Business Support & Improvement Lead

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

Home Office Digital and Innovation sits at the heart of the Home Office. The group ensures the best evidence and analysis are used to address the strategic issues facing the department. We also provide the science, technology, data, and international insights and collaboration capabilities to drive delivery.

Forensic Information Databases Service (FINDS), within Home Office Science, administers national systems that identify links between forensic evidence found at scenes of crime and arrestees (and on occasion other individuals such as vulnerable persons and missing persons), ultimately ensuring the integrity of records held on multiple, national Forensic Information Databases: the National DNA Database (NDNAD); IDENT1 (Fingerprint and Custody Image collections); the National Footwear Database (NFD); and ensuring database reconciliation with the Police National Computer (PNC).

The post holder will work collaboratively with teams across two locations, driving a consistent approach to improvement, change and project management in a regulated and quality‑focused environment. This role will maximise the contribution and value of FINDS to policing and the wider criminal justice system.

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

Continuous Improvement

• Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent methodologies, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, and value for money.
• Build and sustain a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging & facilitating teams to proactively identify inefficiencies, reduce waste, and improve outcomes.

Project & Change Delivery

• Develop and manage FINDS projects against the strategic plan, with the support of the FINDS Change Manager, from initiation to implementation and benefits realisation.
• Develop capabilities within FINDS to deliver projects and change effectively, including delivery of training and development of communication plans.

Costing, Transparency & Recharging Mechanisms

• Develop and maintain robust, transparent mechanisms within a public-domain, to evaluate the cost, effort, and resource associated with work delivered.
• Support the improvement of accurate recharging or cost‑recovery models, ensuring clarity, fairness, and auditability.

Stakeholder Engagement & Line Management

• Line manage and develop three direct reports, ensuring the team delivers FINDS strategies effectively.
• Foster engagement and collaboration with stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams across dispersed locations and maintaining compliance with quality and assurance standards.

Working Pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours working. This role is also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work 28 hours per week due to business requirements.

Travel

This role is based in Solihull. The post holder will be required to travel to London (2 Marsham Street) office on a regular basis to meet colleagues based there.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Significant experience delivering continuous improvement or business improvement initiatives using approaches such as Lean, or Lean Six Sigma.
• Experience working within project management frameworks or structured delivery environments.
• Ability to design or improve transparent costing, evaluation, or recharging mechanisms, or to clearly articulate the resource and cost implications of work.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to use data to inform improvement decisions and demonstrate impact.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with teams across multiple locations, driving consistency and shared standards.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders.

Non-Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV)

Additionally, you should currently hold, or be willing to obtain, Non-Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV) Level-3 vetting (including financial checks). This is essential for the role. For further information visit About the Police National Vetting Service , Warwickshire Police.

Desirable Criteria

• A Lean Advanced Practitioner or Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.
• Experience contributing to or supporting cost recovery, charging models, or service‑based funding mechanisms.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

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

• Changing and Improving

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.
• See more of our benefits on our careers website.

Sign-up on our website to receive emails with information about careers at the Home Office.

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.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

1. Application – by 14th May 2026

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• CV
• Personal Statement (maximum 1000 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviour Changing and Improving (maximum of 250 words).

Your CV should consist of your career history and skills/experience, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be scored against the experience required for the role as noted within the essential criteria.

The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

2. Sift – from 18th May 2026

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement, CV and Behaviour, as listed in the advert.

Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the Lead Behaviour. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift that will consist of all the remaining elements submitted (Personal Statement / CV).Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the initial sift will not have their remaining submitted elements scored and will only receive a sift score for that assessed at the initial sift.

3. Interview – from 9th June 2026

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be Experience, Behaviours (as listed in the job advert) and Strength based questions. All behaviours listed in the selection process will be scored at the interview.

In addition, candidates will be asked to prepare a presentation that will be delivered at interview. The presentation question/scenario will be disclosed closer to the interviews.

The presentation will be assessed against 'Experience' on the 'Success Profiles' and will be assessed against the 'Essential Criteria' as listed in the job advertisement.

The interview will take place in person, in Solihull or Birmingham. Travel expenses will not be reimbursed.

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

Problems during the application process

If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.

Do not create or attempt to submit another application, online test or use a different Civil Service Jobs account to proceed as this would be in violation of the candidate declaration.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.

Standards

All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Additional Security Checks

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. The level of Criminal Record Check required for this role is Basic. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.

Non-Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV)

You should currently hold, or be willing to obtain, Non-Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV) Level-3 vetting (including financial checks). This is essential for the role. For further information visit About the Police National Vetting Service , Warwickshire Police.

Further Information

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.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is 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 HOrecruitment.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 you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

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.

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.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 : Home Office Resourcing Centre
• Email : HORCCampaignTeamCorporateEnablers@homeoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles. and you wish to make a complaint, then contact the Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

Candidate_Information_v17_April_2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 207kB)2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)