Government Chief IT Operations Officer

Job summary

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government — we are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

1. Joining up public sector services
2. Harnessing the power of AI for the public good
3. Strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
4. Elevating leadership and investing in talent
5. Funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
6. Committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

Job description

We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need.

Within GDS, you will join the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), reporting to Sonia Patel, the Government Chief Technology Officer.

The directorate has recently overseen a number of key departmental priorities, ranging from delivering the State of Digital Government Review, to the AI Playbook, to strengthening how Government does digital procurement, and protecting public sector website domains, amongst other priorities.

Please note that while this role is being recruited as part of DSIT to hit the ground running, DSIT is part of the Machinery of Government (MOG) changes. Please see the FACT SHEET HERE for further information.

The Chief IT Operations Officer will develop the core strategy for government and work with departments to align strategies across government through:

• Acting as leader for IT Operations in the public sector, defining vision, standards and expectations across government.
• Building and inspiring a diverse team of experts, mentoring and coaching aspiring individuals within the IT Operations specialism.
• Working with departments, developing and publishing practical, useful respected technical guidance for effective IT Operations within the public sector.
• Building collaborative communities and leading the thinking of IT Operations specialists across government.
• Owning central operational services for cloud following the award of the National Cloud Infrastructure Procurement (NCIP), ensuring operational leadership and delivery of efficiency, consistency, control and security, and cost benefits realisation.
• Researching new technologies, determining their potential and defining practical strategies for adoption.
• Engaging with industry to build partnerships, gaining new insights and expertise, and influencing roadmaps.
• Making the case for investment in common capabilities and transformational technologies.
• Playing a key role in delivering the commitments made in our 2025 roadmap, Transforming for a Digital Future.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

We’re interested in people who have:

• A deep and broad experience of implementing, running and maintaining critical systems including key skills in the areas of cloud and modern computing and and effective use in ITSM / IT Operations.
• A proven track record in delivering large, high-profile capital programmes and services in complex environments.
• The ability to manage large enterprise's estates, develop policy and practices for organisation technology applications and hardware to facilitate high quality service delivery.
• A full range of influencing skills including negotiation, persuasion and build strong relationships to proactively solve problems, lead and drive business outcomes. Key stakeholders to include Permanent Secretaries, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Information Officers and Chief Technology Officers.
• Experience in leading the profession community of ITOPs professionals to raise standards and support sharing of best practice and expertise.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £86,000, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £24,914 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).

BENEFITS

Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead.

You’ll benefit from a wide range of training and development opportunities, regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits. This includes:

Annual Leave and Bank Holiday Allowance

25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to 8 public holidays and one day’s leave for the King's birthday.

Pension

A competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension; where your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire.

Flexible Working

Flexible working patterns and access to Flexible Working Schemes allowing you to vary your working day as long as you work your total hours.

Parental Leave

Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers.

Season Ticket & Bicycle Loan

Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle.

Onsite Facilities

The opportunity to use onsite facilities including staff canteens (where applicable).

Sick Pay

Occupational sick pay.

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

There will be an informal information session held by Sonia Patel via MSTeams on Wednesday 19th August 12pm-13pmfor potential applicants to find out more about the role of Government Chief IT Operations Office.

Whether you are contemplating an application or simply want more insight into the role and its potential impact, this session will provide you with a much better understanding of the environment, expectations and ambitions.

To join this session please use this Link.

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/322752337386374?p=co4qJt65xG4pgnwDDW

Meeting ID: 322 752 337 386 374

Passcode: J6rr9Kg7

Please note this session will NOT be recorded.

SHORTLIST

Applications will be sifted to select those demonstrating the best fit with the post against the criteria set out in the person specification.

To apply for this role, please submit the following on CS Jobs no later than, 23:55 on Monday 31st August 2026.

• A CV detailing your career history, key responsibilities, and achievements.

• A Statement of Suitability (max. 1,250 words) outlining how your skills, qualities, and experience demonstrate your suitability for the role. Please refer specifically to the essential criteria in the person specificationterview.

ASSESSMENT

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a Stakeholder Panel Engagement Exercise (SPEE) in advance of the final panel interview. This assessment will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.

Full details of the assessment process will be provided to shortlisted candidates at the earliest opportunity.

For further information regarding the assessments please visit - https://scs-assessments.co.uk/ .

Shortlisted candidates can request an informal conversation about the role with Sonia Patel. This discussion will not form part of the assessment.

INTERVIEW

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a panel interview to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.

As part of the process there may be assessment of skills either by a presentation or simulated exercise with follow up questions. Full details of the requirements will be given to shortlisted candidates ahead of their interview.

SELECTION AND FEEDBACK

Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible, and will offer the opportunity to discuss feedback for all candidates who reached interview. A reserve list will be held for up to 12 months, which we may use to fill future suitable vacancies.

EXPECTED TIME LINE

We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for assessments or interviews. You are therefore asked to note the below timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process, to meet the dates given.

Please note that these dates are only indicative may be subject to change. If you anticipate any difficulties attending, please alert scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk upon application.

The anticipated timetable is as follows:

Advert Closing date: 23:55, Monday 31st August

Shortlist: W/C 13th September

Assessments: W/C 28th September

Panel Interviews: W/C 5th October

It is expected that interviews will be conducted in-person in London, however this will be confirmed during the shortlisting process and successful candidates will be informed accordingly.

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DSIT Candidate Guidance. A DSIT Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.

We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

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

Reserve lists

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitable vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview.

Further Information

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Complaints

Civil Service Commission 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.

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact; scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk and more information can be found at www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

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 developed vetting (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 : SCS Recruitment Team
• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : scscandidate.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 you should contact in the first instance dsitresourcing.GRS@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/

Attachments

Government Chief IT Operations Officer FINAL CIP (1) (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 2728kB)DSIT Accessibility Pack - Government Chief IT Operations Officer Opens in new window (docx, 57kB)