment Services.
Key Responsibilities
Your duties may include:
- Monitoring IT services and assessing system health.
- Supporting incident management.
- Resolving or escalating technical and service issues.
- Working with operational teams to maintain service quality.
- Supporting change management and governance.
- Contributing to problem and knowledge management.
- Monitoring services against agreed targets.
- Working with colleagues and stakeholders to improve customer service.
- Supporting the reliability and availability of live digital services.
Children Live Service
One possible placement involves supporting IT services used by Child Maintenance System caseworkers and customers.
You may:
- Use monitoring tools to assess system health.
- Work with caseworkers to understand incidents.
- Resolve or escalate issues.
- Support change governance.
- Support changes affecting children’s services.
- Help maintain problem and knowledge management information.
Digital Payment Services
Another possible area is Digital Payment Services, where technology supports the delivery of benefits and pension payments.
You will work alongside experienced specialists and contribute to a major transformation programme while developing service management skills.
Apprenticeship and Training
The apprenticeship follows an earn-while-you-learn model.
You will receive:
- 20% off-the-job training during working hours.
- Support from a line manager and skills coach.
- Guidance from the DWP Apprenticeship Team.
- Support from fellow apprentices.
- Access to the wider Digital and Transformation Directorate.
- Practical workplace experience.
- A Level 3 qualification.
The apprenticeship is expected to take up to 15 months, although the full learning journey for this role may take up to 18 months.
Who This Apprenticeship Is Suited To
This opportunity may be particularly relevant to applicants who want to develop an IT career and are able to meet the apprenticeship eligibility requirements.
Applicants should carefully check their previous qualifications and experience before applying.
Importantly, candidates with significant previous experience covering the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the apprenticeship may not be eligible.
Apprenticeship Eligibility
Applicants must meet the applicable apprenticeship funding requirements.
Key requirements include:
- Having the right to live and work in the UK for the full apprenticeship and associated learning period.
- Meeting the required UK/EEA residence criteria or an applicable exemption.
- Not being in full-time education or undertaking another apprenticeship when the apprenticeship begins.
- Meeting the relevant qualification requirements.
- Not already holding a qualification at the same or higher level in a similar subject.
- Not having significant previous experience covering the apprenticeship standard.
Applicants should list their relevant qualifications accurately in the application.
Working Hours and Hybrid Working
Full-time, part-time and flexible working arrangements are available.
Part-time applicants must work at least 30 hours per week because the role combines employment with study.
Hybrid working may be available where appropriate. Where a hybrid arrangement is agreed, employees will normally be expected to spend at least 60% of their contracted hours in the DWP office.
The DWP office remains the contractual workplace.
Salary and Benefits
The salary is £32,137 per year.
DWP contributes approximately £9,310 towards membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.
Other benefits include:
- At least 23 days’ annual leave on entry, increasing to 30 days with service.
- 9 days of public and privilege leave.
- Flexible working options.
- Job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
- Interest-free season ticket loans.
- Cycle-to-work scheme.
- Employee discount scheme.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
- Health and wellbeing support.
- Family-friendly policies.
- Enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after one year of continuous service.
- Funded learning and development.
- Coaching and mentoring.
- Access to professional and employee networks.
Visa Sponsorship and Right to Work
Important for applicants who require sponsorship: the vacancy states that it is not currently eligible for new Skilled Worker visa sponsorship applications for candidates who do not already have permission to be in the UK as a Skilled Worker under the specific circumstances described in the official advert.
Therefore, applicants should not assume that DWP will sponsor a new Skilled Worker visa for this apprenticeship.
Candidates who require sponsorship are advised by the employer to seek specialist immigration advice regarding their individual circumstances.
Applicants must have the required right to live and work in the UK for the apprenticeship period.
Nationality Requirements
The vacancy is broadly open to eligible candidates including:
- UK nationals.
- Republic of Ireland nationals.
- Eligible Commonwealth nationals with UK work rights.
- Eligible EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein nationals and qualifying family members with settled or pre-settled status.
- Certain individuals with limited or indefinite leave to remain who meet the relevant EUSS requirements.
- Eligible Turkish nationals and certain family members who have acquired the right to work in the Civil Service.
Selection Process
The recruitment process uses the Civil Service Success Profiles framework.
Candidates will be assessed against:
- Making Effective Decisions.
- Communicating and Influencing.
- Working Together.
- Managing a Quality Service.
The lead behaviour is Making Effective Decisions.
Stage 1 – Application
The application process includes:
- Personal details application form.
- Civil Service Judgement Test.
- Employment history.
- Qualifications.
- Behaviour statements of up to 250 words each.
Candidates should complete the online test as soon as possible after being invited.
The application should demonstrate relevant skills and experience using examples from your own background. Examples can come from employment, education, volunteering, clubs or other activities where appropriate.
Important: personal identifying information such as your name, contact details and address must not be included in the employment history, qualification or behaviour statement sections.
Stage 2 – Apprenticeship Eligibility and Skills Check
Candidates who reach the required sift standard may progress to an eligibility and skills check conducted by Ginger Nut Media Ltd, the external apprenticeship provider.
The assessment may cover:
- Qualifications.
- Apprenticeship eligibility.
- Functional Skills, where required.
- Skills assessment.
The checks are scheduled for 28 October to 10 November 2026, although the dates may change.
Candidates should regularly check their Civil Service Jobs account, email inbox and spam/junk folder.
Stage 3 – Face-to-Face Interview
Candidates who successfully progress through the sift will be invited to a face-to-face interview at Benton Park View.
Interviews are expected to take place from late November 2026.
The interview will assess:
- Making Effective Decisions.
- Communicating and Influencing.
- Working Together.
- Managing a Quality Service.
Application Tips
Before applying, applicants should:
- Check that they meet the apprenticeship eligibility requirements.
- Check their existing qualifications against the apprenticeship requirements.
- Make sure their employment history is complete and relevant.
- Prepare examples demonstrating the required behaviours.
- Ensure behaviour statements are based on their own experience.
- Avoid including personal identifying information in the specified application sections.
- Allow enough time to complete the online judgement test and written application.
- Check whether they have the required UK right to work.
- If sponsorship is required, carefully consider the sponsorship restriction before applying.
Important Test Maintenance
The online test supplier has scheduled maintenance from 4:00 pm on 27 September 2026 until 12:00 pm on 28 September 2026.
New tests cannot be launched during this period.
Candidates already taking a test when the maintenance begins should be able to resume once the system is available again.
Security Checks
Successful candidates must undergo a basic or equivalent criminal record check.
Candidates working with government assets must also complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks.
Other relevant pre-employment screening may also apply.
Closing Date
6 October 2026 at 11:55 pm
Applicants should allow sufficient time to complete both the online test and the full application before the deadline.
Application and Selection Process
Applications should be submitted through the official Civil Service Jobs vacancy.
Job reference: 480763
For role-specific enquiries:
Oliver Canham
oliver.canham1@dwp.gov.uk
For recruitment enquiries:
digital.recruitmentupdates@dwp.gov.uk
Applicants should review the official vacancy carefully before submitting an application, particularly the apprenticeship eligibility, right-to-work and sponsorship requirements.