About the job

Job summary

A part of the Cabinet Office, the Central Digital and Data Office leads the digital, data and technology (DDaT) function for government. We put the right conditions in place to achieve digital, data and technology transformation at scale by working with departments, and other government functions like commercial, project delivery and security professionals.

We are responsible for:

• Delivering the Cross-Government Digital and Data Strategy for 2022 - 2025
• Digital, Data and Technology Strategy and Standards, like the Technology Code of Practice, the Service Standard and Open Standards
• Cross-government DDaT performance and assurance, including Spend Controls
• DDaT Capability Development, including the DDaT pay framework

Job description

The Lead Technologists in CDDO’s CTO function exist to make building great technology easier in the UK Public Sector. In this role you can help central and local government, the NHS, the Police, as well as 400+ agencies and other bodies. By setting strategies, principles, and standards and identifying best practice, as well as supporting the adoption and embedding of these into the public sector, you’ll help your 26,000+ digital and data colleagues in these organisations deliver transformational change.

Our teams are currently focused on Artificial Intelligence, DevOps, Platforms, and Colleague Experience, making these easier for organisations of all sizes, identifying opportunities, and managing the aggregate risks of these technologies to UK Government. 

You will be aligned with a Grade 6 Principal Technologist who will mentor and support you as well as set you challenging tasks to further your team’s objectives.

As Lead Technologist you will be supporting a product team including principal technologists, engagement leads, and a delivery manager to:

• undertake research, input into, and shape a 10-year intent and strategy for the field you are aligned to, and support colleagues in gaining cross-government endorsement for this
• identify and or develop existing principles, standards, and best practice and promote them, or form and lead a group of technologists from across UK Public Sector to create these
• work with vendors to maximise their offer to UK Public Sector, and with Crown Commercial Service in commercial engagements with vendors
• build a network of peers across the UK Public Sector to regularly engage with
• promote your work through content written for GOV.UK, speaking engagements, and hosting community events
• help upskill others in CDDO and Cabinet Office in your specialist area

The above list of job duties is not exclusive or exhaustive and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Person specification

This role requires:

• you should be excited about thinking long-term and helping deliver technology-related change
• you must have a technical background and be able to use this experience to build credibility with others, evaluate proposals and decide an execution approach
• you should have some experience working with technology suppliers
• you should be comfortable presenting to senior stakeholders, both technical (e.g. Principal DDaT professionals) and non-technical (including SCS)
• learning should be embedded in the way you approach your working week, and you should be keen to share your learning with those around you

Technical skills

• you should be at the top skill levels in your Digital & Data specialism, most likely from the Architecture, Data, IT Operations or Software Development groups.
• you should hold or be working towards relevant industry certifications for your technical specialism.

Benefits

The benefits of working at CDDO

There are many benefits including:

• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days 
• an extra day off for The King’s birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• paid volunteering leave 
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to children's holiday play schemes across different locations in central London
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

CDDO offers hybrid working for all employees. This means that everyone does some working from home and also spends some time in their local office. You’ll agree to your hybrid working arrangement with your line manager in line with your preferences and business needs.

Any move to the Central Digital and Data 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

Things you need to know

Selection process details

The standard selection process for roles at CDDO consists of:

• a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and to answer some initial screening questions
• Applicants who successfully clear the initial screening process will need to submit a 90-second video as well as a short written draft that demonstrates their abilities in writing short blog-style content. Comprehensive details will be shared with the shortlisted candidates.
• a 60-minute video interview

In the event we receive a high number of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criteria which is:

• You should be excited about thinking long-term and helping deliver technology-related change

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours: 

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

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

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.

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.