About the job

Job summary

The Homeland Security Group (HSG) unites capabilities and expertise to deliver better outcomes from the UK’s response to the most serious domestic threats – Terrorism, Cyber, State Threats and Economic Crime. The group will strengthen coordination and collective focus across a range of growing and overlapping threats, whilst remaining consistent with existing strategies. Working with partners, HSG will foster more transparent and sustainable collaboration between national security, law enforcement and other relevant communities to enhance capabilities and leverage our response to threats.

As part of the Home Office, the role of the Homeland Security Group is to:

• Support the Home Secretary to develop and implement strategies to keep our people and interests safe and secure
• Build HMG capabilities to reduce national security risk
• Reduce volume of, and harm from, economic crime, particularly for the most vulnerable
• Work in partnership with public and private sectors in the UK and overseas to deliver better outcomes
• Ensure legitimate economic growth and prosperity

Within the Homeland Security Group, you will join the National Communications Data Service (NCDS).  NCDS is accountable for delivering and maintaining centrally provided Communications Data (CD) services to ensure that the CD needed by our user community is available, accessible, and usable. Services will continually evolve to ensure we provide operational value against a backdrop of rapid and constant technical and business change. In addition, NCDS is responsible for delivering several high profile, complex programmes that will provide enhanced capabilities to the law enforcement community.

Job description

The post holder will be responsible for leading engagement and effective communication with multiple agencies across a large programme in support of a successful delivery. You should have experience of large-scale, technical projects/programmes with the ability to identify and effectively coordinate multiple partners with challenging priorities. You will also have experience of leading the communications and developing effective communication solutions to drive through successful delivery of the change into the business.

We are looking for an individual with energy and enthusiasm to provide leadership on a key, long-term programme.

As the Stakeholder Engagement & Business Change Lead, you will play a key role in the Programme and how we deliver to our partners. This role requires an individual who can take the initiative and work with little or no supervision.

• You pay attention to detail and have excellent drafting skills.

• You are patient, level-headed and calm under pressure with a positive approach to problem solving.

• You have a collaborative approach and are keen to work with others to achieve progress against shared objectives and ideas.

• You can think on your feet and take initiative, making decisions when needed and are accountable for your actions and your performance.

• You are comfortable with and confident in holding external partners/stakeholders to account, challenging where appropriate whilst maintaining positive and constructive relationships.

• You can build effective working relationships with a wide range of partners, including senior managers and external delivery agencies.

This is a fantastic opportunity to engage and work with a range of stakeholders, including senior managers, and drive positive change across the law enforcement community.

Person specification

Responsibilities

Responsible to: Delivery Lead

• Responsibility for communications and partner engagement with Law Enforcement Agencies for a large-scale programme.

• Identify key partners, build successful relationships and lead the programme’s relationship with those who have a vested interest.

• You have experience in providing clear programme updates to senior managers through written submissions.

• Develop, maintain, and proactively manage a Stakeholder Management and Business Change Strategy. In addition, providing quality input into the Programme Business case and delivering all activities to time/cost in accordance with agreed delivery plans and budgets.

• Establish and oversee the delivery of an effective communications plan, driving engagement with key partners.

• Establishing a mechanism to measure the effectiveness of communication and engagement.

• Quality assure and provide governance to all business change activities and run regular business change reporting at a Programme level.

• Lead the assessment, identification and management of people, business, customer and equality impacts across the programme.

• Analyse these changes to inform training and communication materials.

• Input into business readiness to introduce changes to ways of working.

Note: An employee may be required to carry out other duties within the scope of the grade and within the limits of their skill, competence and training.

Some travel to stakeholder offices will be required. These are based throughout the UK. Related costs will be met by the business. 

Essential criteria

You are expected to demonstrate experience of the following skills and experience within your application:

• Highly developed written and oral communications skills, this must include experience of drafting submissions and written updates to a senior level. 

• Ability to rapidly brief on complex issues, delivering technical messaging to non technical stakeholders, presenting in a clear and concise manner and identifying key messages.

• Have a consistent track record of leadership in a fast paced and complex delivery environment, with a proven ability to think strategically. 

• A proven ability to develop and deliver creative and effective communications to multiple audiences, often in ambiguity, maximising change adoption and acceptance.

• Excellent partner management skills and experience of establishing relationships and networks with a range of stakeholders to achieve collaboration, develop common goals, and deliver significant business change outcomes. 

• Have experience of working in technical/software projects and of change management or working in a complex multi-stakeholder environment.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working with law enforcement agencies or similar bodies

• Degree level or equivalent level change/project management qualifications (e.g, APMG/CMI Change Practitioner/Master, PRINCE2 Practitioner, etc) There is scope to work towards this qualification. 

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. 

• A CV detailing job history/qualifications/skills  
• A Statement of Suitability (personal statement) (maximum 1000 words)  
• Provide evidence of the lead Behaviour 'Communicating & Influencing'

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

The Statement of Suitability should be aligned to the Essential Criteria as set out in the job advertisement.

CVs will not be scored.

As part of the sift process candidates will be sifted on their Statement of Suitability and the Lead behaviour 'Communicating and Influencing'.

In the event where a high volume of applications is received, an initial sift will take place using the lead behaviour 'Communicating & Influencing'. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be either progressed to a full sift or straight to interview.

Candidates shortlisted will be invited to an interview which will test Behaviours and Technical skills on all listed in the advert. 

Candidates will also be required to carry out a short, written exercise on the day of the interview (no preparation necessary). 

The written exercise will be tested against ‘Behaviours and Technical skills' on the 'Success Profiles' and will be assessed against the 'Essential Criteria' as listed in the job advertisement.

Sift and Interview Dates

The sift will take place week commencing 15th January 2024.

Interviews will take place week commencing 5th February 2024.

Interviews will take place remotely. Further details and instructions will be provided closer to the scheduled interview.

Further Information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Note to Candidates

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying and generating of examples/answers from internet sources including Artificial Intelligence. If any is detected the application may be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving civil servants. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.  This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estates capacity, by Spring 2024.  Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details).  

We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need for them to go through a further selection process.

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically 

diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

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.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to  bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home 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 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 HOrecruitment.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 you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

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.