About the job

Job summary

“GPA is about providing great workplaces for Civil Servants”

The Government Property Agency is helping to change the way the Civil Service works and is at the forefront of the Government’s transformation agenda; reshaping the relationship civil servants have with their place of work. The Agency is central to the delivery of key Government policies and tackling climate change by contributing to the Net Zero agenda. To do this we are delivering one of the largest real estate and change programmes across the UK and consolidating our portfolio in order to save £1.4 Bn over 10 years. This includes significant new build regeneration programmes and the sympathetic refurbishment and repurposing of many of the UK’s most recognisable heritage buildings in Westminster.

Beyond the bricks and mortar, the GPA is about providing great workplaces for Civil Servants. Through programmes like the Government Hubs, Whitehall Campus you will be in the vanguard of creating model working environments and promoting flexible working practices.

This is an ambitious and exciting task, for which we need innovative people, with strong commercial acumen, who are passionate about visualising and implementing customer needs. Launched as an Executive Agency of the Cabinet Office in 2018, we’re a relatively new department and we are growing fast so we also need people who thrive in a fast paced environment, can adapt quickly to change and are comfortable stepping outside of their remit to drive wider benefits.

Job description

This is an incredibly exciting time for government property – real estate is at the heart of reinventing Government, and the GPA is central to delivering on the vision of a ‘Modern Civil Service’. As an experienced commercial property and programme delivery leader, this is a challenge you’ll not want to miss!

As Director of Capital Programmes, you will provide leadership to the GPA by setting the cultural tone from the top, by delivering excellent outcomes for departmental clients by driving wider economic, financial and social value benefits, optimising asset efficiency and releasing surplus estate. You will be the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) of the Government Hubs and Whitehall Campus Programme, one of the most significant real estate developments in the UK. These two programmes form part of the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) which brings significant ministerial, industry and media interest.

You will champion transformation, providing government departments and agencies with innovative solutions and specialist asset management and commercial property expertise that enables them to deliver wider business change. The GPA’s UK-wide presence will enable you to support the Government’s agenda for regional growth and strengthening the Union. The programme delivery is supported by a variety of freehold and leasehold solutions and a variety of routes to engage industry and the wider real estate supply chain. Therefore commercial and financial acumen in the creation of innovative routes to market with funders, developers, landlords, construction partners and professional consultants is a key requirement of the role.

You will shape and grow the organisation, building its capacity and capability, establishing its brand and enhancing its reputation – and delivering the promised benefits. Influencing across government, with tangible benefits to the Civil Service and the public we serve, this role requires a dynamic balance of strategic vision and pragmatism.

Person specification

For full details on the Person Specification please visit: https://ma-appointments.co.uk/gpacapitalprogrammes/person-specification/

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £97,000, Cabinet Office contributes £26,190 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

For details on the selection process, timeline and information on reasonable adjustments please visit: https://ma-appointments.co.uk/gpacapitalprogrammes/

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, with DV clearance required soon after onboarding which would normally need 5/10 years’ UK residency in the past 5/10 years respectively. 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.

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

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.

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

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

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) (opens in a new window)
• 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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.