GB & UK(NI) Workstream Manager
Bristol
New Jobs
Permanent
£35,663 - £41,710 a year
- Lead a team in providing exceptional customer service within the GB type approval scheme, ensuring compliance with automotive regulations.
- The ideal candidate will possess expertise in GB type approval, strong leadership skills, and a commitment to delivering quality service.
- This full-time role is based in Bristol with flexible working options and includes a generous pension scheme and annual leave benefits.
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Contents
- Location
- About the job
- Benefits
- Things you need to know
- Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
- Would you enjoy the challenge of providing a world-leading customer service to the world?s automotive industry?
- Do you have the confidence, ability, and desire to establish yourself as a subject matter expert in a national Type Approval Scheme?
If you?re looking for an opportunity to lead a team, apply your GB type approval and regulatory expertise, and deliver a high-quality service for customers, then we want to hear from you.
For further information about this role, the work we do and our teams, please refer to the Candidate Pack and Role Profile attached.
About Us
Our work is focused on improving vehicle safety and environmental protection by providing robust testing and certification to national and internationally recognised standards. We are a part of the Department for Transport as the designated UK Vehicle Type Approval Authority. With more than 40 years? experience, we have become one of the largest and well-respected approval bodies around. This position has been built on a reputation for technical expertise and quality, which is at the heart of everything we do, and what you could be a part of.
Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:
- Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
- 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays, and a privilege day for the King?s birthday
- Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
Read more in the Benefits section below!
Find out more about what it's like working at Vehicle Certification Agency - Department for Transport Careers
Job description
This role sits within the Statutory Operations (Type Approval Certification) Department which is responsible for granting the approvals within the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA). The GB Type Approval Scheme is an opportunity for the VCA to evolve to meet a new objective and support the global automotive industry in gaining GB Type Approval. This role is an important part of that evolution, and its purpose is to provide leadership to an established team for this workstream.
The successful candidate will ensure that approvals are delivered against Key Performance Indicators, and the required standards are maintained through targeted training and development of colleagues and effective communication with customers.
The post offers the opportunity to help shape a growing area of the VCA?s work at an important stage in its development. It will suit someone who enjoys combining subject-matter expertise with a practical, service-focused approach and who can bring confidence, consistency and a collaborative outlook to a changing environment.
The VCA is committed to supporting staff through ongoing professional development and a strong focus on health and wellbeing. Flexible and hybrid working arrangements are available where compatible with business and operational needs.
Your main duties will include but will not be limited to:
- Hold responsibility for the GB & UK(NI) workstream and use your experience to support the issuance of Type Approval Certificates in line with organisational priorities.
- Act as a point of contact for internal and external enquiries relating to approval applications within your workstream and liaise with vehicle manufacturers to coordinate workload.
- Manage a team and collaborate with colleagues to manage bottlenecks in service delivery to ensure consistent and dependable output from the agency.
Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills set out in the Civil Service Line Management Standards.
Person specification
To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:
- Experience of working with the GB type approval regulatory framework.
- Experience of working in a compliance or regulatory environment.
- Excellent organisational, planning and leadership skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively, work quickly and accurately, adapt to changing priorities, collaborate across the organisation, and motivate the team to deliver objectives and continuously improve performance.
- Sound analytical, interpretive and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data and evidence to exercise good judgement, make informed decisions, and provide clear advice or recommendations to others.
- Coaching and feedback skills to support individuals to improve performance, achieve their potential, and develop professionally.
For more information, please read the role profile.
Additional Information
Full-time roles consist of 37 hours per week.
This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.
The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.
If you have questions regarding how hybrid working is practiced within the business area, or any reasonable adjustments or flexible working arrangements you may currently have or need in place if successful in your application, please contact the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details).
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that we are currently unable to offer Skilled Worker Sponsorship. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate right to work in the UK before applying.
Qualifications
You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
- Leadership
Benefits
Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:
- Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
- 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
- 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King?s birthday.
- Access to the staff discount portal.
- Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
- 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
- Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies . Further detail can also be viewed in the attached
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Selection process details
How to apply:
Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.
The selection process for this role will be:
Stage 1: Sift of CV and personal statement
Stage 2: Interview and written exercise
You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.
Stage 1: Sift
At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:
Experience ? you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (1,000-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:
- Experience of working with the GB type approval regulatory framework.
- Experience of leading a team, balancing performance targets and long-term development of colleagues.
- Experience of delivering excellent customer service with the ability to understand customer needs and optimise performance to meet those needs.
- Experience of organisational and planning skills, with the ability to prioritise and work quickly and accurately with the flexibility to switch at short notice.
The sift will take place the week commencing 31 August 2026.
Stage 2: Interview and written exercise
At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:
- Behaviours - Managing a Quality Service, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together, and Leadership
- Experience - please see attached Role Profile. As part of the interview, you will be required to complete a written exercise to assess your experience of working with the GB type approval regulatory framework.
The interviews will take place week commencing 14 September 2026.
This interview will be conducted in person at VCA headquarters, No 1 The Eastgate, Office Centre, Eastgate Road, Bristol, BS5 6XX and the VCA Midlands Centre, Watling Street, Nuneaton
CV10 0UA.
Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
You are encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.
You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site .
Reasonable Adjustments
As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
Complete the ?Assistance required? section in the ?Additional requirements? page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you?re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Document Accessibility
This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert or the information on our website, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Further Information
For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.
Pre-employment Checking
If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant?s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
All external applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:
- Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour
- Threats or acts of violence
- Illegal activity or substance misuse
- Sexually explicit material
- Extremist views or affiliations
Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public. Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It?s not about judging your personality or lifestyle - it?s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture. If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what?s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
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
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Matthew Rollins
- Email : Matthew.Rollins@vca.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here
Bristol
New Jobs
Permanent
£35,663 - £41,710 a year