Head of Community Sport Facilities

Job summary

The Major Sporting Projects Delivery Directorate is a new directorate within DCMS’ Strategy & Major Events Group. It will oversee the Government’s input to some of the highest profile programmes in the world of sport. Amongst the projects and programmes covered by the team are:

• The UEFA European Championships 2028 - ensuring the Government delivers on its commitments to ensure that this major event is staged successfully, maximising economic growth and benefiting local communities. This programme is part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio.
• The future pipeline of major sporting events - driving forward the Government's work, with partners, to secure, and successfully host, the world’s biggest and best sporting events.
• Grassroots facilities delivery - overseeing the delivery of hundreds of millions into multi-sport grassroots facilities across the UK, as part of the EURO 2028 impact programme and to tackle inactivity, support the Health mission and build cohesive communities through providing access to high quality shared sporting spaces.

The directorate evolved out of a unit within the existing Sport and Gambling Directorate, with which it continues to work seamlessly.

The team prioritises a positive workplace culture, where colleagues are committed to excellence in delivery, ongoing personal development, a supportive working environment, and operating seamlessly with colleagues and stakeholders based across the UK, and beyond.

Job description

In 2025/26 nearly 1000 community projects across the UK were awarded funding through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. They have benefitted from new all-weather pitches, extended playing hours through floodlighting, and modern changing facilities designed to welcome underserved groups like women and girls.This is a unique and exciting opportunity to join the Major Sporting Projects Delivery directorate to work on the planning and delivery of future Community Sports Facilities investment.

Last year the Government announced at least £400 million to be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities across the country between 2026/27 and 2029/30.

We are intent that our £400m investment in community grassroots sports facilities reaches as many people as possible. This will allow us to make progress in reducing inactivity levels and improving the physical and mental health of the nation.

Responsibilities are likely to include:

• Drive evidence-based policy options across the facilities investment landscape with critical impact on DCMS's wider business.
• Develop and maintain strategic, high-level partnerships with diverse internal and external delivery partners and Government Departments.
• Negotiate approaches on cross-cutting issues to secure buy-in, reconcile differences, and strategically shape programme design and delivery.
• Act as an expert in Programme and Project Management, providing authoritative advice, guidance, and assurance across programmes with complex methodologies.
• Provide effective corporate leadership of the team, successfully delivering through others, and empowering the PMO and Strategy & Evaluation functions.
• Oversee the development and successful submission of complex business cases for future funding, ensuring responsible budget management.

Person specification

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience:

Essential requirements:

• Strong inclusive leadership skills with a track record of delivery in complex areas, driving excellence in delivery and actively motivating and developing teams based across the UK, promoting a positive team (and wider unit) culture.
• ​​Ability to influence and make an impact at senior levels and with a variety of organisations through excellent interpersonal and communication skills including building and maintaining networks and relationships.
• Expert programme and project delivery skills to translate requirements, set strategic direction, make effective decisions, and successfully move policy into programme delivery, including in new areas.
• Self starting and resilient with ability to problem solve, shape direction and deliver at pace while effectively navigating tensions.
• Focus on operational excellence by applying robust programme, project and risk management approaches to ensure high quality service delivery and create the most appropriate delivery models.

Desirable skills:

• Understanding of Grant functions.
• Experience shaping, leading and delivering a new policy or programme.

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by Laura Denison and will take place on: 15th April at 11am

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.

Please register your interest by filling out this Registration form and you will be sent an invitation. Invites will only be sent after this deadline has passed.

Please note that the session will not be recorded and will not focus on the DCMS recruitment process - please direct any queries that you have on this topic (timelines, reasonable adjustments, onboarding etc) to resourcing.team@dcms.gov.uk

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £62,203, Department for Culture, Media and Sport contributes £18,020 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We’re committed to developing talent, and supporting colleagues to have great careers in our department. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:

• Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working - DCMS staff work on a flexible basis with time spent in offices, and time spent working from home

• 26.5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years’ service

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

• Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice

• 3 days of paid volunteering leave

• Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave

• Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year

• Occupational sick pay

• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice

• Active and engaged staff networks to join including the LGBT+, Ethnic Diversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality Networks

• Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day to day work

• Season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and much more!

Terms and conditions at SCS grades will vary. Those applying for SCS roles should refer to the candidate information pack for more information on terms and conditions.

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, Strengths and Experience.

To apply for this vacancy, you will need to submit the following documents which will assessed against the experience success profile:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages and you should insert your CV into the "Job History" section on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
• A Statement of Suitability (max 750 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed however these will not be considered in the assessment of your application except in circumstances where there are a high number and calibre of candidates.

For the shortlist, we will select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the Statement of Suitability. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.

For support in writing your application and interviewing, please refer to the ‘Application and Interview Guidance’ document attached to the job advert.

The interview process will assess behaviours, strengths, and experience.

The behaviours to be tested at interview are:

• Leadership
• Communicating and influencing
• Delivering at pace
• Managing a quality service

Prior to the interview you will be sent the behaviour questions in advance.

You will not be made aware of the strengths being assessed prior to your interview.

You will also be required to prepare a presentation. Full details of this, including the topic, length of time, and whether or not you will need to use visual aids, will be sent to you prior to your interview.

For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.

In most cases interviews will take place remotely via Google Meet video call. However please refer to the Candidate Information Pack to confirm the interview approach.

Further Information

If the vacancy is offered as FTA/Loan, existing Civil Servants must join on a Loan basis only. Prior agreement to be released on loan must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Department for Culture, Media and Sport 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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the ‘Candidate Information Pack’ attached.

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 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.

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.

Reasonable Adjustment

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process.

In order to request an adjustment, please:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on 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 a verbal test rather than a written one.

Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the 'contact point for applicants' section of the job advert.

Feedback

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 : Laura Denison
• Email : laura.denison@dcms.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

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 recruitment.team@dcms.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/recruitment/civilserv…

Attachments

456007Head of Community Sport Facilities - Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 6740kB)DCMS Application & Interview Guidance for Candidates Aug 23 (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 180kB)