Delivering at Pace is one of the 9 core behaviours that are assessed within the Civil Service ‘Success Profiles’ framework. You might recognise it as “Achieving Results” if you are used to the old framework.
As it is a core behaviour it can be assessed in a number of ways and, just as importantly, it can be assessed at any stage of the recruitment process. This includes (but is not limited to):
- Your CV
- Your application answers
- During the interview
- As a standalone exercise
- During a presentation
- At an assessment centre
What I am getting at is that if the job advert says that you will be assessed on your ability to deliver at pace you need to make sure you convey your abilities whenever the opportunity arises.
That is why in this article I am going to explain exactly what delivering at pace means. I am going to look at what it is your assessor/interviewer is expecting of you in the application and interview stages PLUS what might occur in an assessment centre should you be invited to one. Then finally I will attempt to answer some of the common questions that arise when discussing this particular behaviour. (if you have any questions do not hesitate to leave a comment)
Contents
What is Delivering at Pace
We can’t show off our abilities if we don’t understand what it is we are being assessed on.
Fundamentally ‘Delivering at Pace’ is looking at your ability to produce what is required when confronted by obstacles, delays, competing priorities, tight deadlines and all that other fun stuff that the workplace throws at you. What is being asked is are you able to keep yourself, and your colleagues/team/operation/etc., focused on the goal. Can you manage expectations, remove blockers and deliver on time and to the expected quality?
Basically, when someone talks about “delivering at pace,” they’re talking about being able to get things done quickly and efficiently while still maintaining a high level of quality.
Think of it like this: imagine you have a big project due in a week. If you’re able to work quickly and stay focused, you’ll be able to finish the project on time without feeling overwhelmed. That’s what it means to “deliver at pace.”
People who are good at delivering at pace are usually really organized and good at managing their time. They’re able to set clear goals and come up with a plan to achieve them. And if something unexpected comes up, they’re able to adapt and make changes to their plan without losing focus on the end result.
So if you’re someone who’s good at delivering at pace, you’re probably someone who’s able to work well under pressure and get things done quickly without sacrificing quality.
How Will Delivering at Pace Be Assessed
I said before that you can be assessed on the core behaviours at any stage of the application process. 9 times out of 10 you will be made aware of when you are being assessed as you will be told by your assessors (either on the application or in the assessment centre or interview stage). Let’s look at the occassions where you will most likely be assessed on this behaviour:
On your CV
Now those of you who have applied to the Civil Service in the past will be aware that a lot of the advertised roles do not allow you to upload your CV direct. Instead they ask for you to copy and paste relevant sections into the the boxes on their form. Make sure you follow the instructions and remove any identifiable content as this will result in your application being automatically rejected (many many people learn that the hard way!)
Even though you don’t need a traditional CV when applying at the Civil Service I still recommend that you keep an up-to-date copy available as I find that some jobs do ask for them and often some jobs will ask for them prior to the interview stage. Plus they come in handy for you to copy and paste the relevant sections into the form!
During the Application Process
During the application process you will be asked to spend up to 250 words describing your skills and experience as it pertains to each behaviour that is being tested.
That means you will have 250 words to show the assessor that you:
know what delivering at pace means
have applicable skills and experience to showcase
can effectively communicate your skills
250 words is not a lot of space when you are trying to get a point across. For reference this entire article is 1500 words long, and I would say it is one of the shorter pieces I have written.
The recommended strategy for completing these statements is to use the B-STAR system
B – Belief
S – situation
T – task
A – action
R – result
Put simply:
What are your thoughts/feelings?
What was going on?
What was the goal?
What did you specifically do?
How did it all play out?
The best advice for completing these statements is to spend the bulk of your word allowance on A & R. Actions & Results.
No need to get bogged down in world building. Just set the scene quickly, say what was happening and what you’d been asked to do. Then focus on the activities you picked up and why you picked them up. Then round it off by confirming how your actions allowed you to land the work on time and to the expected quality (i.e. you successfully delivered at pace!)
Delivering at Pace 250 Word Statement Example
Here is a great 250 word statement example that recently scored a 7 for one of our readers:
Get access to more examples by clicking here
How to Complete Your Own 250 Word Statement Example
There are many ways you can structure your 250 word statement. The one we find creates the best and most consistent statements is the B-STAR method. Watch the below video to see how to structure your statements for maximum effectiveness.
During the Interview Stage
If you are reading this now because you have scored a Civil Service Interview and are looking to see what you might be asked. First off congrats on getting this far. This means you are on the shortlist for the role. But the hard work doesn’t stop here, you need to hammer home your skills and experience more in the interview than at any point in the application process so far.
If the job advert said that you will be assessed on the behaviour “Delivering at Pace” you can be 90% certain that you will receive a question that will be directly about this behaviour.
It is important when you attend a behavioural interview that you have multiple ‘stories’ to tell for each behaviour. You need to then choose the story that fits the question the best and use that.
Similar to the application process when answering questions in the interview it is recommended to use the B-STAR system
However unlike the application process you are not limited to 250 words. Generally the interviewers will be expecting you to talk through your answers for at least 5 minutes (most interviewers will tell you how long they expect your answers to be so play off what they tell you).
This additional time gives you the ability to get more in-depth about your experience. It is still advisable to spend most of your time on A – actions & R – results.
But this time when you are desrcribing what it is you did you should drill down into why you did what you did and why you thought that was the best option. Where there other options that you could have gone with? Why were they not chosen? Etc.
Delivering at Pace Interview Questions
These are some of the questions that I have personally seen asked during a competency based interview. How well do you think you can answer them?
Tell me about a time when you were late delivering a piece of work?
Tell me about a project that failed to deliver? What lessons did you learn from this?
Have you ever had to work to an extremely tight deadline? How did you navigate that?
In the Assessment Centre
Assessment centre evaluations have fallen out of favour as of late, they are now usually reserved for entry level roles where there are lots of jobs available and lots of applicants to sort. Say for example a new customer service centre is opening and they require 100 colleagues to take inbound calls.
When you go to an assessment centre evaluation you will be put into a team alongside your fellow candidates. Then as a team you will be given a scenario and will be asked to come up with a plan on how best to achieve an objective.
It doesn’t really matter what the scenario is or what the objective is. The tips you need to follow are:
- Highlight the blockers – there will be parts of the scenario designed to slow you down
- Understand the success factors – you will not be able to deliver a 100% perfect solution so ensure you know what the important factors are and ensure you deliver them
- Do not hog all of the work and do not sabotage your team mates – this happens all of the time in these group evaluation sessions. Applicants think if they take on all of the hard work or make their other applicants look bad then they are more likely to get the role. But in fact the opposite is true. The assessors in these places have seen it all before. They are looking for team players. People who can deliver successful projects without getting burnt out from over work and without alienating themselves from the wider organisation.
- Remember to showcase your results – You’ve put in all the work make sure you show and highlight to your assessors how your efforts paid off.
Delivering at Pace – FAQ
Should my statement/answer change based on the job role?
Yes, different job roles will come with different responsibilities. If you are going for a Team or Project Manager level role then you should tailor your answer to say how you removed blockers for your team. If you are going for an even senior level role (operations manager or a director level role) then you need to talk about how you instil the behaviour of delivering at pace into your department as a whole. I recommend reading the behaviours document linked here for more information.
Do my answers have to be relevant to the job itself?
Strictly speaking no. There will be plenty of opportunity for you to talk about your experience in the role so don’t worry if your ‘delivering at pace’ example is about something unrelated to the industry. If you are going for a, let’s say, risk analyst position it might be difficult to come up with a time when you’ve had to deliver at pace, but maybe you have outside experience that might be relevant. Go with that instead.
Obviously if you have a direct example that mirrors the job description that would be great but don’t sweat it if you don’t just find something that covers the behaviour itself.
Where can I learn more about Delivering at Pace?
Make sure to read the Civil Service document on behaviours. And don’t be afraid to ask your assessors what it is they are looking for. Worst case scenario they say they can’t give feedback, best case you find out exactly what you need for your next application.
Where Can I Learn More About The Civil Service Behaviours?
We have gone into detail about the Civil Service Behaviours in this post here. If you would like to learn more about any individual behaviour check out the posts below:.
Seeing the Big Picture – Assessing the candidates ability to understand how their actions impact other people/teams and the wider organisation. Learn more…
Making Effective Decisions – Assessing the candidates ability to source and then weigh up different options and recommend the best solution. Learn more…
Communicating and Influencing – Assessing the candidates ability to get their views across and get people on board with their way of thinking. Learn more…
Changing and Improving – Assessing the candidates ability to identify areas of improvement and assessing their motivation to implement these changes. Learn more…
Working Together – Assessing the candidates ability to work well with others. Learn more…
Developing Self and Others – Assessing the candidates drive for self-improvement via learning new skills and the impact this drive has on others. Learn more…
Managing a Quality Service – Assessing the candidates drive to produce high quality work and meet stakeholders needs. Learn more…
Delivering at Pace – Assessing the candidates ability to produce quality deliverables on time and within budget under limiting circumstances. Learn more…
Leadership – Assessing the candidates ability to lead a team and to motivate others. Learn more…
Why is delivering at pace important in the UK Civil Service?
Delivering at pace is important in the UK Civil Service because civil servants are often responsible for managing complex projects and initiatives with tight deadlines. Being able to work quickly and efficiently while maintaining quality is crucial for success in many roles within the Civil Service.
How can I demonstrate my ability to deliver at pace in my job application?
You can demonstrate your ability to deliver at pace by highlighting examples from your past experience where you have successfully managed projects with tight deadlines. This might include examples of how you prioritized tasks, delegated responsibilities, and made adjustments to your plan in order to achieve your goals.
What specific skills are important for delivering at pace in the UK Civil Service?
Some important skills for delivering at pace in the UK Civil Service include project management, time management, organization, problem-solving, and adaptability. You should also be able to work well under pressure and be able to balance competing priorities and deadlines.
How can I improve my ability to deliver at pace?
You can improve your ability to deliver at pace by practicing good time management skills, setting clear goals and priorities, staying focused and avoiding distractions, and being proactive in identifying and solving problems. You can also seek feedback from colleagues and mentors to help you identify areas where you can improve.
How important is delivering at pace in the selection process for UK Civil Service jobs?
Delivering at pace is an important selection criterion for many UK Civil Service jobs, particularly those that involve project management, policy development, or operational delivery. You are likely to be assessed on your ability to deliver at pace as part of the selection process, so it’s important to be able to provide strong examples of your past experience in this area.
What is the best way of creating the personal statement that is also required on the application?