Chief Construction and Scientific Adviser

Job summary

Thank you for your interest in the Chief Construction and Scientific Adviser role at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

MHCLG is at the heart of the government's agenda for change, aimed at growing the economy and improving people's lives right across the United Kingdom. We dothis by empowering local communities, rebuilding local government, delivering the homes people need, ensuring building
safety, enabling social cohesion and supporting local growth.

As Chief Construction and Scientific Adviser, you will play a key role in improving the built environment sector. MHCLG works across housing, communities or local government, to support the government's five core missions to give the country a driving sense of purpose. Supporting good jobs and productivity, breaking down barriers for everyone and encouraging a sense of pride in local areas runs through all MHCLG teams, whether they are tackling homelessness, unsafe tall buildings or leasehold and planning reform; supporting the spread of devolution or finding local sponsors for refugees from war.

People are at the heart of everything we do in MHCLG, and naturally we take pride in our own open and collaborative culture. We empower and enable our colleagues to deliver at their best. Central to this is our commitment to diversity, and to creating a truly inclusive working environment. Our excellent staff networks represent and advocate for the best interests of our colleagues, and play a vital role in the department’s decision-making

We are looking for people who have the pride, passion and skills to work alongside us in making a positive difference to the lives of citizens and communities across the UK. In return, MHCLG offers you the chance to build your career in an exciting, fast-paced department at the heart of the government’s mission, and to make a difference to the leadership of both MHCLG and the wider Civil Service.

If this sounds like the right opportunity, we look forward to hearing from you

Job description

The Chief Construction and Scientific Adviser will:

Act as an expert adviser to the Secretary of State, providing independent scrutiny and constructive challenge.

• Work alongside colleagues across MHCLG, advisory structures, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), wider Chief Scientific Adviser network and beyond to provide independent advice, challenge and scrutiny to support government policy design and delivery, especially with regards to building safety;
• Monitor relevant policy areas in order to spot issues that involve building safety, technology, or engineering.

Lead delivery of robust, high-quality science, construction, and engineering evidence and advice, leading a challenge function to provide independent scientific, engineering and construction advice to the department and facilitating high-quality, evidenced contributions to wider discussions on
policy making and delivery.

• Lead and facilitate the provision of scientific, construction and engineering advice for strategy and policy, appreciating and promoting the importance of advice and evidence in strategic policy making and helping to develop systems that promote its use, alongside the Chief Analyst and Chief Economist, who leads on all aspects of social science and economies and who owns analytical production, quality assurance and analytical profession leadership.

Work with government, industry, regulators and consumers to realise the profound change in culture and behaviour we require from those who develop, procure, design, build and manage buildings.

• Contribute to rebuilding trust across the built environment sector, through engagement and close working with government, industry, institutions, technical experts and residents;
• Oversee areas of risk owned by the department and play a vital part in resilience and emergency response plans.

Act as a bridge between and beyond industry, communicating effectively between government, industry and academia, and engaging sensitively with external stakeholders.

• Apply experience of and influence within the built environment sector to provide links to, and insight from, world-leading industry experts, research groups and beyond, building an external network of expertise, and using this engagement to support successful reform across the built environment;
• Build a strong working relationship with the BSR, supporting them in their statutory role as the independent technical advisor to government, and in their engagement with wider cross-government and sector networks;
• Represent the department at SAGE and within the Chief Scientific Adviser network, representing MHCLG science and engineering and leading MHCLG's input into cross-government science, construction and engineering issues.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Substantial senior-level experience within the built environment sector, including deep expertise across the building lifecycle (design, construction, procurement, testing/assurance, in-occupation management and ongoing safety).
• Authoritative technical knowledge of building safety, construction engineering, materials science, risk management and regulatory frameworks, with ability to interpret complex technical evidence and advise on implications for policy, compliance and reform.
• Demonstrated success in building and sustaining trusted working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders (such as industry bodies, regulators, government, academia, and resident or consumer groups), and an ability to work with them to develop innovative solutions.
• Proven ability to provide constructive challenge and leadership to effect transformative and long-lasting change.
• An excellent communicator who can articulate complex matters with clarity and accuracy to diverse audiences, both inside and outside of government.
• Proven ability to use a wide range of evidence and expertise to formulate and justify difficult decisions.
• An independent and strategic thinker with a future-thinking, long-term approach to issues impacting the built environment.

Desirable criteria

• Experience and/or understanding of how government policy is formulated, and/or previous experience working with government.
• Experience of working:
  • Within a registered profession;
  • Within industry; or
  • Within or with academia,

relating to the built environment sector.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £120,000, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £34,764 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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

How to apply

To apply you will need to submit a CV and Statement of Suitability at the following link:
www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe130633

Your CV (up to two pages) should set out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. Your Statement of Suitability (up to two pages) should explain how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential and desirable criteria for the role.

Should you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact Devon.Coates-Leaning@gatenbysanderson.com

Your CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the essential criteria, which will also form the basis of the panel’s final interview questions. Desirable criteria will only be used to determine the merit order of candidates who score equally against the essential criteria.

Guaranteed Interview Schemes

MHCLG is a Disability Confident employer and is committed to protecting and promoting the physical and mental health of all colleagues and applicants. We also operate the Great Place to Work for Veterans and Redeployment schemes. Applicants applying under these schemes who meet the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview.

The panel

Martin Spencer - Civil Service Commissioner and Chair, Ben Rimmington - Director General Building Fire and Resilience and Hiring Manager, Angela McLean - Government Chief Scientific Adviser, and Keeran Jugdoyal – MHCLG Deputy Director

Longlisting and shortlisting

Applications will be reviewed after the closing date, with longlisting commencing w/c 20 April. Candidates whomeet the initial requirements will be invited to preliminary interviews on 27 April. Following this stage, shortlisting will take place w/c 4 May, and shortlisted candidates will be invited to the next phase of assessment and final interview.

Assessment

Candidates may also be invited to meet with a Senior Stakeholder. This is not a formal part of selection, but an informal chance to find out more about the role and organisation. Shortlisted candidates may also be invited to give a short presentation or complete an exercise at interviews - further details will be provided when invited to interview.

Expected Timeline* ​

• Advert closes: Monday 13th April​
• Longlisting: W/C 20th April​
• Pre-liminary interviews: W/C 27th April​
• Shortlisting: W/C 4th May​
• Informal Conversations: W/c 11th and 18th May​
• Interviews: W/C 25th May and 1st June​

* Please note that we try and offer flexibility where possible, but it may not always be possible to offer alternative interview dates.

Additional information:

Salary

For external appointments, remuneration for this role is expected to be between £120k–£139k per annum dependant on the skills and experience of the individual. There are bonus opportunities depending on performance (within the normal Civil Service pay arrangements) and attractive pension.

For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply. If appointed on promotion, you would receive the higher of a 10% uplift or the new minimum for SCSPB2 (Director) – £100k. Please also note that any existing specialist allowances you currently receive will not automatically transfer or be retained upon moving to this role.

For all candidates, future pay awards/increases will be made in line with current SCS performance-related pay arrangements.

Contract
This role is advertised on a 3-year fixed-term basis and is also open to applicants on secondment. This role is full-time and is suitable for a job share. MHCLG encourages flexible working. Nationality, internal fraud database and security clearance

Further information on nationality rules, the internal fraud database and security clearance for working in MHCLG follow on the next slides. Please read carefully before applying.

Security Clearance

All MHCLG roles require candidates to meet the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) to confirm identity and employment history. Senior Civil Service (SCS) appointments must also hold Security Check (SC) clearance, which can take up to eight weeks. All offers are conditional on successful completion of the required checks, and candidates should not resign from their current role until clearance is confirmed. Further information is available in the Cabinet Office HMG Personnel Security Controls.

Location

Bristol, Darlington, London, Manchester, or Wolverhampton. The role will require regular travel to London and occasional travel elsewhere in the UK to engage with stakeholders and visit relevant sites. During the application process you will be asked to express a location preference, from the advertised locations. Any offer made will be based on that specific location. Please note that, as your normal work location, costs cannot be claimed for travel to and from your base office location.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

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.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 : Orla Brennan
• Email : Orla.Brennan@gatenbysanderson.com

Recruitment team

• Email : scs.recruitment@communities.gov.uk

Attachments

CCSA Opens in new window (pdf, 588kB)