Head of Windrush Unit

Job summary

This is a unique and high‑profile opportunity to lead the Windrush Unit at a pivotal moment for the Home Office. The Unit was created to drive long‑term, meaningful change following the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, ensuring that learning is fully embedded and that the experience of the Windrush generation continues to shape how the department operates.

The role combines strategic leadership, cultural transformation, and close engagement with affected communities and senior stakeholders. As Head of the Unit, you will shape and deliver a programme of work that supports both departmental improvement and wider system change. You will work closely with the newly appointed Windrush Commissioner and provide visible leadership across a complex and sensitive portfolio.

Candidates are strongly encouraged to read the full candidate pack attached at the bottom of the vacancy page for detailed information on responsibilities, context, assessment stages and the wider programme.

Job description

The successful candidate will lead the Windrush Unit, overseeing the Home Office’s ongoing response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review and ensuring that progress is sustained, measurable and transparent. You will provide strategic direction for the Unit’s work, shaping policy, programme delivery and engagement activities that support cultural change across the department.

A central part of the role will be coordinating the Unit’s work with the Windrush Commissioner, ensuring strong governance, effective advice and well‑managed interactions across the department. You will also maintain trusted relationships with communities, partners, ministers and senior officials.

Full details are set out in the candidate pack.

Person specification

This role requires a senior leader capable of operating confidently in a complex, sensitive and highly scrutinised environment. You should demonstrate clear understanding of the issues surrounding the Windrush scandal and the implications for how public services must evolve. You will bring strong judgement, the ability to lead teams through ambiguity and the ability to build trusted relationships with diverse stakeholders.

Essential criteria:

• Proven experience in a senior leadership role within a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• A strong understanding of the Windrush scandal and the implications for the way the whole of the Home Office and wider government need to operate, understanding the challenges faced by the Windrush generation and other Commonwealth citizens.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to drive change and deliver results.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, and cultural sensitivity.

Desirable skills & experience

• Lived experience or first-hand knowledge of the Windrush scandal and its implications.
• Experience working within the public sector or a similar regulatory environment.
• Experience in programme management and delivering large-scale projects.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £81,000, Home Office contributes £23,465 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 with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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

Applications should be submitted via Civil Service Jobs by 23:55 hrs Wednesday 11th March 2026. Candidates must upload a CV and a Statement of Suitability setting out how they meet the essential criteria.

Shortlisted candidates will undertake psychometric assessments, an Individual Leadership Assessment and a virtual Staff Engagement Exercise.

Final interviews will be held via Microsoft Teams and will include a presentation. Eligible candidates applying under the Disability Confident, Redeployment Interview Scheme or Great Place to Work for Veterans schemes who meet the essential criteria will proceed to the next stage.

A detailed overview of the assessment process, timeline and panel is included in the candidate pack.

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 meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security 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.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 : COSS Director Private Office
• Email : COSSDirectorPrivateOffice@homeoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : SCSRecruitment@homeoffice.gov.uk

Attachments

Candidate Pack - Head of Windrush Unit - SCS PB1 Opens in new window (pdf, 805kB)