About the job

Job summary

The Knowledge and Information Management Unit (KIMU) is a core enabling function for the Home Office. It sits within the Security, Estates and Information Directorate which is part of the Corporate & Delivery command. KIMU is responsible for providing knowledge and information management services, developing capability, and setting the direction and policy on KIM across the Home Office. 

KIMU helps business areas use and manage their information in ways that supports delivery and collaborative working whilst ensuring compliance with legal obligations, such as those under the Freedom of Information Act, the Data Protection Act, and the Public Records Act. 

This is a fantastic opportunity to join the Knowledge Management team, a small team within KIMU.  

Knowledge Management has an increasingly high profile within the department. Great strides have been taken in the last 18 months and we are keen to build on that momentum and continue to develop and professionalise our capability and approach. We are integrating Knowledge Management with existing record-based Information Management, to enable the department to routinely use the tacit, explicit and embedded knowledge of staff to identify and learn lessons from the past.

Job description

The Learning from Experience SEO will report to the Head of Knowledge Management and will be responsible for: 

Leading the Learning from Experience (LfE) workstream – the Home Office’s innovative storytelling approach to learning lessons. You will primarily be responsible for scoping and writing the lessons learned case studies that form the basis of LfE stories. 

Connecting, building and maintaining relationships and networks with key stakeholders to raise the profile of knowledge management and affect cultural and behavioural change across the organisation. 

Demonstrating knowledge management best practice, tools and behaviours.   

Implementing knowledge management solutions and building capability by providing mentoring, coaching, masterclasses and consultancy support directly to the business. 

Important Information

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.  This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estates capacity, by Spring 2024.  Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details).

Person specification

A clear communication style, ensuring that there is complete clarity around shared objectives and, where objectives are not shared, there is a common and openly communicated understanding of different positions. 

An excellent track record of delivery, able to work independently or collaboratively as circumstances require.  

A positive approach to collaborative working, building on the strengths of others to get the best out of both internal and external teams where input supports agreed objectives.  

Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to maintain networks and reciprocal working relationships across the department.  

Inquisitive, curious and keen to learn and share your knowledge and experience with others. 

Essential criteria 

We’re looking for someone with strong interpersonal skills who is able to collaborate effectively to deliver. It is essential that you have:   

• Excellent communication skills and written work, able to communicate clearly and concisely with a range of audiences. 
• Excellent stakeholder skills. Lessons learned interviews can be on a wide range of sometimes sensitive topics, so the ability to establish rapport, listen carefully and ask probing questions is essential.  
• Sound critical thinking with the ability to seek out and exploit opportunities to drive the KM agenda forward.  
• Excellent organisational skills, including an ability to be self-starting and balance limited resources across competing priorities. 
• A strong customer focus and ability to reinforce a culture of excellence within your team and beyond.  

Desirable criteria 

• Storytelling/creative writing experience 
• Experience of Knowledge Management  
• Demonstrable understanding of organisational learning

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete: 

•    A CV detailing job history/skills 
•    A statement of suitability (maximum 1000 words) 

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. 

The statement of suitability should be aligned to demonstrate your skills and experience for the role and how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job description.

The sift will be held on the statement of suitability. The CV will not be scored.

Candidates shortlisted will be invited to an interview which will be a blended approach of Strength-based questions (no preparation necessary) Experience and Behaviours.

You will also be asked to give a presentation, details will be provided to candidates prior to interview.  

Sift and Interview dates

Sift is expected to take place from  24th January 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place from 12th February 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change. 

Interviews will be carried out via video. Candidates will be required to have access to:
• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Microsoft Teams
 
PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.

A reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.  

Further information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically 

diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

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

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.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to  bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home 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 

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is 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 HOrecruitment.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

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

Security

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.