Job Description
Leeds, Quarry House, LS2 7UA; Sheffield, King’s Court, S3 7UF; Sheffield, 2 St Pauls Place, S1 2JF. No other locations will be considered. For all locations, travel to other sites may be required. Job Summary Candidates must be a current University of Leeds, University of Sheffield or Sheffield Hallam University student in your first or second year, with availability through summer 2026 (from late June to early September). The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Education (DfE) are large government departments that are offering rewarding policy careers at their Northern hub locations. DWP is based in both Sheffield and Leeds and DfE is based solely in Sheffield. On application you will be invited to state which department would be your first choice and which would be second choice. We will try to accommodate your preference, but this cannot be guaranteed. There is more detailed information on the roles of each of the different government departments in the attached candidate pack and links further down the job advert. The Policy Summer Internships involve paid work placements that provide an opportunity to see what working in the Civil Service is like. Successful applicants will be given a placement that provides hands-on experience and insight into opportunities available in the Civil Service in the North of England. You will be allocated a directorate within DWP or DfE to work in. A Policy Summer Internship is a great way to prepare for a career in public administration and will last for 10 weeks starting on 29 June 2026. To ensure maximum benefit from the placement you will be expected to be available for the full period. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion matters to us. We are keen to hear from candidates from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. Please note that there are differences in salary across departments, with DWP offering £27,844 and DfE offering £xx, pro-rata. Job Description Your placement will involve you working on real-life policy making. You could be: Assisting with the creation of policy documents. Considering research findings. Engaging with senior stakeholders on major policy issues. Shadowing civil servants to understand different roles. Providing project support. Some occasional travel to other locations may be involved including overnight stays - this will be covered by each Department's expenses policy. What induction and ongoing training will be provided? A placement manager to support and guide you. Support and mentoring from colleagues in your department. Involvement in a range of activities and visits. Access to departmental learning offers and other learning and development opportunities. Person Specification We’re Looking For Enthusiastic People Who Are Considering a Career in Public Administration/Public Policy. Successful Candidates Must Meet The Following Experience Key Criteria At Sift. (Lead criterion) Show commitment to developing skills, knowledge and experience of public policy making. Produce high quality written work which is accurate and concise. Demonstrate inclusive and collaborative ways of working, working effectively as part of a team. Use inter-personal skills to develop professional relationships. Qualifications Candidates must be a current University of Leeds, University of Sheffield or Sheffield Hallam University student in your first or second year, with availability through summer 2026. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Communicating and Influencing Working Together Alongside your salary of £27,844, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £8,066 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. Please note, the figures above will differ slightly in Department for Education and will be based on the actual salary offered. Working At The Company DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes: Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours. Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave. Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme. Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly). Family friendly policies including enhanced mater