About the job

Job summary

The post holder has overall technical responsibility of the Prime Minister’s communication services for all security levels.

Job description

In this role you will typically:

• Deliver robust, efficient, and professional operational communications service to key stakeholders.
• Manage the infrastructure elements of the communications projects and monitor on-going progress against plan to ensure delivery on time and within budget and business requirements.
• Work with the team to maintain documentation of systems, architectural diagrams, procedures, end user documentation and technical information.
• Review and respond to out-of-hours critical alerts as required.
• Manage the provision, configuration and deployment of communications and related hardware resources by liaising with 3rd party suppliers for procurement, evaluating and implementing of solutions.
• Actively manage hardware refresh lifecycles including forward looking budget forecasting.
• Effectively manage project performance by planning, co-ordinating, delivering, evaluating and communicating as appropriate.
• Actively learn and develop yourself to stay up to date with changes in area of expertise and to meet the changing needs of the job, team and organisation by participating in appraisal and appropriate learning activities.
• Represent the wider team in a professional and positive manner with both internal and external stakeholders and in doing so reflect the values of the organisation.
• Effectively manage people by building a strong working relationship and providing staff with support and clear performance management to enable individuals to work at their best.
• Encourage and support your team by engaging in and contributing to their learning and development plans.
• Effectively recruit to select staff in line with the recruitment and selection processes, ensuring that teams are resourced effectively throughout the year.
• Travel when needed to remote sites and international areas covered as part of your role.
• Work with your manager and the wider leadership team to set strategic direction for technical services in support of the business.
• Undertake any other duties that may reasonably be required and are appropriate in persistence of the objectives.

Person specification

Responsibilities of the role are:

• Your managerial and technical responsibility will be for the direct line management for a Senior Secure Communications Engineer (SEO) and Technical Communications Desk Manager (HEO).
• You will indirectly be responsible for contractors and 12 Technical Communications Operators (EO) who provide a 24/7/365 service.
• Leading on the design, implementation, management, and maintenance of services for mobile, fixed-line desk phones, online calling, secure communications services and other telephony services such as secure apps and satellite telephony.
• Developing, managing, and maintaining services to run the external network connectivity for both video and audio communications.
• Overseeing the management and maintenance of secure communication systems to international governments working with senior UK government officials and military personnel.
• Commercial lead in setting up and managing major contracts worth £Ms for telephony services, ensuing value for money.
• Work with communication partners and suppliers to continual leverage VFM in their services through SLA management through the life of the contract to ensure that No10 are receiving the highest quality and least cost.
• Managing the delivery of various ICT modernisation projects such as the Wi-Fi modernisation project, installation of media rooms for broadcasting, refurbishment of the video conferencing room for secure conferencing.

Essential skills & experience:

• A high-level of technical communications expertise, either at a relevant technical degree or through a technical apprenticeship with additional relevant experience and training.

Technical expertise is required in the following areas to manage, support and implements systems:

• Government or equivalent secure voice and data systems.
• VoIP technologies and communication systems to run and manage the telephone network.
• Networking infrastructure including WAN and LAN to provide connectivity across networks and secure comms infrastructures.
• Wi-Fi systems and networking.
• Mobile telephony administration and configuration of systems to support it, including 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi calling, Teams Calling and Satellite technology.
• Audio and visual technologies to support, manage and troubleshoot national and international secure and unsecure VTC and conference calling used by the PM and staff.
• Electronic and electrical engineering for setting up, developing and troubleshooting purposes.
• Architecture design and implementation of communication systems in the support of international partners and for the delivery of our in-house bespoke systems.
• High level problem solving/troubleshooting across the service.
• Review and critical analysis of solutions supplied by third party suppliers.
• IT security principles, including firewalls, SBCs and best practices.
• Understanding of power and UPS systems.

Ownership and Initiative. The role leads investigative work into telephony problems, takes accountability of ICT issues and problems that occur and is pro-active in searching for potential solutions.

Project management skills:

• Strong process-driven project management.
• The use of agile delivery methodology.
• Team support, helping to build understanding and capability.
• Senior stakeholder management including coaching and managing expectations.

Management skills:

• Building successful teams and understanding the team’s style of work and dynamics giving feedback and establishing an open culture of engagement.
• Influence and motivate a team to encourage cross team working creating an open and collaborative working environment.
• Helping individual team members maintain a focus on routine delivery while being aware of the importance of their professional development.
• Procurement and finance. An understanding and working knowledge of Government procurement principles including tendering for new contracts and managing existing suppliers.

Ideally the successful applicant will hold:

• Valid UK passport
• A full valid UK driving licence

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,800, Cabinet Office contributes £15,876 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, Experience and Technical skills.

Application process

Please include a CV and use the Personal Statement (max 1,000 words) to explain how you meet the Behaviours outlined in the Job Description and how your skills and experience make you a suitable candidate for the role. For any examples of your previous work and experience, please use the STAR format to set out the steps you took (Situation – Task – Action – Result).

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Selection process

If you are successful at sift stage you will be invited to an interview. This interview will consist of 2 parts taking place in the same event, part 1- behaviour and strengths interview and Part 2 - Technical questions for assessment.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – w/c 1 January 24
Expected interview date/s – w/c 8 or 15 January 24
Interview location - TBC

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 an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

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 DV clearance, which would normally need 10 years’ UK residency in the past 10 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.

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 

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

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.

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.

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.

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 developed vetting (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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.