Digital, Data, Innovation & AI Capability Lead

Job summary

Government Skills was created to accelerate the quality of learning and development in government through better training, knowledge and networks for around 550,000 Civil Servants across Government, delivering government priorities now and for the future.

As part of its development, it has been announced that Government Skills will become the National School of Government and Public Services. This change enhances its profile and visibility across government, offering better public services for citizens and confirming the government’s commitment to our vision of delivering world-class training in areas such as AI, digital, and leadership. This is an exciting time of growth, with new positions being created to support the future operating model.

Government Skills, Design and Delivery Team

The Design and Delivery Team, within Government Skills, exists 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.

The Design and Delivery Team operates flexibly, and learning designers are expected to lead and contribute to multiple projects, offering excellent developmental opportunities.

Job description

In this role you will be accountable for the delivery of a curriculum of high-quality learning products, setting the strategic direction for a team of learning designers in the Digital, Data, Innovation & AI (DDI & AI) space.

Initial priorities may include:

- design, development and launch of the DDI & AI curriculum

- design, development and launch of the replacement to the Digital Excellence Programme

Key responsibilities:

• Participating and working on the design of the curriculum materials, including leading the strategic engagement and consultation across the CS with Department leads and Profession Capability leads;
• Supporting learning designers through quality assurance and governance processes;
• Being responsible for scoping and drafting strategic outlines for new learning projects; securing Advisory Board and/or senior level approvals required for the learning design process to be initiated;
• Horizon-scanning the DDI & AI learning landscape, providing the Design and Delivery Team with insights and training in new practical models and approaches;
• Engaging and collaborating across the team to coordinate learning designers' efforts so that content can be shared; identifying ways to adapt content to different audiences, avoiding duplication;
• Line managing the Learning Designers;
• Engaging and consulting with senior stakeholders and other departments to ensure our products are fit for purpose; supporting Learning Designers to do the same;
• Supporting our Learning Designers to test and quality assure learning content with external parties.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• Theoretical and practical knowledge in the design and development of high-impact DDI & AI learning interventions.
• Experience of designing, developing and delivering learning interventions, focused on successful outcomes.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across boundaries and with senior civil service leaders.
• Ability to manage projects and deliver outcomes effectively.
  
• Understanding of evaluation best practice, using outputs to continuously improve learning products.
• Ability to stay abreast of the latest practical models, theories, approaches, and learning methodologies in DDI & AI learning.
• Digital, Data, Innovation and AI domain expertise.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.

Desirable criteria:

• Level 7 CIPD L&D qualification (or equivalent).
• User centred design expertise.

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although 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:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Developing Self and Others
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• Delivering a Digital or AI learning intervention.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,204, Cabinet Office contributes £16,571 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 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, Experience and Technical skills.

Application process

To apply for this role, submit the following:

• A CV (max 250 words) - briefly outline your employment history over the last 3-5 years (if applicable) including an overview of your previous roles/responsibilities.
• A personal statement/statement of suitability (max 500 words) setting out how you meet the essential criteria in the person specification.
• An example (max 250 words) to describe an instance where you have used user-centred design principles to deliver a Digital or AI learning intervention. Explain the principles you used, how you implemented them, and the resulting impact on learners or the organisation. This is the lead criteria and will be assessed as a technical skill.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead criteria: the technical skill 'deliver a digital or AI learning intervention'. Successful applicants at this stage will move on to a full sift or to interview.

Selection process

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online interview. The interview will consist of a short presentation to assess technical skills and questions to assess behaviours. Further information will be provided to candidates invited to interview when their interview slots have been selected.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – w/c 9 February 2026

Expected interview date/s – w/c 23 February 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.

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

Please note that this role requires CTC clearance, which would normally need 3 years’ UK residency in the past 3 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

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.

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 terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

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 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 counter-terrorist 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 : Phil Wilson
• Email : philip.wilson@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, 94kB)