Grants Policy and Innovation Lead

Job summary

The Grants Function in the Cabinet Office comprises a group of grants experts who coordinate and drive activities across government and the wider public sector, challenging the status quo, with a view to improving practice and securing better outcomes and value for money. The role is part of the Core Function, which is tasked with supporting continuous improvement through the development of policy, raising capability, the provision of expert advice through the Complex Grants Advice Panel (CGAP) and assessing and reporting compliance with standards.

Job description

The Core Team works across government to support the efficiency and effectiveness of grant funding, in order to maximise grant outcomes and minimise risk, delivering the greatest benefit to the economy and citizens.

The Grants Function is a multi-disciplinary team supporting a broad and diverse stakeholder group, we assist with building capability and improving compliance with standards through:

• maintaining and communicating the Functional Standard for grant making across government departments and their Arm’s Length Bodies;
• developing new and innovative policy, to enhance government grant making;
• monitoring the maturity of grant making departments’ processes, highlighting opportunities and risks;
• providing expert advice through our network of business partners;
• convening the Complex Grants Advice Panel (CGAP), an independent, cross-government panel of experts, coordinated and chaired by the Cabinet Office – the panel is mandated for grant schemes that will deliver manifesto commitments – the panel provides critical challenge to high value, high-risk, priority grant schemes; and
• supporting the development of knowledge and capability in government grant making.

The post-holder will work within a small policy team, focused on the development of new and new and innovative policy for grant making.

We are seeking an experienced, senior policy practitioner who has a deep understanding of government grants and/ or commercial policy, including scheme or programme design, development and administration, as well as experience in engaging with diverse stakeholder groups, to agree strategy and deliver change.

The post holder will work within our new Policy Lab, alongside the Head of Grants Policy. The team will focus on a range of new and challenging policy areas, aimed at driving innovation, increasing flexibility and developing new options for bespoke delivery through grant schemes. The focus will be on improving impact, outcomes and value for money from more than £119bn of annual government grant expenditure.

The Grants Policy team’s responsibilities include:

• ongoing maintenance and development of the grants Functional Standard, which underpins the work of the Grants Function across government - the Standard covers leadership, governance, policy and process - continuous improvement of the Standard also includes developing criteria to enable the assessment of grant making maturity across government from both the structural and process perspectives;
• developing new and innovative policy for government grant making covering areas such as the development and testing of bespoke delivery models, value for money, counter fraud and process simplification;
• oversight and development of the Grants Pipeline Control Framework, which is aimed at identifying the highest risk, most contentious grant schemes in development across government with the aim of providing expert advice to support development and mitigate risk;
• acting as a subject matter expert (SME), supporting access to expert advice, working with our Expert Support team and Complex Grants Advice Panel, in addition to providing bespoke advice via regular discussions with scheme owners across government;
• supporting the grants capability offer, by providing SME support to the Capability team, on the development of new products and services; and
• working with the Assurance team to support the development and delivery of the Grants Continuous Improvement Assessment Framework and associated action planning.

Person specification

Essential requirements for the role include experience of:

• working in a grant making and/ or commercial environment – including the design, development and administration of schemes or programmes;
• understanding of the process of developing of government or organisational policy and/ or standard setting;
• providing bespoke, expert advice and support to developing schemes or projects, either on a 1-2-1 basis or via expert panels;
• engaging effectively with diverse, cross-organisational stakeholder groups, with members of varying seniority levels, to generate commitment and to secure the successful implementation of new policies, which might not always be received entirely positively;
• working across teams with diverse responsibilities and an ability to identify synergies to maximise opportunities and outcomes from joint-working;
• [knowledge of] analytical methodologies and an ability to work closely with analysts to scope projects and identify metrics to capture benefits and impacts; and
• drafting clear and user-friendly policy notes, guidance, reports and submissions, covering new and existing policy or practice.

Desirable characteristics include:

• experience of the development of bespoke grants policy within a large grant making organisation; and
• experience of working with ministers or senior management, such as CEOs/ board executives.

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. 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:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture

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 and Experience.

Application process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please provide a personal statement of no more than 500 words. It should explain how your knowledge, skills and experience (using examples) meet the requirements for this role in line with the Success Profile element(s) being assessed (e.g. Behaviours, Experience etc). Using the job advert information, particularly the job description and person specification. Information is available on the application process (including what Civil Service Success Profiles is) and how to write your personal statement. Also the following behaviours:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing;
• Managing a Quality Service; and
• Seeing the Big Picture.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the statement of suitability. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

At interview there will be some strength-based questions and candidates will be assessed on the following behaviours:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing;
• Managing a Quality Service; and
• Seeing the Big Picture.

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – w/c 23 March
Expected interview date/s – w/c 30 March
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.

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 cabinetofficerceruitment.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.

Further information

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

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

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

A reserve list will 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.

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

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.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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 : James Whitley
• Email : james.whitley@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, 83kB)