About the job

Job summary

The Civil Service operates a functional model, with strong leadership and continuous improvement of the cross-departmental corporate functions. The GCS Skills and Standards  team is a new, exciting team at the very heart of delivering the functional agenda for communications and will bring together: setting the standards for communications practice across Government and its arms length bodies.  Developing  an offer for GCS  and creating and conducting ways of measuring functional capability at an organisational and individual level to drive up performance against the standards. 

The team plays a critical role in driving continuous improvement, promoting the efficiency, effectiveness and reform of government communications. 
The team will also play a pivotal role in defining and embedding a new career framework for the profession, as well as contributing towards the maintenance and future improvements of the MCOM model and the GCS Functional Standards and any associated guidance.

Job description

The Capability Manager will work in collaboration with key business stakeholders, colleagues in the GCS profession and across government to ensure that we are working towards our vision. This is an exciting new role which will deliver on a key commitment in the GCS strategy to transform our approach to how we develop our people and ensure that people are operating at the standards we expect.

GCS is committed to developing our staff and building communication capability to support and enable career development. We are committed to providing opportunities to move into different roles to develop a broad skill set, access to mentors and a suite of learning to support you on your chosen career path. 

Person specification

Responsibilities & Duties

• Support the Skills and Standards Capability Lead in designing and delivering interventions which contribute to GCS Strategy Commitments.
• Contribute towards the maintenance and future improvements of the MCOM model and the GCS Functional Standards and any associated guidance.
• Support the implementation and evaluation of the GCS Advance programme
• Help define the approach for driving improvements to capability across GCS including the future implementation of any promotion or badging boards. 
• Build on existing frameworks, including developing skills and capability audit and contribute towards development of future talent development programmes, and assess future capability needs and readiness, providing recommendations for implementation and improvement.   
• Support the development and launch of GCS career pathways across all levels of the function 
• Work with stakeholders to embed good practice and deliver strategic outcomes.
• Represent GCS at cross-government meetings and act as a point of contact for development and capability 
• Working in close partnership with the lead for skills and capabilities to ensure that the GCS career frameworks and associated documents are aligned to GCS Advance.
• You will work flexibly across the team to support the delivery of core priorities as required.

Experience / Ability

• Experience of creating robust frameworks to deliver a strategy
• Experience in developing  and implementing development frameworks
• Experience of leading skills audit to understand the current skill set and identify the gaps or areas that require development
• Experience of building trusted relationships with internal and external partners at all levels
• Ability to understand the existing Modern Communications Operating Model (MCOM) 
• Analytical thinker, who enjoys problem solving 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with high attention to detail.
• An interest in HR and/or Learning and Development

Technical

CIPD qualification or willing to work towards.

Additional information

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,850, Cabinet Office contributes £11,029 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Application process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, 500 word personal statement as well as three 250 word behaviour statements. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.   

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Managing a Quality Service. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Selection process

During the blended interview you will be assessed against your experience and the behaviours that are contained within this advert.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – TBC
Expected interview date/s – TBC
Interview location - Virtual via Google Meet

Further information

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Cabinet Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service or Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Reasonable adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 
• Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.