About the job

Job summary

A part of the Cabinet Office, the Central Digital and Data Office leads the Government's Digital and Data function. We put the right conditions in place to achieve digital, data and technology transformation at scale by working with departments, and other government functions like commercial, project delivery, and security professionals.

We are responsible for:

• Digital, Data and Technology Strategy and Standards, like the Technology Code of Practice, the Service Standard and Open Standards
• Cross-government Digital and Data performance and assurance, including Spend Controls
• Government Digital and Data Capability Development, including the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework

Government Digital and Data Workforce and Capability:

The Digital and Data Workforce and Capability team (in Cabinet Office) is focused on ensuring that the government has the right people to deliver digital transformation and meet the significant challenges that it will face in coming years.  We aim to turbocharge our ability to attract, recruit, grow and retain world-leading digital talent who will go on to develop game-changing public services.

This challenge is one of the most pressing and exciting in government, and one that is critical to government modernisation and reform. 

 We are a dynamic and growing team of capability, digital and data professionals charged with setting strategy and delivering for the 23,000 digital makers, future talent, and the wider civil service. We are committed to building and continually developing a culture that is inclusive, enthusiastic, supportive, and ultimately a place where our people can perform and develop to their very best. It is important that your personal value set aligns with this ambition. 

Our programme will accelerate realisation of a more diverse and inclusive workforce, and includes:

• Development and implementation of a new competitive pay framework;
• Design and implementation of a streamlined and standardised recruitment experience that reduces time to hire and supports a reduction in our current and future reliance on contingent labour;
• Up-skilling all senior civil servants to be equipped with 'digital and data essentials';
• Renewed investment in learning for all in digital and data, and a government wide commitment to apprentices and graduates at scale;
• A Government Digital and Data Strategic Workforce Plan.

Job description

As the Talent Strategy Manager you’ll be responsible for maintaining strategic oversight and management of the development, implementation and running of programmes and projects in the Senior Talent workstream. Your main responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• work with the Senior Talent Lead to establish, implement, maintain and review the professions Senior Talent strategy.
• work with the Senior Talent Lead to implement the Digital Secondments Programme.
• manage the Digital Secondments programme project plans - reporting on progress, supporting governance and assurance processes, pivoting the team when necessary.
• lead on communications for cross-government and industry stakeholder engagement and management, holding and growing key stakeholder relationships (including with external partnership organisations and government departments.)
• provide cross-team leadership to set the direction and align expectations across the project team and act as a deputy for the Team Lead, role modelling leadership behaviours.
• collaborate with the wider team on marketing and branding requirements to promote new talent initiatives across government and externally. 

Person specification

This role requires:

• experience implementing talent development programmes from advertising through to off-boarding.  
• proven track record in project management across various business units, effectively prioritising and successfully delivering with meticulous attention to detail and organisation skills.
• effective communication and influencing skills at Senior Stakeholder level (verbally and orally) to build and nurture positive stakeholder relationships. Gaining buy in and commitment to initiatives.
• a team player with a proactive, problem solving attitude and a desire to develop and support others from a diverse range of backgrounds.
• understand the wider context and strategic priorities within which we are working.

Benefits

The benefits of working at CDDO

There are many benefits including:

• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days 
• an extra day off for The Kings birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• paid volunteering leave 
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to children's holiday play schemes across different locations in central London
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

CDDO offers hybrid working for all employees. This means that everyone does some working from home and also spends some time in their local office. You’ll agree to your hybrid working arrangement with your line manager in line with your preferences and business needs.

Any move to the Central Digital and Data 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

Things you need to know

Selection process details

The standard selection process for roles at CDDO consists of:

• a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and cover letter of up to 750 words. Important tip - please ensure that your cover letter includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above
• a 60-minute video interview

In the event we receive a high number of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criteria which is:

• Experience implementing talent development programmes from advertising through to off-boarding. 

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours:

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Seeing the bigger picture

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.