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)? 

We are looking for a Head of Technical Operations who will have the responsibility of managing a team of technology specialists totalling approximately forty staff. This includes NetOps, ServerOps and End User Computing engineers, as well as technical specialists in services such as Google Workspace, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and O365.

The role is part of the Technology Pillar which provides, maintains and supports the IT services (hosted and public cloud infrastructure, telephony, network security, internet connectivity, local area networks, WiFi, end-user devices, cloud capability and full software portfolio) relied upon by the entire Cabinet Office. Our user base of over ten thousand includes the Cabinet Office, Crown Commercial Services, Government Property Agency and a number of Ministers.

Job description

You will:

• provide leadership to and management of the CDIO Technology Team’s Operations and Cloud Services team.
• Line management of up to 6 team leads and overall responsibility for a team of forty staff.
• collaborate with the principal enterprise architect, product managers, business analysts, delivery managers and others as part of cross-functional agile delivery teams
• contribute to the technical evaluation of proposals from third party suppliers, as part of government procurement processes
• work closely with external suppliers to ensure that their services meet Cabinet Office requirements and HMG standards
• help enable the reuse of patterns, tools, and components across Cabinet Office and wider government
• forge a close working relationship with the Cabinet Office Digital Technology Live Services team, who provide the frontline Service Desk to ensure a seamless service is delivered to our users

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Asset and configuration management. You can manage configuration management for the organisation, ensuring value for the business and adherence to company policies. Ensures changes to assets are recorded and controlled appropriately. Promotes organisational commitment to asset control.
• Business analysis (IT operations). You can lead investigative work into problems with and opportunities in existing processes, driving the collection of information and creation of recommendations for improvements. You know how to absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to produce solutions. 
• Continual service improvement. You know how to analyse current processes, identify and implement opportunities to optimise processes, and lead and develop a team of experts to deliver service improvements. You help to evaluate and establish requirements for the implementation of changes by setting policy and standards. 
• Ownership and initiative. You can take accountability of issues that occur and be proactive in searching for potential problems. You know how to achieve excellent user outcomes. 
• Relationship management. You can determine strategic vision and direction. You know how to positively influence important senior stakeholders. You can provide an arbitration function. 
• Service Management Framework knowledge. You have an expert certificate in Service Management Framework qualification and an industry understanding of how to implement the framework into numerous environments. 
• Service reporting. You know how to leverage your data analytics skills to enhance business performance. 
• Strategic thinking. You can lead the design and implementation of strategy, directing the evaluation of strategies and policies to ensure business requirements are being met. 
• Technical understanding. You thoroughly understand the technical concepts required for the role and can explain how these fit into the wider technical landscape. 
• User focus. You know how to give direction on which tools or methods to use. You are experienced in meeting the needs of users across a variety of channels. You can bring insight and expertise in how user needs have changed over time to ensure these are met by the business. You know how to apply strategic thinking in how to provide the best service for the end user. 

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 £68,790, Cabinet Office contributes £18,573 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

We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process

● Seeing the Big Picture
● Making Effective Decisions
● Changing and Improving
● Delivering at pace
● Managing a Quality Service

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 Martyn Brereton, Researcher on M: 07586 715531E: martyn.brereton@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 Monday 27 May 2024 (23:55) https://join-codigital.co.uk/job/head-of-technical-operations---enterprise-g6.18886/

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

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)

Expected sift date – 30/05/2024

Final panel Interviews - 7/06/2024

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.

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.

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

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.

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 joincodigital@gatenbysanderson.com

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.