About the job

Job summary

This post is an important leadership role in the Investment Security Unit (ISU), in the National Security Secretariat of the Cabinet Office. The ISU screens mergers and acquisitions for risks to national security and provides the Deputy Prime Minister with properly informed advice on how to exercise his powers under the National Security and Investment Act 2021. It is an exciting time to join the ISU – having been fully operational for two successful years, we are continuing to establish ISU as a centre of excellence in investment security domestically and internationally, working closely with partners across Government to strengthen the UK’s overall economic security.

The post holder leads a number of teams within the ISU which collectively play vital roles supporting and enabling the more operationally-focused teams to successfully screen transactions for national security risk. The full job title is Deputy Director, ASPIIRE – Analysis, Secretariat, Policy, IT, International Relations and Engagement.

Job description

Specifically the role involves:

• Policy: leading a team that ensures the legal and policy framework is fit for purpose, well understood by stakeholders, and supports the efficient operation of the NSI Act.
• International: leading a small team, and playing a personal leadership role, to advance the UK’s investment screening system on an international stage, and continuing to learn from others.
• IT: via a small in-house function, working with other Civil Service digital teams and external suppliers to ensure the continued and effective delivery of and support for the IT platforms that support casework, planning for their continued resilience and evolution.
• Analysis: ensuring delivery of high-quality analysis that supports and advances ISU policy and operations.
• Secretariat: ensuring smooth running and continuous development of the ISU’s governance and corporate function.

The post holder will be a member of the leadership team of the Investment Security Unit. Working closely with the Deputy Director Risk Identification, Compliance and Enforcement, and Deputy Director Risk Assessment, you will ensure that your teams support an effective case-working function, and that the ISU is collectively drawing insights from individual cases to improve the policy and legislative basis for investment screening, strengthening the UK’s overall investment landscape and national security. 

The post holder will need to work effectively and collaboratively with the other parts of Government that have roles on national security, promotion of inward investment and sector expertise, in particular with No 10, the wider Cabinet Office, Ministry of Defence, Home Office, Foreign Office, HM Treasury, Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

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. The successful candidate will be a strong, credible leader, and will need to show evidence of their capability in the following areas:  

Essential Criteria:

• An inspiring, confident and engaged senior leader, with a track record of leading through others and motivating teams to deliver high quality outputs at pace, maintaining a supportive, inclusive workplace culture.
• A strategic thinker, able to lead and manage a complex agenda, maintaining a grip on the bigger picture while demonstrating understanding of the underlying detailed policy issues and legal questions. 
• Excellent evidence-based policy skills, able to distil complex information into clear recommendations, and with experience of using legal and policy frameworks to underpin sound decision-making. 
• Highly developed communication skills, able to engage confidently with a wide range of senior, expert stakeholders domestically and internationally, and to brief on complex issues to a variety of senior audiences.
• A collaborative team player, able to work effectively with others including through periods of ambiguity, in response to shifting priorities or threats. 

Desirable Criteria:

• While there will be opportunities to grow and develop your capabilities in post, relevant national and/or economic security experience at senior levels will be very helpful; as will experience of engaging internationally at senior levels.

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 18th February 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.

1.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

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 of the candidate information pack. 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.

Selection process

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a staff engagement exercise. This assessments will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, they are designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview. For more information about the assessment process, please follow this link: https://scs-assessments.co.uk/

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 at interview.

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.

We will send you a copy of any report for any assessment that you may have undergone as part of the recruitment process (if requested).

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – w/c 26th February 2024.

Expected assessment date - w/c 4th March 2024.

Expected interview date/s – w/c 18th March 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 Security Clearance (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: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Developed Vetting (DV) clearance level for this vacancy once in post. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for DV is 10 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post. 

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.