About the job

Job summary

The Office of Government Property (OGP) in the Cabinet Office is responsible for coordinating property policy across all government departments as part of its role in leading the government property function.  OGP sets the cross-government strategy; ensures consistent delivery across government; sets the functional standards for the government property profession; leads on improving capacity and capability across the function; produces authoritative cross-government requirements and guidance; and supports organisations across the function as they deliver against the Government Property Strategy.

OGP also carries out the Cabinet Office’s sponsorship role for the Government Property Agency.  GPA is the department’s largest arm’s length body and government’s specialist delivery agency for managing the high profile office portfolio (including the Whitehall estate and the regional Hubs programme) through which it is helping transform the Civil Service and reshaping the relationship civil servants have with their places of work.

The Sponsorship role in OGP is focused on ensuring GPA’s future success and ensuring that all relevant parts of Cabinet Office are working together to support GPA delivery.  This includes developing a clear policy framework that GPA can deliver against, providing Cabinet Office’s oversight of and input into GPA organisational change initiatives, and helping to shape GPA’s annual business plan.

OGP is an outstanding place to work.  It occupies a key place at the intersection of Cabinet Office’s cross-government policy coordination and operational delivery responsibilities and works very closely with UK Government Investments (government’s shareholder for large ALBs and corporate governance centre of excellence) to support GPA.

Job description

We are looking for an experienced policy professional to fill a vacancy for a Senior Policy Adviser within the Sponsorship team, reporting to the Grade 6 Head of Sponsorship. 

The Sponsorship team is a small, welcoming team within the Chief Operating Officer’s directorate and is responsible for: 

• Developing OGP’s overall sponsorship framework with GPA and UK Government Investments.
• Establishing and maintaining a clear set of policies that facilitate successful GPA delivery.
• Horizon scanning, relationship building, and policy alignment with related policy agendas across Cabinet Office and government.
• Advocating for GPA with internal and external stakeholders.
• Providing clear, concise briefing to Ministers, governance boards and senior officials about the PfG Portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Identifying where further policy interventions are required to support successful GPA delivery.
• Providing Cabinet Office input into GPA programmes and business planning.
• Ensuring high quality briefing and papers are provided to Ministers, senior officials and governance boards in a timely manner.
• Developing strong relationships with related policy areas such as Places for Growth, Government People Group, Modernisation & Reform Unit, Public Bodies Team, and HMT Spend team.
• Line management of one HEO policy adviser.

This exciting new role will provide the right candidate an opportunity to work with a wide variety of stakeholders across government and at the forefront of the government’s modernisation and reform agenda.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience leading a complex policy area.
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with a variety of stakeholders.
• Strong planning and analysis skills.

Desirable Criteria

• The ability to identify opportunities and synergies with other teams or agendas.        
• Political awareness and an understanding of Ministerial priorities.

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 £53,400, Cabinet Office contributes £14,418 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, Experience and Technical skills.

How to apply

The Civil Service Jobs platform will provide space for your CV / Work History/ Qualifications - it’s a good idea to highlight responsibilities and key achievements that relate to this role.

You will then be asked for a Statement of Suitability (750 words) - use this to outline, using supporting examples, how you meet each of the essential and desirable criteria from the job advert.

Candidates who are successful at sift will be invited to attend an interview, which will be held remotely via Microsoft Teams. The interview will assess your experience, as well as assess you against Civil Service Strengths, and the Civil Service behaviours referenced above.

Selection process

During the blended interview you will be assessed against your experience, behaviours that are contained in this advert and strength based questions, the strength questions are ones in which we wish to gain your initial response.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date –   w/c 6th May 
Expected interview - w/c 20th May 
Interview location - Online, MS Teams 

A reserve list may be held for a period of 9 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 Adjustment

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. 

Further information

Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the CTC security checks – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years. 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

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

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.

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

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.

Please note the terms and conditions 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.