About the job

Job summary

Government Business Services (GPG) is a cross-government business unit within the Cabinet Office responsible for driving efficiencies and modernising the Civil Service.

GPG brings together the core services that support civil servants: pensions, recruitment, back office transactional services and the platforms and services used by civil servants. Alongside this, GPG has a real focus on value for money - firstly for the departments and organisations which use the services we deliver, and ultimately the taxpayer.

The role available sits within GPG Platforms and Services Directorate, responsible for the operation and modernisation of Civil Service digital and data platforms. 

Our priorities include: 

• Designing, building and operating the systems that underpin services that are essential to government, such as Civil Service Jobs (used by over 200 organisations) and Civil Service Learning (approx 560k users). 
• Driving forward Civil Service interoperability, which will enable Civil Servants to work effectively across organisational boundaries, in a more efficient and seamless manner.  
• Providing expert technology advice and guidance to support the creation of five shared services platforms as part of the Shared Services Strategy. 
• Providing services which meet user needs and drive improved user experience so that the Civil Service operates more efficiently and effectively. 

As and when our priorities change, we may need to rely on colleagues' expertise to support the delivery of alternative projects and programmes.

Job description

This is an exciting role with opportunities for contact with people at the highest levels of the Civil Service to help deliver Government People Group (GPG) priorities, to improve our business, to deliver value for our customers and for the citizen.

Key Responsibilities are: 

Working within the Government People Group, you will be a skilled practitioner in cloud infrastructure solutions.  You will develop, deploy, maintain and enhance cloud infrastructure solutions and new technologies to help support the Robotic Process Automation project.

The successful candidate will need to combine strong technical skills and work within a team of other digital staff, ensuring that the infrastructure and services are configured securely, highly available and performant.

You will be working with a diverse team made up of; Data Scientists, Service Delivery Manager, Business Analyst, Full Stack Developer, Technical Architect and DevOps Engineer and Subject Matter Experts which spans various teams across Government People Group.

Person specification

You will demonstrate the essential criteria:

• Implement and maintain AWS cloud infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code (CloudFormation/YAML).
• Code to be stored and deployed via GitHub (existing GitHub actions flow).
• Ensure reusable code is packaged into boilerplate functions.
• Refactoring of GitHub actions and deploy pipelines.
• Design and development of new DevOps processes.
• The minimum requirement to deal with-non technical stakeholders, mainly working with other technical staff.
• Proactively monitor the platform to identify security, performance and capacity issues.
• Troubleshoot and identify problems and suggest innovative solutions.
• Update and maintain technical documentation and knowledge articles for support purposes.
• You will work as part of a wider team, which will provide context for data, required transformation and approach.

Desirable Criteria: 

• AWS config e.g. use of EC2, VPC, S3, RDS,
• Containerisation technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
• Documentation and/or code storage applications e.g GitHub or similar.
• Knowledge of UiPath.
• Knowledge of Ruby and/or NodeJS.

Where there are gaps in knowledge for certain technologies, training can be provided

Operating as part of an AGILE team, with work tasks being directed by AGILE tickets as output by the AGILE process - this will define the exact nature of the task to be performed. Design decisions may change based on ongoing evaluation requirements, including your expert input. You will be line managed by a lead infrastructure engineer from the digital team. 

Further information: 

This role is aligned to the Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Capability Framework for the Civil Service. You can view the Senior DevOps Engineer role at https://ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk/development-operations-devops-engineer.html#senior-devops-engineer  for more details.

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 £11,030 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, Experience and Technical skills.

Application process

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process which is assessed against the essential criteria (Experience and Technical success profiles)  and includes providing the following:

1.  A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any significant gaps within the last two years. You will add your information into a structured form rather than attaching a document.

2.  A Personal Statement explaining how your skills and experience are relevant to the role. This should include examples showing how you have completed similar responsibilities and activities. You should focus on the essential criteria listed in the responsibilities section of the advert. The statement is limited to no longer than 750 words.

A Sift of your CV and Personal Statement will be conducted against the Essential Criteria outlined in the job description. Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using your CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the CV.

Selection process
Unless you are otherwise informed, the final stage of the process will be a video interview via Google Meet where you will be assessed against the Behaviours and Technical Skills. There may be a short exercise or presentation allowing you to demonstrate your skills and experience. More details will be provided for applicants invited to interview.

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – TBC
Expected interview date/s – TBC
Interview location - Online

A reserve list may 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 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

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.

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 SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years UK residency in the past 5 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.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting 

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 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.