About the job

Job summary

The Government People Group (GPG) exists to work with departments, professions, and functions to build a modern, effective Civil Service. 

We deliver essential services across the whole Civil Service to support the government workforce with the right skills and capability. We are working with leaders to get the right people in the right jobs, with the right skills and continuous learning to excel in their roles.

We provide leadership, and in turn, create leaders with exceptional line management capability across departments, influencing partners in the wider public sector and beyond. This involves getting our retention and reward strategy right, to nurture specific skills, and create pride and resilience in our workforce.  

Our role is also to provide system leadership across central government in pulling together back office services. Collectively, we help support the Cabinet Office's priority to drive efficiencies, and reforms that will make government work better, to ultimately provide a better service to the public.

Job description

As the Chief Data and AI Officer for Government People Group in the Cabinet Office you will play a vital role in informing decision making across Government. You will lead on ensuring that our policies benefit from data, analytics and data science expertise to quickly test and learn, optimise, evaluate and improve impact. You will spearhead the drive towards greater personalisation of decision making, whilst maintaining and championing the highest data ethics and privacy standards. 

Key responsibilities  

• Lead a team of c30 multi-disciplinary Data Analysts / Data Scientists / Performance Analysts / Economists / Devops / Data Engineers / Technical Architect / User and Social Researches / Statisticians.
• Lead on the Outcome Delivery Plan Data Services Programme to bridge digital and analysis capability to enable data-driven decision-making within the Civil Service.
• Deliver on our commitment to develop a Talent Intelligence capability based on our cross-Civil Service skills, and recruitment large datasets.
• Provide Performance and Insight across all GPG business areas.
• Lead the operation of our data, visualisation, customer experience and API underpinning platforms.
• Role model a positive, inclusive culture and excellence in line management.

Person specification

It is important that, through your CV and supporting statement, that you provide evidence of the professional skills, breadth of experience and personal qualities for this post.

Essential Criteria:

Leadership Demonstrable ability to influence others to buy-in to an innovative and compelling vision of how data and AI can be used to drive active intelligent insights.

Technical In-depth knowledge built up from hands-on experience from two or more of: performance and KPI management, data infrastructure, data architecture, data modelling, analytics, visualization, behavioural research, and data mining techniques in a business context. 

Service Delivery Experience of operating multi-layer data, insight and analytical  services to paying customers.

Data Governance Experience establishing data standards, policies, access control and quality assurance and an understanding of regulatory compliance related to data (e.g. GDPR).

Innovation A strong interest in staying updated on the latest industry trends and disruptive technologies leveraging data. Willingness to foster innovative thinking and calculate risks of applying emerging data capabilities.

Style An inclusive management style to earn the confidence and respect necessary to effectively deliver the agenda on major data change.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £84,242, Cabinet Office contributes £22,823 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.

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process, outlined below. This should be completed no later than 23:55 pm, Sunday 7th January 2024.

A CV (no longer than two A4 pages and 1250 words) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have  provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.

A Statement of Suitability (no longer than two A4 pages and 1250 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification.

Failure to complete both sections of the online application form (CV and Statement of Suitability) will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do  not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select  'prefer not to say’. See the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for more information.

Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with us via: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 

Selection process

Your application will be acknowledged when it is received. A panel, including the hiring manager, will assess your application to select those demonstrating the best fit with the role by considering the evidence you have provided against the criteria set out in the ‘Person Specification’ section. Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application. The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which decision is expected to be made, and all longlisted and shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter.

If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to attend a shortlist interview, in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification. This will be more of an informal chat to ensure you have the relevant technical skills required for this role.

If you are successful in the first interview, you will then be invited to attend a second behaviour based interview with a 5 minute presentation without the use of visual aids or handouts.

You may also have the opportunity to speak to the vacancy holder Mark Thompson prior to the final interview to learn more about the role and the organisation. Please note this is not part of the formal assessment process.

Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates. If you are required to prepare a presentation for the final interview you will be given the subject in advance.

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies in the Civil Service requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without the need for a new competition.

Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible. Written feedback will be made available (on request) to those candidates who attend interview. 

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – W/C 15th January 2024
Expected Technical date/s – W/C 22nd January 2024
Final Interview- W/C 29th January 2024

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 at: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the ‘assistance required’ section in the ‘personal information’ page of your application form to provide information we should be aware of that will enable us to support you 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.

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

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

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.