Chief Operating Officer
Job summary
We are looking for an inspirational Chief Operating Officer who will help build and lead this new department effectively across a wide range of professions and functions as outlined in the overview of key responsibilities.
You will have direct responsibility for over 1,000 corporate services colleagues and will ensure the Department has the operating model, capability, systems and controls to deliver on ambitious ministerial priorities, whilst upholding the highest standards of governance, propriety and value for money.
The COO portfolio comprises a large and complex set of functions, including transformation, finance, security, knowledge and information management and risk; human resources; estates; digital, data & technology; grants delivery; and commercial.
Reporting to the Permanent Secretary, you will be a core member of the Executive Committee and Departmental Board, supporting the translation of Ministerial priorities into clear, deliverable plans. You will provide the grip, assurance and operational leadership that enables the Permanent Secretary to advise Ministers with confidence, enact Accounting Officer responsibilities and lead the Department externally.
This role will be instrumental in delivering on the Machinery of Government changes that have established BIST. The Chief Operating Officer will be at the forefront of ensuring the Department continues to transform to meet the needs of Ministers, the public and business. This will be a demanding and exciting challenge, leading expert functions that drive forward our ambitions.
Job description
This is a pivotal role establishing and leading this new departments Corporate Services function.
- Providing strategic leadership as a member of the Executive Committee and Departmental Board
- Setting clear direction for Corporate Services, driving up capability, productivity and functional standards, and ensuring high-quality, expert support and services to the Department
- Establishing and leading the Department’s operating model, aligning finance, workforce, risk, security and digital transformation (playing a lead role in ensuring the effective adoption of AI and automation)
- Acting as the principal advisor to the Permanent Secretary, in their role as Accounting Officer, on financial performance, affordability, spend control, risk, propriety and regulatory issues
- Collaborating and negotiating with key stakeholders including Ministers, HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office, to support the delivery of cross-government priorities and reform.
- Ensuring strong financial management, governance, controls and compliance, particularly through major fiscal events such as Spending Reviews and budgets
- Driving productivity, efficiency and value for money, including through digital transformation, data-driven insight and service redesign
- Sponsoring the Department’s Places for Growth programme, supporting the relocation of the roles across the UK and building strong regional capability
- Contributing to the wider leadership of the Civil Service, including participation in the cross-Civil Service Chief Operating Officer’s Network, Civil Service Reform agenda and the Cabinet Secretary's Future Civil Service.
- Leading the successful integration and transformation of BIST following Machinery of Government changes, building a modern, resilient and future-ready department.
Person specification
In your application you should provide evidence and examples of proven experience agaisnt the following essential criteria:
1) Visible and engaging leadership across a large geographically dispersed and diverse organisation.
Measures:
- Often through ambiguity, making high-quality strategic decisions in fast-paced, complex environments.
- Experience building capability and motivating a senior team to deliver a complex programme of work at pace.
2) Excellent communication and influencing skills.
Measures:
- Demonstrating credibility with stakeholders including at Board level.
- Outstanding ability to work across organisational boundaries.
3) A strong track record of driving productivity, value for money and efficiency.
Measures:
- Delivering through digital transformation, process simplification and data-driven decision-making.
4) Deep experience of governance, risk management and internal controls.
Measures:
- Operating successfully within Finance and Accounting Officer frameworks.
5) A proven ability to plan and deliver large-scale transformation.
Measures:
- Delivering high-value major programmes and change initiatives to scale and time.
6) Demonstrable experience of leading people development.
Measures:
- Building capacity and motivating people development, organisational capability and building high-performance cultures.
- A clear commitment to diversity and inclusion.
7) Qualifications & Experience: The COO will need to ensure effective use of taxpayer money and manage a challenging resource budget. Candidates will have substantial and demonstrable senior financial leadership experience and, if not already held, willing to undertake an accelerated professional finance qualification on appointment.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £135,000, Department for Business and Trade contributes £39,109 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 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 for the role, please submit:
- A comprehensive CV (no more than two pages);
- A supporting statement (no more than two pages) which sets out your interest in the role and explains how your experience meets the criteria listed in the Person Specification.
- A completed Diversity Information Form. This can be found as an attachment on the job posting on the Civil Service Jobs website
Please email these documents to: ApplicationsKF@kornferry.com before 23:55 on Monday 9th November 2026. Please also include details of two referees (who would only be contacted with your express permission).
We are committed to ensuring everyone can access this application process. This includes people with sight loss, hearing, mobility and cognitive impairments. Should you require access to these documents in alternative formats, or you are unable to apply online please contact anna.jackson@kornferry.com
For a conversation in confidence, please contact peter.guilder@kornferry.com
Your Supporting Statement :
This is your opportunity to give examples and show how your skills and experience fit the job requirements.
When writing a supporting statement, it is important that you:
- Read the job specification carefully to understand the role and its requirements.
- Structure your statement around the essential criteria.
- Provide evidence for each criterion, for example, if the advert says, “experienced in leading high-performing and diverse teams and promoting inclusivity”, explain when have you led a team, how large, what did you do to promote inclusivity, how did you handle diversity.
- Please show the impact of your actions and use measurable outcomes or statistics where relevant.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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
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 : Peter Guilder
- Email : peter.guilder@kornferry.com
Recruitment team
- Email : ApplicationsKF@kornferry.com
Further information
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Georgia Defeo SCSRecruitment@businessandtrade.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/Attachments
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Salary range
- £135,000 - £174,000 per year