About the job

Job summary

This is an excellent opportunity to support the delivery of the National Security agenda across the National Security Secretariat (NSS) and the civil service as well as drive the culture of the NSS. The role sits across the Strategy Directorate and Intelligence and Security team in the National Security Secretariat, working directly with the National Security Adviser (NSA), Deputy National Security Advisers (DNSAs) and Directors to ensure that NSS and the Agencies have the resources and people needed to deliver and are prepared for the next Spending Round.

The Deputy Director will lead a team of around 12 people working with the NSA and DNSAs to provide corporate and financial oversight of NSS, support the strategic development of the Secretariat, and lead the Corporate Governance of NSS. The role will also lead the NSS Spending Review bid and oversee a Strategic Finance approach to the Spending Review across national security departments in line with the Integrated Review refresh. This will include building strong relationships across Cabinet Office, No10, HMT and other Government Departments, including at the most senior levels. 

The role will dual report into the Director of Intelligence and Security to lead and support the Cabinet Office’s sponsorship and oversight function for the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC), a team of around 7 people. This includes enabling the Cabinet Secretary to effectively fulfil his role as Accounting Officer for the Single Intelligence Account on UKIC’s performance and sound financial management.

Job description

The postholder will require a strong track record on strategic finance and policy, with formal financial qualifications to provide SCS financial expertise within the National Security Secretariat. They will also require strong stakeholder management and communication skills, both written and verbal, to build good relationships with stakeholders, manage potentially challenging discussions, and convey sensitive messages and complex policy issues clearly.  The successful candidate should have an interest in working in a fast-paced, sometimes ambiguous environment with the ability to foresee wider implications of decisions on other areas of policy.

The postholder will lead a team of 12 to:

• Deliver a corporate change programme across NSS: enhancing the culture and turning NSS into the best place to work in CO; raising standards of strategic financial and resource planning across NSS; and advising National Security Adviser (NSA) and Deputy National Security Advisers (DNSAs) on how to deliver priorities within resourcing pressures.
• Working with senior stakeholders across CO and government to deliver resourcing for NSS to meet business requirements
• Deliver the next spending review for NSS.
• Deliver a strategic finance project across the National Security Community to consider what resourcing should be put in place through the next Spending Review to deliver the Integrated Review and then designing an approach to deliver.
• Deliver an excellent corporate service across NSS and across above official tier IT. 
• Ensure NSS is in compliance with all its corporate requirements, becoming a source of trusted and expert advice on all aspects of business management and corporate processes.

The postholder will also provide professional oversight and lead a team of 7 to:

• Lead financial management of the Single Intelligence Account (SIA) including laying the SIA consolidated Annual Accounts, scrutiny of UKIC business cases to support timely investment, reviewing financial and strategic risks and issues.
• Ensure UK Intelligence Community’s (UKIC) effective delivery of Priority Outcomes and Spending Review commitments, with accountability to the Principal Accounting Officer for the Single Intelligence Account.
• Assure strategic delivery of UKIC capability and performance including maintaining effective governance and oversight structures
• Lead co-ordination of SIA Spending Review and engagement with His Majesty's Treasury (HMT).

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leadership of Corporate Policy and Support Team, UKIC finance and oversight team, and wider NSS, including on culture, diversity and inclusion.
• Providing the NSA with clear, strategic financial advice across all areas of National Security including, but not limited to, working with HMT on Spending Review priorities linked to the Integrated Review, liaising with Other Government Departments to review resource constraints against Integrated Review priorities, and ensuring that NSS and the wider community has sufficient resources to function.
• Lead and drive delivery of a significant NSS corporate change programme, delivering a step change in NSS culture and enhancing employee experience and NSS delivery.
• Provide leadership on financial management, strategic workforce planning, above official IT, estates and information management, including working closely with HR and Finance Partners and other central Cabinet Office stakeholders.  
• Enhance the partnership between the central corporate team and Directors in NSS, improve financial and resource management, ensure NSS is in compliance with all its corporate requirements, and become a source of trusted and expert advice on all aspects of business management and corporate processes. Raise standards of financial and resource planning across NSS and report to NSS ExCo on a quarterly basis.
• Leading work to support the Cabinet Secretary in his role as Principal Accounting Officer for the Single Intelligence Account, building the capability, governance, processes and relationships necessary to ensure that UKIC has the resources it needs and is using them effectively to meet strategic national security priorities.

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:

• Inspiring leadership, including the ability to build, motivate and develop high-performing, inclusive and supportive teams across a diverse range of issues and a commitment to playing an active role in the corporate life of both Strategy Directorate and broader NSS.
• An ability to lead long-term change: setting a clear vision, translating this into action, and building a broad network of load-bearing relationships that enable you to bring others with you.
• Clear evidence of excellent leadership of corporate management, strategic finance management and strategic business planning.
• Ability to translate complex information into clear options and next steps and to influence others.
• Excellent communication skills, able to present complex information clearly and concisely to senior audiences building credibility quickly, and using influencing skills to negotiate and build coalitions across organisational boundaries. 

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience and evidence of operating in a security environment whilst engaging with a broad network of stakeholders would be desirable.

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, Strengths 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, Sunday 7th January 2024.

A CV 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 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 submit both portions 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.

For candidates who need to reference sensitive material/experience and cannot submit their application via the usual online application channel, please contact Jo Warwick (jo.warwick@cabinetoffice.gov.uk) to find out more about submitting an application at an appropriate classification level. Please note you will still be required to submit a short application via CS Jobs with basic details and to note that you will be submitting an offline sensitive application in the CV/Personal Statement section.

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.

You may also have the opportunity to speak to speak to a representative from the hiring department 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.

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

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)
Expected sift date – w/c 8th January 2024

Expected interview date/s – w/c 22nd 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.

Further information

Please note that this role requires DV clearance, which would normally need 10 years UK residency in the past 10 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.

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 here.

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 developed vetting (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.