About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join a brand new team operating at the heart of government. The incubator for Artificial Intelligence (i.AI) is a brilliant new team, comprised of technical experts who are set up to harness the opportunity of AI to improve lives, generate efficiency savings and deliver better public services. 

This role is a critical one, sitting at the heart of our structure and overseeing the key enabling functions for our team - Strategy, Operations and Impact. You will work closely with technical experts from across the Digital Data and Technology (DDaT) profession, including AI Engineers, Data Scientists, Software Developers, User Researchers and more. These technical roles form part of our product teams, who are building tools for i.AI to deploy across government. 

This role will have line management responsibility for three teams, covering strategy, business operations, and impact and evaluation. Taken together, these functions will provide support to our product team and make sure that we are able to interface effectively with the rest of government in delivering our mission. You can find out more about the work of our team on our website, here: https://ai.gov.uk/

Information session:
To give you an idea of working in i.AI and to answer any questions you might have, we encourage
you to attend our information session on 11:30 am - 12:00 pm on Tuesday 21 May.
Link to join is: https://meet.google.com/gun-nmqj-fwd

Job description

We are recruiting for Deputy Director i.AI Strategy and Business Engagement, to support i.AI in their mission to identify and deploy AI for the public good. This role will support that mission by working across government, and representing the Cabinet Office externally, to ensure that i.AI is effectively joined up with the thriving UK AI ecosystem. 

Key Responsibilities
• You will constructively engage across government, building effective working relationships, and engaging with senior stakeholders to champion AI and data driven solutions. 
• You will demonstrate a strong ability to form effective collaborations and manage very senior stakeholders, while leading by example for analysts, technical staff, and policy teams across government to inspire a step change in innovation practice use and technical upskilling. 
• You will be credible externally in discussing AI for the public good and setting a vision for the UK’s adoption of this exciting technology, including effective engagement with Government AI ministers, and meeting regularly with business leaders and representing the UK government position. 
• You will manage three critical branches in the team covering strategy, business operations, and impact and evaluation. 
• You will report to Dr Laura Gilbert (10 Downing Street), Director of i.AI and Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) of AI for the Public Good and work very closely with ministerial offices to ensure strategic alignment.

Person specification

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

Essential Criteria:

• Proven experience of operating effectively in a relevant tech-adjacent field, for example experience in both AI strategy and implementation, wider digital/analysis functions in government or a large, complex tech-focussed organisation.
• Evidenced ability to build and maintain relationships with, and secure the confidence and trust of stakeholders, senior leaders, and peers, through the provision of expert advice on strategy, partnership working, and collaborative project delivery.
• Ability to work at pace, handling competing priorities and challenging deadlines in complex stakeholder environments. Rapid, collaborative problem solving and resolving complex issues when they arise.
• Excellent communication and written skills, with a proven track record of influencing effectively at Ministerial and Permanent Secretary level; or Board Level.
• Experience as a confident and empowering leader who sets a clear strategic direction to deliver key priorities through teams, with a track record of motivating, developing and successfully leading diverse, high-performing teams.
• Experience of setting up new teams, establishing good ways of working and effective partnership models.
• Experience of working with external business partners/collaborators to drive change within large, complex organisations and with stakeholders relevant to the mission of i.AI.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,000, Cabinet Office contributes £20,250 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

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process, outlined below. This should be completed no later than 23:55pm, Sunday 2nd June 2024.

1. A CV (no longer than 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.

2. A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 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:

Shortlist 

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.

Assessment 

If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to attend a panel 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. We will be assessing against the success profile Behaviours and Experience at interview. 

You may also have the opportunity to speak to a representative of the department prior to the final interview to learn more about the role and 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.

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Shortlist - Week commencing 10th June 2024.
Interview - Week commencing 24th June 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:

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.