About the job

Job summary

At the Cabinet Office, we support the Prime Minister and the Minister for the Cabinet Office in delivering key objectives and milestones ensuring the smooth running of government - from developing policy, to modernising public services. The Cabinet office is both a “corporate centre” for government and a policy department in its own right that challenges, supports, leads and provides services to other Ministerial Departments. We welcome talented people from all backgrounds with the skills and the commitment to build a career in the Civil Service. 

The Cabinet Office Purpose is:

• to maintain the integrity of the Union, coordinate the security of the realm and sustain a flourishing democracy;
• to support the design and implementation of HM Government’s policies and the Prime Minister’s priorities; and
• to ensure the delivery of the finest public services by attracting and developing the best public servants and improving the efficiency of government.

The work Cabinet Office delivers is vast and therefore presents opportunities to develop your skills and experience in a variety of critical government agendas.

At the heart of this are our Cabinet Office values. To deliver our Purpose and help make Cabinet Office a great place to work, we all commit to:-

• treating everyone with Respect
• actively Collaborate, and
• build Trust

We have an aspiration to become the most inclusive employer across the Civil Service. We have a number of staff benefits, including flexible working, and access to a number of staff support networks to ensure we meet this. The Cabinet Office has achieved a Bronze award in the Inclusive Employers Standard and a Gold Talent Inclusion & Diversity Evaluation (TIDE) award from the Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (ENEI).

Job description

The Priority Projects Unit (PPU) is a team of Policy Advisors who are deployed across the Cabinet Office to support the highest priority work. These placements can be both individual or alongside other PPU members at different grades and are usually for periods of three months.

In this role, you will join the high-performing Operations Team who sit at the centre of the PPU and coordinate these rotational placements. You will support in delivering a range of operational functions which are essential to the smooth-running of the PPU, providing high-calibre, professional support to the team and the wider Department. The Operations Team is a small and friendly team that has the independence to develop better ways of working, work closely with senior management, and shape the future direction of the PPU.

It is a particularly exciting time to join the PPU Operations Team as we expand our presence in Glasgow and embark on a digital transformation process. Like the Cabinet Office, the PPU runs a multi-location model with a growing team in the Department’s second headquarters in Glasgow.

The PPU is committed to diversity and inclusion through our training offer and a range of team initiatives, as well as to a team culture in which all team members can thrive. We’re committed to making the PPU a great team to work in.

Key Responsibilities:

• Supporting the day-to-day running of PPU, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement;
• Supporting the PPU Head of Operations in delivering the PPU’s Operations Strategy, including on digital transformation.
• Overseeing the PPU bidding and allocations system, including triaging incoming requests, liaising with teams seeking support, and working with the PPU Head of Operations and Line Managers to match team members with suitable placements;
• Assisting in the management of the PPU budget and charging model, including working closely with Finance Business Partners to provide accurate and timely financial data;
• Leading on the creation and updates of PPU Operations reporting products and dashboard and helping to drive forward the automation of key BAU functions.
• Providing operations support for critical PPU corporate functions, being the Operations lead for recruitment and induction and onboarding; and
• Managing stakeholder relationships across Cabinet Office, including senior officials and Ministers.

Person specification

To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate:

• Strong personal and team organisational skills;
• Ability to consistently deliver to hard deadlines;
• Ability to adapt to a very fast moving environment;
• Ability to re-evaluate priorities as new pressures arise;
• Ability to build and maintain a network of colleagues and

contacts to achieve progress on shared objectives, whilst fostering an inclusive working environment;

• Excellent Google Suite or Microsoft Office skills, with a good understanding of Sheets, Slides and Docs or Excel, Powerpoint and Word. Strong ability to understand and interpret data from a range of sources.
• Excellent written communication and presentation skills which can be tailored to a wide range of stakeholders.

Data and digital skills are an increasingly important part of operating successfully in PPU. We would especially welcome your application if you have existing data analysis and/or digital skills or experience but we will offer additional training to make sure  you have a good understanding of fundamental digital and data skills. 

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 £35,400, Cabinet Office contributes £9,588 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 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.

You will also be required to provide separate statements regarding the following behaviours:

Delivering at Pace

Working Together

Managing a Quality Service

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead Behaviour, Delivering at Pace.

Selection process
The Application will be assessed on behaviours and your personal statement. The CV portion will not be assessed.

The interview will be a blended assessment behaviours (Delivering at Pace, Working Together, Managing a Quality Service) and strengths.

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – w/c 1st & 8th April
Expected interview date/s – w/c 15th & 21st April
Interview location - TBD

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

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

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

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 Scotland 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. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Please note that this role requires CTC clearance, which would normally need 3 years’ UK residency in the past 3 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 be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

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.

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 counter-terrorist 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.