About the job

Job summary

The Cabinet Office is undergoing a significant Digital Transformation. Over the next three years we aspire to make UK Government digital services the best in the world, meeting or exceeding the benchmark set globally by the best public or private sector standards. For us to meet this ambition we are aiming to further improve the conditions, processes and expertise we have in place to be set up for success. This means we need to go much further and faster and strengthen the delivery of DDaT in government. Did you know Cabinet Office Digital supports over 15,000 users across 40+ departments including Government Digital Service (GDS), Crown Commercial Services (CCS), Estates and Government Property Agency (GPA)?

Job description

The role:

The role of the Head of Product sits within the Cabinet Office Digital Product function. Heads of Product not only help shape the digital products and services that ultimately get used by end-users (internal or external) – they also advise the Business Units within the Cabinet Office on Digital & Data requirements, as well as advocating for best practices and, at all
times, championing the user.

It's a meaningful remit, with significant influence because you get the chance to really make change – for the betterment of users, the Cabinet Office, and ultimately the taxpayers. You will also support people to attain their best, and progress their career within Digital & Data, Product Management and other disciplines such as User Research, Business Analysis and Design.

You won’t be doing this alone. You will be part of an excellent Senior Management Team of other Heads of Product, who together with the Chief Product Officer, are responsible for the “Product” function within Cabinet Office Digital.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Strong communication skills, you will be confident in supporting and advising senior stakeholders as well as coaching and challenging your product teams.
• Able to navigate business opportunities whilst being empathetic to their broader commitments and pressures. You understand the importance of ‘bringing people on the journey’, enabling them to problem solve in a realistic way, achieving business realisation whilst placing users at the heart of the process.
• You’re great at adapting to changing circumstances and environments. You see it as an opportunity to improve or review existing products and services, always taking a holistic view to better the user experience.
• Being able to think on your feet and out of the box is going to help you deal with the inevitable ambiguity and likelihood of quickly pivoting to a different view point.
• As a Head of Product, you will have expert product management experience, gained over 10+ years in any industry. You will share your knowledge and coach others to increase expertise across the Product function

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

Application process

For a confidential discussion about the role, please contact our recruitment advisers at GatenbySanderson: Shoaib Haroon, Principal Consultant on M: 07384258626 or E: Shoaib.haroon@gatenbysanderson.com OR Russell Brandon, Associate Researcher on M: 01962 864 124 or E:russell.brandon@gatenbysanderson.com

Find out more by visiting www.join-codigital.co.uk where you can register and apply.

To apply for this post, you will need to provide: 

• Your CV
• A supporting statement (of no more than 2 pages) detailing how you can address the Essential criteria in the Person Specification
• Contact details for two referees. Referees should be people who can comment authoritatively on you as a person and as an employee and must include your current or most recent employer or his/her authorised representative. References will not be contacted until a successful appointment is made  
• A completed diversity monitoring form, this will appear on screen as part of the application process.

This is to be submitted online at the following portal no later than Sunday 17 March 2024 (23:55) https://www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe107207

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.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Closing Date for application: 17/03/2024

Preliminary Interviews - w/c Monday 25 March 2024 & w/c Monday 1 April 2024

Final panel Interviews -  w/c Monday 15 April 2024 or w/c Monday 22 April 2024

Interview location - Online

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

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

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

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.

Offers above the band minimum are subject to our assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview. Salaries over the band minimum will be paid as a non-pensionable allowance.

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 joincodigital@gatenbysanderson.com as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

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.