About the job

Job summary

The Government Security Function (GSF) oversees the delivery of protective security across Government. Our mission is to enable Government to protect citizens and provide vital public services by understanding and managing security risks. We set the strategy and standards for Government Security, monitor departmental security performance, manage pan-government security incidents, support the delivery of key security capabilities and lead the Government Security Profession.

The Government Security Group (GSG) is the centre of the Security Function, based within the Cabinet Office. GSG is transforming the Government’s approach to protective security to ensure it is fit to meet the challenges of the digital age. This role offers an exciting opportunity to work in a fast-paced, dynamic team, with a breadth of stakeholders including in other Government departments, the National Technical Authorities and the Agencies, and to contribute to delivering improved security across Government.

Job description

To support the mission of the Government Security Function, in January 2022 we published the Government Cyber Security Strategy. This sets out how we will improve the cyber security of the Government up to 2030. This role manages the portfolio of work that has been established to meet our objective of making all government organisations across the whole public sector being resilient to known vulnerabilities and attack methods no later than 2030. Most of the projects and programmes within the scope of the portfolio therefore, represent critical central interventions that will enable cyber security improvement across the system. Your team is responsible for understanding and communicating the current state of the portfolio and providing direct support to projects and programmes requiring specialist project delivery skills. 

You will be responsible for making sure that SRO’s across the portfolio have access to the needed skills and information to be successful. 

This is a key role in delivering the Government's flagship cyber security improvement programme and securing the future of government services. As such we are looking for a strong leader with a demonstrated history of leading diverse teams and excellent project delivery skills. This role is aligned to the G6 PMO manager role in the IPA’s project delivery capability framework. 

Key areas of responsibility

The post holders will be responsible for:

• Delivery & Leadership – Lead the PMO to support the implementation of the government cyber security strategy and outcomes. Champion the use of best practice portfolio management standards and processes. 
• Budget – Support the portfolio team to effectively oversee the portfolio budget and ensure that forecasts from projects and programmes are accurate.  
• Resources – Manage the PMO team and support Project Managers in the identification, recruitment, development, deployment and reassignment of resources throughout project life-cycles. 
• Risks & Issues – Continually improve the portfolio processes and standards for managing risks and issues. Provide assurance to project and programme managers on the effectiveness of Risk and Issue management arrangements. 
• Governance & Assurance – Ensure appropriate governance is in place and arrange external reviews at appropriate points in the portfolio life-cycle. Monitor the effectiveness of controls and ensure that recommendations from external reviews are acted upon. 
• Portfolio Performance & Controls – Establish and operate project controls, reporting on the progress of delivery against the Government Cyber Security Strategy  to appropriate bodies. Identify common capabilities and opportunities for linking up, re-using and sharing of methods and resources between projects and programmes. Ensure learning from experience is disseminated across the organisation. 
• Guidance & Support – Identify, develop and share best practice project management processes, tools and templates and benchmarks against industry standards. Provides direction and guidance to the PMO team.
• There will also be other tasks commensurate with grade.

We will be hosting a virtual drop in session on 18th April 10:00 - 11:00 to give a chance for you to learn more about the role and talk to some of the team. If you are interested in attending this please do reach out to cyberprivateoffice@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

Person specification

Essential skills and experience:

• Governance - The ability to clearly define roles, responsibilities and accountabilities and establish controls and approval routes appropriate to each area of the portfolio to monitor project progress and compliance. 
• Stakeholder engagement -The ability to systematically identify, analyse and communicate with stakeholders, using appropriate channels, to ensure all those impacted by the portfolio are engaged, taking account of their levels of influence and particular interests. 
• Visible leadership - The ability to engage, motivate and coach others. To act as a role model and inspire and empower others
• Collaboration - The ability to establish and develop productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders, bringing people together to benefit the project.

Desirable skills and experience:

• Planning - The ability to define the fundamental components of a project in terms of its scope, deliverables, time scales, resource requirements and budget. It also includes the production of broader plans incorporating risk and quality to provide a consolidated overview of a project.
• Influencing - The ability to influence, change and impact decisions with both internal and external stakeholders. 
• Conflict resolution - The ability to recognise, anticipate and effectively deal with existing or potential conflicts at an individual, team or strategic level.
• Experience working on spending reviews. 
• An appropriate project management qualification such as: Managing Successful Programmes Practitioner, PRINCE2 Practitioner, Managing Successful Programmes Advanced Practitioner, APM Project Management Qualification, APM Chartered Project Professional, Project Leadership Programme, Leading and Managing Project Work streams or equivalent. 

• Additional information:

  A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £64,700, Cabinet Office contributes £17,469 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.

Application process

To apply, please provide the following:

• A name blind CV.
• A 750 word personal statement answering the question: Can you tell us about a large project or programme that you worked with that was under performing? How did you support them to improve their performance and what did you change to ensure similar issues would not occur elsewhere?

Selection process

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be assessed on your personal statement.

 At interview, you will be assessed on:

• Behaviours
• Strengths
• A presentation on a set topic- further details will be provided for those who progress to interview.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – w/c Monday 6th May
Expected interview date/s – w/c Monday 20th May and Monday 27th May
Interview location - remote via Google Meet 

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

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

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 via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in 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 if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

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 (Select as applicable from: Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland 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. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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

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.

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 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.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting 

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

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

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.