Head of Digital Portfolio

Job summary

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office pursues our national interests and projects the UK’s role in the world. We promote the interests of British citizens, safeguard the UK’s security, defend our values, reduce poverty and tackle global challenges with our international partners. We employ more than 17,000 staff in 179 countries and territories, across our diplomatic and development offices worldwide, which consists of 282 officially designated Posts. Our UK-based staff work in King Charles Street, London, Abercrombie House in East Kilbride and in Milton Keynes.

Digital, Technology and Security Directorate (DTaS) is responsible for delivering the Foreign Secretary’s ambition to make the FCDO the most technologically integrated and innovative foreign ministry globally. This means harnessing digital, data, technology, IT security and information management to support the FCDO and UK Government partners on our platform to deliver our diplomatic, development and consular aims. All while keeping our people and information safe, especially from hostile actors.

The work we do is varied – from historical analysis and library services to cyber protection, from information rights to global network management, from supporting staff in using the latest Microsoft toolsets, to creating corporate applications, harnessing AI and much more in line with the FCDO Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Strategy.

The Directorate is made up of a wide range of talented staff and experts including specialist, contractors, home civil servants and diplomats who have served overseas.

Job description

Main Purpose of Job

As Head of Digital Portfolio, the successful candidate will provide strategic leadership and oversight for the FCDO’s digital, data, and technology portfolio. You will be responsible for shaping and maintaining a robust governance framework, ensuring effective prioritisation, resource allocation, and risk management across a complex, high-value portfolio of products, services and programmes. Leading a team of portfolio professionals, you will foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and delivery excellence.

You will work closely with senior stakeholders to ensure investment decisions are evidence-based, benefits are clearly defined and realised, and the portfolio adapts to changing organisational priorities. Acting as a key advisor to senior leadership, you will provide clear, data-driven insights and recommendations to inform decision-making at the highest levels. You will champion best practice in strategic portfolio management, support the development of business cases, and ensure assurance and reporting mechanisms are in place to track progress, manage interdependencies, and deliver successful outcomes.

Roles and Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

• Shaping and prioritising new demand for inclusion in service groups and the portfolio.
• Establishing and maintaining a clear governance framework and reporting system in line with portfolio best practice.
• Coordinating reporting from Service Groups and analysing performance at the portfolio level for governance review.
• Leading portfolio-wide quarterly planning to align resources, priorities and delivery across the portfolio.
• Providing secretariat support for senior governance boards and collaborating with project teams to coordinate business cases.
• Advising on best practice assurance processes and maintaining the portfolio delivery map.
• Ensuring robust approaches to benefits management.
• Identifying and tracking portfolio risks, threats, and opportunities, creating plans to manage appropriately.
• Identifying and tracking portfolio risks, threats, and opportunities, creating plans to manage appropriately.
• Communicating and fostering a shared vision and sense of purpose across the portfolio.
• Identifying stakeholder interests and using influence to prioritise engagement.
  

You will act as Line Manager for an evolving portfolio team.

The FCDO also operates an agile workforce. To facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require.
Candidates who secure a role that is considered specialist/technical, may be required to affiliate to the relevant specialist network, if not already a member.
You may be required to travel in the UK with possible travel abroad, this is likely to be short duration trips several times a year.

Person specification

You must be a British Citizen at the time of application and, if invited to interview, you will need to bring proof of identity (British Passport/Driving Licence etc.) with you.

This role requires you to attain Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance.

For more information about this process, click here. Attaining DV will require you to have been resident in the UK for five of the last ten years. At least one year of this must have been a consecutive twelve-month period. Serving overseas with HM Forces, in some other official capacity as a representative of His Majesty’s Government or having lived overseas as a result of your parents’ or partner’s Government employment counts as UK residency for the purposes of security clearances.

It is essential in your application that you provide evidence and proven examples in each of the following Minimum Criteria, the Behaviours and the Technical question as far as you are able to do so. These responses will be further developed and discussed with those candidates invited for interview.

Essential Criteria

• Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) qualified or Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) qualification or Management of Portfolio’s (MoPs) qualification or Significant, demonstrable experience in managing complex programmes of work or portfolios.
• Experience in managing large-scale, complex digital and technology projects and programmes and using strategic portfolio management as a tool for organisational change.
• Experience of successful strategic risk management, agile planning cycles, problem solving and the ability to manage multiple interdependencies.
• Strong leadership skills in managing cross-functional teams with the ability to engage, motivate and coach on best practice processes.
• Ability to adopt proactive approaches, focussing on continuous improvement of self and service, with an appetite to work with others to simplify processes and improve efficiency.
• Capability to systematically identify, analyse, and engage with stakeholders through suitable channels, ensuring that investment proposals are supported and managed.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Changing and Improving

Technical skills

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

• Strategic Thinkinghttps://ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk/role/digital-portfolio…
• Planning – Practitioner Level https://ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk/skills#planning

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Strategic Thinkinghttps://ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk/role/digital-portfolio…

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £69,500, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office contributes £20,134 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.· A Civil Service Pension.
· 25 days Annual Leave per annum.
· 9 days Public and Privilege holidays per annum.
· Learning and Development tailored to your role.

See the attached candidate pack.

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.

This vacancy uses the Success Profiles Framework to assess your Behaviours. We will use the Digital Portfolio Manager and the DDaT Capability Framework to assess your Technical skills at Application and Interview stages.

Please see the ‘Hints and Tips’ that are provided for your information about how to prepare Behaviour examples at the Application and/or Interview stage.

Application Stage

You will be required to complete the following as part of the online application:

• A CV detailing your career history (including any relevant qualifications). CVs will be assessed against the Essential Criteria outlined in the Person Specification section below.
• A Personal Statement of 500 words explaining how you consider your skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with specific reference to the Essential Criteria. These responses will be explored further during the interview process for shortlisted candidates.

You will also be assessed on the following Behaviours and Technical skills at application:

Behaviours - Changing and Improving

Technical Skills - Strategic Thinking (Awareness Level – see Digital Portfolio Manager link above)

In the event of a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift on the lead Behaviour, Changing and Improving. Only candidates who meet the minimum standard in this Behaviour will have the rest of their application fully assessed.

Interview Stage

At the start of your interview, you will also be asked a non-assessed warm-up question about your motivation for applying for the role.

Candidates will be required to give a Presentation at the Interview, and the topic will be sent to you in advance. The Presentation will test the following Technical skill:

Planning – Practitioner Level (see DDaT Capability Framework).

You will also be assessed on the following Behaviours:

Behaviours - Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service.

Please note that the FCDO carries out name-blind (anonymised) recruitment to help build a more diverse and inclusive workforce. The personal information on your Application form and/or CV will be concealed during the sifting phase, and only the names of those who are being invited for Interviews will be made known to the Panel.

The FCDO has appointed the Government Recruitment Service to manage the process.

IMPORTANT: If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme and require Reasonable Adjustments in order to complete your application, please ensure Government Recruitment Service (GRS) are aware of this on the date of application and certainly by the closing date.

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 fcdorecruitment.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

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

Any move to FCDO 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.

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.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems reading the Candidate Pack, such as through screen reader software, please contact our Team via fcdorecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk and we will share a Word version of this.

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

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.

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 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

Open to UK nationals only.

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 : FCDO Recruitment Team
• Email : fcdorecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

The FCDO’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission 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, in the first instance, contact External.Recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the FCDO, you can contact the Office of the Civil Service Commissioners.

Attachments

Hints and Tips on Behaviour Examples Opens in new window (pdf, 85kB)Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V16) 2025-04-03 Opens in new window (pdf, 493kB)Head of Digital Portfolio Candidate pack - Final Opens in new window (docx, 944kB)