About the job

Job summary

DSIT

The responsibilities for the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology for 2023 are as follows:

• Positioning the UK at the forefront of global scientific and technological advancement
• Driving innovations that change lives and sustain economic growth
• Delivering talent programmes, physical and digital infrastructure and regulation to support our economy, security and public services
• R&D funding

For 2023, our priorities are:

• Optimise public R&D investment to support areas of relative UK strength and increase the level of private R&D to make our economy the most innovative in the world.
• Promote a diverse research and innovation system that connects discovery to new companies, growth and jobs – including by delivering world-class physical and digital infrastructure (such as gigabit broadband), making the UK the best place to start and grow a technology business and developing and attracting top talent.
• Put our public services – including the NHS and schools – at the forefront of innovation, championing new ways of working and the development of in-house STEM capability to improve outcomes for people.
• Strengthen international collaboration on science and technology in line with the Integrated Review, and ensure our researchers are able to continue to work with leading scientists in Europe and around the world.
• Deliver key legislative and regulatory reforms to drive competition and promote innovation, including the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill and our pro-innovation approach to regulating AI.
• Pass the remaining stages of the reformed Online Safety Bill to keep British people, especially children, safe online.

Our Inclusive Environment

We are building an inclusive culture to make the Department a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves.

We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. We will fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process.

Find Out More

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/departmentforsciencetechnologyandinnovation?

You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers/

Please note that DSIT are currently reviewing our terms and conditions and pay arrangements following Machinery of Government changes and as part of the outstanding August 2023 pay award.  Please be aware that there may be changes to the terms and conditions and pay ranges listed in this advert ahead of you starting in post. Any changes would be implemented in early 2024. 

Job description

The Government Office for Tech Transfer is expanding. We’ve passed our first anniversary milestone and have developed an exciting portfolio of knowledge assets projects and programmes, finding untapped potential across a range of public sector organisations. We’re now looking for someone with the right skills and aptitudes to help us support the translation these opportunities into impactful outcomes. If you’d like to be part of our dynamic and fun team, enthused by the chance to make a difference, read on.

The UK’s public sector is a thriving source of innovation and the Government Office for Tech Transfer (GOTT) has been set up to deliver a step change in the management and exploitation of public sector knowledge assets (KAs). KAs are intangible assets such as inventions, designs, data and information, creative outputs, know-how and expertise. These are key elements of a comprehensive 2021 report (“Getting Smarter: a strategy for knowledge and innovation assets in the public sector”), part of a major HMG priority: to support productivity and bring UK inventions into the economy.

Current guidance on managing and exploiting KAs is summarised in the Rose Book, that the team published in late 2021 and that is available on GOV.UK.

GOTT is based in the Science, Innovation and Growth (SIG) group in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and has cross-government role. GOTT is a multi-disciplinary team that includes policy, operations, and technology transfer expertise. We value diverse experiences and skills within our team – these are necessary to deliver our ambitious agenda and they make GOTT an interesting, innovative, and exciting place to work.

We are appointing a Grade 7 Knowledge Assets Strengthening Programme to join the team to support on upskilling in knowledge asset exploitation/technology transfer across the public sector. This new role will work to the G6 Head of Knowledge Asset Capability Enhancement. Your primary role will be to manage the KA Strengthening Pilot Programme, a new programme of grant activity to develop KA Managers and KA management in a small cohort of ALBs and Executive Agencies. You will have the rare opportunity to support shaping how GOTT operates, work with a variety of organisations externally and teams within GOTT and deliver in a new area of activity for the public sector.

Key Responsibilities

The programme has been scoped and grants are being awarded. This is a hands-on role. In more detail the role will:

Lead on the implementation of the KA Strengthening Pilot (KASP) programme including:

• Co-ordinating the 5-6 locally appointed KASP Managers as a cohort

• Identifying appropriate tech transfer training for KASP Managers and ensuring uptake, monitoring outcomes

• Developing, implementing, managing and assessing a mentoring programme for KASP Managers delivered by the GOTT TTSP team

• Working with the KASP Managers to identify new KA opportunities and KA Grant Fund opportunities and co-ordinate with them and across GOTT to support KA development via the TT Strategic Partnership team and KA Grant Fund.

• Working with the KASP Managers and their leadership to identify areas for policy support and working across GOTT to provide support

• Regular liaison with award holders, KASP Managers and their senior leaders, to assess progress and outcomes

• Oversight of monitoring and reporting under the grant against KPI and undertaking appropriate evaluation and developing case studies that explain the wider impacts of the programme

• Creating a KASP programme playbook

• Ongoing development of the programme during its lifecycle, flexing to emerging needs

• Development of business plan for a successor KASP programme, if appropriate

• Act as an ambassador for GOTT, helping to boost its external reputation.

You will also work across GOTT to support Knowledge Asset development programmes such as the KACE programme, the KA Network and KA Grant Fund, as needed. In many cases this will be as part of delivering the KASP programme, however there may be periods where additional programme management skills are required to support one of these workstreams.

GOTT is headquartered in DSIT’s Salford office, with some staff based in DSIT’s London and Cardiff offices. You'll work with grant holders outside of your region. Travel to grant holder and other GOTT client sites and to other DSIT office locations in the UK will be required.

Person specification

Essential skills and experience criteria

• Leadership skills, with a track record of working collaboratively and building positive relationships with senior leaders and external customers.

• Experience in programme management.

• Communication skills which you can adapt to suit different audiences.

• Strong organisational skills.

• Ability to build trust and credibility through your work.

• Operation across multiple domains and subject areas, including those in which GOTT clients operate.

• A proactive and adaptable delivery style, bringing curiosity, energy and passion to your role.

• An understanding of knowledge asset management and commercial exploitation. Direct experience is not a requirement for the role.

Benefits

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an average employer contribution of 27%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
• A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need.

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.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to explain why you would like to join GOTT as the Knowledge Asset Strengthening Programme Manager. Explain why you think you would be suitable for the role, providing evidence which demonstrates how your skills and experience align with the requirements of this role. We recommend that you give clear and specific examples for each criteria, including the impact of your actions.

Applications will be sifted on CV and personal statement.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the personal statement. 

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviour and strength questions, as well as a written exercise. 

Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time. 

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 15/01/2024

Interview dates: w/c 29/01/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

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

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

A location-based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

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

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

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.

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.