Assistant Learning Product Owner

Job summary

Government Skills is undertaking an exciting period of expansion and transformation. In January 2026 the government announced plans to establish the National School of Government and Public Services to support our ambitions for a world-class, professional Civil Service.

The new school will align training with government priorities, introduce a new streamlined curriculum that is designed and delivered in-house, and invest in public sector leadership.

At the heart of this transformation is our commitment to equipping public servants with the precise, high-priority skills needed to deliver current and emerging government mandates.

Within Government Skills sits the Design and Delivery team. We exist to curate, design and deliver high quality learning opportunities that equip civil servants with the skills and knowledge they need to deliver excellent public services.

Within the Design and Delivery Team, the Line Management Capability (LMC) programme was established to deliver Line Management Standards, high quality management training including an Accredited Pathway, and to raise the profile, esteem and accountability of line management. We provide support and empower line managers with the essential skills required for effective line management.

As the Assistant Learning Product Owner, you will primarily oversee the Accredited Pathway programme and be focused on building leadership and management capability for Senior Civil Servants (SCS). However, as the Design and Delivery team operates flexibly, all team members are expected to lead and contribute to multiple projects, offering excellent developmental opportunities.

Job description

In June 2025 the team launched the pilot of the Accredited Pathway for Senior Civil Service Line Managers. The programme is aimed at those in Deputy Director (SCS1) roles with line management responsibility. The seven-month programme is designed to help senior leaders to develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to be an effective line manager as articulated within the requirements of the Civil Service Line Management Standards.

The programme was designed in collaboration with the University of Leeds with participants achieving a Level 7 certificate and Chartered Fellow status from the Chartered Management Institute upon completion. The programme is undertaken across seven months and consists of five modules aligned to the themes of the Line Management Standards: Self-effectiveness, People, Decision, Change and Delivery.

As the pilot concludes, the LMC team will be undertaking a review and redesign of the programme ahead of wider launch. Within this role, you will act as the assistant lead for the Accredited Pathway programme, which will include overseeing onboarding and engagement activities, learning design and delivery, governance and data reporting and day to day operations of a large-scale learning programme.

You should expect to work flexibly and may have the opportunity to design and deliver other leadership and management courses and programmes, particularly for SCS audiences. This role provides a great opportunity to build and maintain relationships across government, and with senior leaders, to shape and influence line management and leadership capability within the Civil Service.

Person specification

• Oversee the design, strategy and delivery of the Accredited Pathway and future leadership and management product development, ensuring value for money whilst managing cross-team dependencies
• Lead evaluation for learning interventions, capture lessons learned and iterate programme design based on robust data collection and user insights
• Manage stakeholder relationships across government departments, professions, suppliers and external partners, senior leadership forums and engagement groups to ensure smooth delivery, alignment with policy aims and user needs
• Ensure ongoing alignment with the Civil Service People Plan and broader Government Skills priorities, securing cross-department uptake by building and maintaining a cross-government network
• Encourage uptake and adoption of the Accredited Pathway and other leadership and management courses, using insights to demonstrate impact and improvements in line management and leadership practice
• Develop new, innovative, evidence-based learning products and/or improving existing products in various delivery formats (face-to-face, hybrid and virtual learning environments)
• The role may include line management responsibility

Essential Criteria

• Delivery leadership: proven track record delivering large, multi-stakeholder programmes from design to live operation, translating strategy into delivery with benefits realisation
• Experience leading learning and development interventions and designing and delivering creative, impactful learning in face-to-face and/or virtual environments with a deep understanding of adult learning theories, approaches and methodologies
• Stakeholder and contract management: experience with multidisciplinary stakeholders, managing external suppliers and subject matter experts with an ability to secure buy-in and manage contracts effectively
• Experience in overseeing the end-to-end learner journey and operational management of learning and development programmes and courses in face-to-face or virtual environments
• Communications and stakeholder engagement: capable of briefing various stakeholders at all levels and developing clear and engaging communications, building relationships and establishing networks cross government
• Ability to work collaboratively with strong organisational skills, including the ability to balance multiple priorities and manage changing demands whilst maintaining attention to detail
• Evaluation and analytics: design and lead evaluation frameworks, using data to drive continuous improvement and demonstrate impact

Desirable Criteria

• An understanding of Learning Management Systems (LMS) for course structuring and reporting
• Foundational multimedia production skills (including video editing, audio recording, graphic design principles, image editing).
• Experience of Virtual Learning Environments and generative AI tools in designing learning content.
• Experience working with senior leaders, and/or an understanding of senior leader expectations and challenges

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,292, Cabinet Office contributes £13,121 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Application process

• CV
• 750-words statement of suitability assessed against the essential criteria
• 250 words lead behaviour Managing a Quality Service

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead Behaviour, Managing a Quality Service.

Selection process

Applicants who pass the sift will be invited to interview. The interview will consist of questions to assess the candidates against the Civil Service Behaviours of:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace

Strengths questions will also be assessed.

Expected timeline
Expected sift date – w/c 21 September 2026
Expected interview date/s – October 2026
Interview location - Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Further Information

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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

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 an 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.

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

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

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).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Mark Berryman
• Email : mark.berryman1@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service by email at : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/.

Attachments

Cabinet Office Employee Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 Opens in new window (docx, 83kB)