About the job

Job summary

Our priorities

The Government Office for Science works at the heart of Government, ensuring policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. It's an exciting time to join the organisation; we have outstanding and high-profile positions providing you an opportunity to inform and influence policy-making and the systems for use of science and engineering across government. If you are highly motivated and looking for your next career challenge we want to hear from you.

Our mission is:

1. Science advice mechanisms that are efficient, effective, speak truth to power and are embedded irreversibly in Government systems.

2. Visible impact through both pro-active and demand-led science advice that is relevant, excellent, and delivered fit for purpose.

Our values are:

Collaboration – We draw on the experience, skills and knowledge of individuals and partners to reach goals.

Kindness – We are always inclusive, respectful, and compassionate. We look out for one another on work related and non-work-related matters where appropriate.

Openness – We are curious and always open-minded to new ideas, ways of working and points of view, irrelevant of how unconventional they might seem or who suggests them.

Integrity – We commit to upholding the civil service value of integrity by remaining moral, honest, and transparent. We always strive to do the right thing.

We strongly believe diversity of experience, thought, perspectives, skills, and background makes us a more innovative, welcoming Department, thus making better decisions and better delivering our objectives. We are actively seeking applications from every part of the community and particularly welcome applications from candidates of any age, background, disability, or from an ethnic minority background and any other protected characteristics. This will help us move to a workforce that reflects the people we serve to deliver better policies.

We are a friendly, inclusive team and emphasise personal development. We will ensure individuals with disabilities are provided adjustments to participate in the job application and interview process. We support your wellbeing by putting flexible working at the heart of our offer; if successful, you will be able to discuss working arrangements with your new manager.

We maintain an internal surge capability of staff who may be called at short notice to support an activation of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE). Training and support will be provided. This is an excellent opportunity to develop crisis management skills.

Job description

The Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology (CST) is the government’s top-level advisory body on science and technology. The Council provides independent advice directly to the Prime Minister and Cabinet on strategic science and technology issues that cut across the responsibilities of individual government departments.

Recent advice has included how to harness R&D in the UK creative industries, priorities for sovereign space capabilities, how to use a systems approach to meet net zero goals, and how to increase access to finance for innovative UK companies.

The Council is supported by a secretariat in the Government Office for Science. The CST secretariat help ensure the Council’s advice is timely, of excellent quality, and has enduring impact on public policy and decision making.

Person specification

• Lead engagement with CST members to deliver written advice to the Prime Minister that is clear, impartial, relevant, and based on reliable evidence.

• Lead project delivery, including setting direction for individual projects and CST sub-groups.

• Oversee multiple projects simultaneously, using effective project management processes to manage resources and inform delivery timelines.

• Develop collaborative working relationships with a wide range of partners across government and externally across the UK and international research and innovation community.

• Coordinate research activities and evidence gathering to inform CST advice including own analysis and managing contributions from the team, bringing in external expertise as needed.

• Line management of a small team of SEOs [the size of the team and direct management responsibilities may fluctuate depending on the number of projects ongoing at any given time and the expertise required for particular projects].

• You will be encouraged to take an active corporate role including the opportunity to collaborate on specific projects across GO-Science

Skills and experience

Essential criteria

• Line management experience and ability to confidently lead, guide and motivate a team in ambiguous, changing, and high-pressure circumstances.

• Excellent organisational skills. Ability to oversee a programme of work and task manage effectively across a team to ensure timely delivery of often competing deadlines.

• A track record in establishing networks and collaborative relationships within and outside government.

• Experience of providing written and oral advice to ministers and/or senior audiences and a proven ability to communicate clearly, succinctly and persuasively in writing, in meetings, and in presentations. Confidence to accurately represent CST and its work to diverse and senior audiences.

• An analytical background or aptitude for assimilating and assessing information from a range of sources and exercising excellent judgement skills to formulate advice and recommendations founded in evidence.

• Awareness of the wider policy environment to inform opportunities and risks associated with CST’s work. Solid understanding of cross-government science and technology priorities to inform development of CST advice.

Desirable criteria

• Proven experience of secretariat support (such as advisory committees or private office) or delivery of services to a senior board.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £52,320, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £14,126 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 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.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 750 words) to outline your experience and motivation for applying for this role.

Applications will be sifted on CV and Personal statement.  

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the Personal statement.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviour-based questions.

Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time. 

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 26/02/2024

Interview dates: w/c 04/03/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location-based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /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 

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.

Feedback

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.