About the job

Job summary

The Cabinet Office is undergoing a significant digital & technology transformation.  Over the next three years we aspire to make UK Government digital services the best in the world, meeting or exceeding the benchmark set globally by the best public or private sector standards. For us to meet this ambition we are aiming to further improve the conditions, processes and expertise we have in place to be set up for success. This means we need to go much further and faster and strengthen the delivery of Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) in government. 

To support these ambitions we have established the Cabinet Office Digital directorate to build on existing strengths. The Cabinet Office Digital directorate is based on six principles to:

1. Build trust by stabilising services and getting the basics right.
2. Be the gateway for all non-GDS digital, data and technology services delivered by Cabinet Office.
3. Provide impeccable service to our users
4. Drive digital, data and technology thought leadership
5. Transform ways of working
6. Build sustainable capabilities

Job description

The role is within the Cabinet Office Digital directorate which provides, maintains and supports the IT services (hosted and public cloud IT infrastructure, telephony, network security, internet connectivity, local area networks, WiFi, end-user devices, cloud capability and full software portfolio) relied upon by the entire Cabinet Office. Our user base of over ten thousand includes the Cabinet Office, Crown Commercial Services, Government Property Agency and a number of Ministers. 

Cabinet Office Digital is conducting a broad technology transformation programme valued at over £50 million to build a new secure, modern and flexible OFFICIAL IT platform for over 10,000 personnel and a migration of people and data from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365. 

As a Project Support Officer for the programme, you will work closely with and support the

Head of PMO, Programme Director, Programme Delivery Manager and a range of other stakeholder roles including delivery partners, commercial and financial colleagues in other Cabinet Office functions. You will report to the Head of Programme Management Office (PMO). 

The role of the Project Support Officer covers a diverse range of activities to support the delivery of the project’s objectives. The Project Support Officer enables the smooth running of the project by supporting the PMO through the operation of project management processes, and the coordination of business management actions and activities on their behalf. 

Responsibilities

Planning and scheduling – Ensure systems are in place to enable effective planning and scheduling. Partner with Programme Director, Programme Delivery Manager and with stakeholders to enable the delivery of an integrated programme plan, focusing on mission alignment, business planning, communication strategy and the dependency review. 

Monitoring and reporting – Manage project controls for the project in line with Cabinet Office Digital PMO processes and procedures. Focusing on functional reports on a weekly, monthly and quarterly reviews basis and providing insights and information, as required. 

Stakeholder Management and Engagement – Manage and engage with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. Work with stakeholders  on commissions, contract management, and financial accountability ensuring Service Level Agreements are implemented and met consistently.  

Support the Cabinet Office Digital Business Management Team and Finance function with the express intent of ensuring programme budgets are accurately forecasted, adhering to budgetary restraints and recording actual costs against them.  

Provide support and guidance on business cases, ensuring appropriate governance is in place across the programme, including internal and external reviews.  

Risks & Issues – Support  Risk Management Meetings in Cabinet Office Digital to ensure robust processes and standards for managing risks and issues. Ensure organisational tasks are carried out efficiently. Manage compliance of the project with Departmental Security, Health & Safety, Equality & Diversity, Business Continuity and Business Planning.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Working knowledge and practical experience of planning, including the production of broad plans incorporating risk and quality to provide a consolidated overview of a project.
• Detailed knowledge and experience of scheduling with the ability to develop, produce and maintain schedules for activities that take account of dependencies, resource requirements and constraints in order to enable the efficient realisation of benefits. 
• Proven risk & issue management ability to systematically identify and monitor risks & issues and maintain risk registers. 
• Experience in understanding the governance, frameworks and methodologies to clearly define roles, responsibilities and accountabilities and support approval routes appropriate to each stage of the project, to monitor project progress and compliance, enabling a consistent and efficient approach to delivery at all stages of the project lifecycle. 
• Significant experience of stakeholder engagement and the ability to systematically identify, analyse and communicate with stakeholders, using appropriate channels, to ensure all those impacted by the change are engaged, taking account of their levels of influence and particular interests. 
• Detailed knowledge of assurance and the ability to plan and manage reviews at appropriate points during all stages of the project life cycle to provide evaluations of progress against time, cost, quality, compliance and ongoing viability. 
• Experience of change control and the ability to understand protocols to manage and document all requests that alter the scope of a project, including the capture and evaluation of any requests.
• Experience of analysing management information; identifying patterns or themes and extracting the key data to provide valuable intelligence and insights for senior management. 
• Demonstrable experience of making effective decisions using data and or insights as supporting evidence.

Desirable Criteria 

• Experience of supporting complex projects in a fast paced, multi-disciplinary agile and/or digital environment. 
• Demonstrable knowledge of the public sector and government processes. 
• A recognised project or programme management qualification (e.g. APM, Prince2, MSP etc.)
• Knowledge of / use of the JIRA product set.

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 £40,850, Cabinet Office contributes £11,029 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 your application you will be required to provide a CV setting out your career history and qualifications, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role, together with reasons for any gaps within the last two years.

You will also be required to provide a Statement of Suitability (1000 words max.)

Please use your statement of suitability to explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification section of the job advert.

Your CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the 'Person Specification' section of the job advert.

You will also be assessed on behaviours at application stage.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Changing and Improving. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Should you be successful at sift, you will be invited to attend an interview where you will be assessed on behaviours and strengths.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – WC 29/01/2024
Expected interview date/s – WC 12/02/2024
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 menurecruitment.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.

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.

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

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. 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.