About the job

Job summary

A part of the Cabinet Office, the Central Digital and Data Office leads the Government 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 Digital Capability Programme Lead you’ll be responsible for maintaining strategic oversight and leadership of the design, development, and implementation of programmes and projects in the apprenticeships and upskilling workstream. Your main responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• leading on the design, development and rollout of an x-Gov upskilling programme - TechTrack. TechTrack is one of the Cabinet Office’s leading solutions for addressing the significant and growing DDaT skills gap in government and is designed to upskill 1800 Civil Servants into hard to fill digital roles using apprenticeships.
• lead on project plans - reporting on progress, supporting governance and assurance processes, managing the team budget pivoting the team when necessary including working with the Crown Commercial Service with regards procurement.
• stakeholder management across government to a senior level generating buy-in for the TechTrack and other programmes. 
• establish deep and productive relationships with departmental talent leads and technical specialists across government so that we can respond to emergent challenges.
• line management responsibilities and cross team leadership.
• work closely with the leads of our other key transformation programmes that have direct dependency on Digital and Data Talent, such as Graduates and Senior Talent
• ensure that Digital and Data Talent strategies directly support acceleration toward greater diversity and inclusion in our cross government DDaT teams.
• develop insight on the wider market skill changes (in terms of supply and demand) and apply best practice on talent acquisition and development from the private sector.
• lead on the delivery of different upskilling solutions including digital and data bootcamps with partnering departments. 

Person specification

We’re interested in people who:

• demonstrate experience in programme / project management in a complex settings, fast-paced environments and amid ambiguity or changing priorities encompassing agile approaches 
• possess a track record of delivery through collaboration and partnering in complex organisations with strong relationship management and negotiation skills and proven experience of dealing with stakeholders to deliver results, including evidence of high personal impact and judgement 
• have experience in managing all aspects of projects including budget management experience working within wider organisational budgets
• have an ability to think critically, use analysis and challenge of assumptions or change the status quo.
• are experienced in managing risks and issues in government, identifying dependencies and managing these whether within or external to the team
• have a brilliant track record of leading, inspiring and managing teams, setting objectives and developing skills and capabilities
• ideally have experience of working in a digital, data, and technology setting with expertise in agile and lean practices.

Benefits

There are many benefits of working at CDDO, 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 King’s 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 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 CDDO 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. Whilst we value the use of AI technology to enhance our daily work, we also value the personal touch and urge applicants to write cover letters without the use of AI to emphasise their own unique experiences
• 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: 

• demonstrable experience in programme / project management in a complex settings, fast-paced environments and amid ambiguity or changing priorities encompassing agile approaches

Recruitment Timeline:

• Sift will be completed by 5/04/2024
• Interviews will commence from 15/04/2024

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: 

• leadership
• seeing the bigger picture
• communicating and influencing
• managing a quality service

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. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist 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

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.