About the job

Job summary

The role sits within the Sport and Gambling Directorate responsible for all aspects of Government sport and gambling policy. Ranging from elite sport and hosting of major events to grassroots participation and promoting diversity and inclusion across the world of sport. 

The Gambling and Lotteries team is responsible for gambling and lotteries policy across Great Britain. Part of this includes delivering the Gambling Act Review, an important Government priority and manifesto commitment, with the aim of making sure that our regulatory framework is fit for the digital age. Working with the Gambling Commission and a wide-range of stakeholders, our role is to make sure that gambling is kept fair and open, free from crime, and children and vulnerable people are protected. We also lead on horse and greyhound racing policy, charity lotteries and the National Lottery.

Job description

The Gambling Act Review Programme Manager role is a great opportunity for a motivated and experienced candidate looking for a stretching role in a high-profile area of Government policy. 

The role will span the work of the Gambling Act Review (GAR) team, which includes land-based and online gambling policy areas and consumer protections. The role offers the opportunity to straddle policy development and programme management. The role will work closely with all areas of the team to stay up-to-date on policy developments, understand the impact of and mitigate against delays, and ensure ministers stay informed on progress and developments. The role will also work closely with the Gambling Commission. 

The successful candidate will: 

• Lead the horizon scanning policy development work to determine next steps in gambling policy after the implementation of the measures in the GAR. 
• (Depending on when the candidate joins) lead on election planning work. 
• Work with the Gambling Commission and DCMS analysts to monitor the effectiveness of the measures implemented in the GAR. 
• Lead on all governance and risk management for the GAR, including ensuring Ministers and senior leaders are kept up to date with the progress of the GAR programme of work. 

Person specification

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience:

Essential requirements:

• Strong oral and written communication skills, with experience of communicating with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to deliver at pace against competing priorities and stay calm under pressure.
• Project management skills, including the ability to identify risks and mitigating actions. 
• Ability to think strategically, use evidence to support decision making to articulate a wide range of objectives and outcomes.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, able to collaborate with and build influential relationships with internal and external partners, including at senior levels.

Desirable skills:

• Particular interest in and understanding of the gambling sector.
• Previous experience of programme management/delivery of programme
• Understanding of how government works and its relationships with Arm’s Length Bodies
• Experience of working cross-government

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by Nat Fox, and will take place on: Tuesday 21 May at 16:00 - 16:45.

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.

Please register your interest by filling out this form and you will be sent an invitation. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,670, Department for Culture, Media and Sport contributes £10,170 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, please send us the following documents no later than 23:55 PM 30th May 2024 via the CS Jobs portal:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 3 x A4 pages and you should insert your CV into the "Job History" section on Civil Service Jobs on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
• A Statement of Suitability (max 750 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed.

For the shortlist, we will assess your experience and select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.

For support in writing your application and interviewing, please refer to the ‘Application and Interview Guidance’ document attached to the job advert.

For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.

Your interview will take place remotely via GoogleMeets.

See the Candidate Information Pack attached at the bottom of the webpage for further information on how you will be assessed at interview.

Further Information

If the vacancy is offered as FTA/Loan, existing Civil Servants must join on a Loan basis only., Prior agreement to be released on loan must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Department for Culture, Media and Sport 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   

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the ‘Information for Applicants’ document.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Reasonable Adjustment

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process.

In order to request an adjustment, please:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or a verbal test rather than a written one. 

Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the 'contact point for applicants' section of the job advert.

Feedback

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. 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.