About the job

Job summary

The GPA is committed to representing the communities we serve by making Diversity, Equality and Inclusion part of everything we do.

To ensure that we are always recruiting and retaining a diverse mix of talent, we are particularly inviting applications from candidates who are disabled, ethnically or gender diverse, and people who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Government Property Agency is changing the way the Civil Service works and is at the forefront of Government's transformation agenda; reshaping the relationship civil servants have with their place of work. The Agency is central to the delivery of key Government policies including moving 22,000 Civil Service roles out of London by 2030 and tackling climate change by contributing to the Net Zero agenda. To do this we are delivering a major change programme across the UK and consolidating our portfolio in order to save £1.4 Bn over 10 years. 

Beyond the bricks and mortar, the GPA is about providing great workplaces for our people. Through programmes like Hubs, Whitehall Campus and Smart Working you will be in the vanguard of creating model working environments and promoting flexible working practices. 

This is an ambitious and exciting task, for which we need innovative people, with strong commercial acumen, who are passionate about visualising and implementing customer needs. Launched as an Executive Agency of the Cabinet Office in 2018, we’re a relatively new department and we are growing fast so we also need people who thrive in ambiguity, can adapt quickly to change and are comfortable stepping outside of their remit to drive outcomes.

Job description

The Chief Technology Office is a high-performing, motivated and collaborative team responsible for delivering a portfolio of property technology standards across government, and have a Civil Service Operations Board mandate to support the work. Our aim is to provide a best in class,  interoperable approach to property technology delivery within government buildings. This involves delivering those changes within the GPA managed estate and collaborating with the other government departments to deliver this elsewhere. 

The Technology function supports clients and customers in their preparation and move to more effective technology and helps them to realise the full benefits of a great place to work. User research and customer satisfaction feedback is core to achieving our goals effectively.

The successful candidate will fulfil the role of Capital Projects Prop Tech Delivery Lead. Working closely with the wider directorate and other GPA teams the post holder will be primarily responsible for the successful planning and delivery of initiatives, including establishing appropriate governance and assurance, coordinating with OGDs, monitoring progress, status reporting, managing risks and issues and ensuring business readiness.

The successful candidate will work alongside the day to day Capital projects delivery approach, attending the leadership team meetings and be responsible and accountable for the Capital Projects delivery elements of Prop Tech. 

They will work with the CTO leadership team to provide leadership and strategic direction for property technology delivery across the GPA portfolio.

They will be an excellent communicator, able to write succinctly and persuasively, adapting the writing style for briefings and papers based on the intended audience, as well as speaking with conviction and authority about areas they are responsible for. 

They will be adept at building excellent working relationships at all levels in an organisation, and be a credible leader of people with the ability to get the best out of their staff and delivery partners, with a genuine commitment to their staff’s development and input. 

The Technology team forms a part of the wider DDaT team and is part of the Chief Operating Officers (COO) directorate. It supports a broad base across GPA and so there may be times when the successful candidate may need to support other areas across the teams.

This role is part of the Chief Technology Office, working to the CTO, but will work closely with capital projects delivery on a day to day basis.

Key Responsibilities:

• Accountable for the leadership and delivery of property technology when improving the existing GPA estate as part of workplace project delivery and representing the CTO function to ensure prop tech standards are delivered within capital projects delivery. Responsible for ensuring that the CTO function is embedded in and effectively supports capital projects delivery.
• Accountable for ensuring prop tech delivery is a fundamental part of an integrated workplace and technology delivery approach from the very beginning of each project. Accountable for the design, planning and implementation of proptech delivery within capital projects to support the ambition to deliver a great place to work and seamless prop tech interoperability. 
• Accountable for the design, management and assurance of the delivery partner model to support capital projects aspects of proptech delivery. Responsible for ensuring any capital projects prop tech risks and issues are managed and visible to the DDaT and capital projects delivery teams.
• Responsible for reporting any issues or concerns regarding prop tech design and implementation to product, technology and architecture leads and working together to resolve and accountable for managing the seamless transition of prop tech delivered by capital projects to BAU delivery teams.
• Accountable for Capital Projects PropTech delivery budgets, including defining the pipeline ahead of spending reviews and delivering and reporting against agreed budget. Planning for Capital Projects PropTech delivery against available team capacity and managing the team to deliver.
• Responsible for Exec and SCS community-level engagement to ensure GPA commitment to delivering on the CSOB prop tech mandate.
• Responsible for engaging with OGD clients and senior stakeholders to ensure the prop tech product set is understood and fit for purpose when occupying GPA buildings to ensure a seamless user experience.  
• Responsible for engagement with - and influencing - GPA clients to ensure a smooth transition and excellent experience for people moving into improved workspaces and to resolve issues to maintain positive client satisfaction as part of the transition to BAU.
• Accountable for providing direct support and advice to the Chief Technology Officer (line manager) (SCS1) and Chief Operating Officer (SCS2). A key member of the DDaT and CTO Senior Leadership Team, taking a shared role in shaping the strategy, outputs and performance of the team as a whole.
• Responsible for the management of the DDaT PMO function, with direct line management responsibility for the Head of DDaT PMO. Ensuring it is:
  • Appropriately set up and resourced
  • Effectively using the standard GPA toolset for delivery (Project online for delivery and reporting, PowerBI for dashboarding)
  • Fully aligned and integrated to GPA project reporting approach for both workplace and capital projects.
  • Supporting the implementation of toolset strategy to update once and integrate to report in many formats. Reducing inefficiency and ensuring the right people have real time and seamless access to the required information.

The role holder will:

• Maintain the overall integrity and coherence of the initiatives governance framework to support each project, and plan assurance activities
• Ensure dependencies are actively managed, arbitrate/enforce the resolution of issues across functions
• Ensure a coherent procurement strategy is applied to commission supply chain partners supporting delivery
• Ensure teams have suitable resources to complete their objectives.
• Realise and report benefits, ensure deliverables meet objectives

Person specification

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities and wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a sense of belonging in a workplace where everyone feels valued.

Experience & technical skills

• Experience and/or qualifications related to large scale digital or technology project delivery - essential
• Strong grasp of the key strategic delivery issues associated with project delivery at scale and technology Infrastructure delivery.
• Planning and facilitation skills and experience
• Awareness of the Government Workplace Design Guide and how workspace can influence behaviours and influence experience
• Able to navigate the political environment and operate successfully within the Civil Service

Qualifications & accreditations

Essential criteria:

• CITP accreditation (achieved or willing to achieve)

or

• APMG AgileDS, AgilePM, Agile PgM or similar Change or project management qualifications (achieved or willing to achieve)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £62,900, Government Property Agency contributes £16,983 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.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities and wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a sense of belonging in a workplace where everyone feels valued.

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 (RIS) to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Sift

The sift is due to take place week commencing 9th February 2024.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to include a CV and a 500-word personal statement. The personal statement should then align with the person specification.

Interview

Applicants successful at sift will be invited to interviews, which are due to take place week commencing 18th February 2024 in the Birmingham or London office. This is subject to change dependent upon where most successful candidates are based. You must be willing to travel to any of the GPA locations for your interview. If you are unable to attend a face to face interview due to extenuating circumstances, we advise that you reach out to the recruitment admin team to find out if alternative means can be arranged prior to submitting your application.   

At interview, applicants will be scored against 4 behaviours - Managing a Quality Service, Communicating and Influencing, Seeing The Bigger Picture, and Delivering at Pace.

Interview questions will be a blend of Behaviour, Experience, Strength and Technical (core skill) questions.

Further Information

Any move to GPA 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.

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: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

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.