Inclusion & Talent Programmes Manager

Job summary

This is a unique and high-profile role within the People Development & Inclusion team, at the centre of the People & Workplace directorate. We play a key role in maintaining and strengthening the department’s reputation as a leader in inclusion across government, with a clear focus on using data and insight to drive real change.

As Inclusion & Talent Programmes Manager you will work across all teams and functions and with colleagues at every grade, including regular engagement with senior leaders. Our aim is to ensure inclusion is not just a strategic priority, but something that is visible, understood and embedded in everyday practice, including how we identify and develop talent.

Our work is grounded in strong partnerships with staff networks, learning and development, and cross-government colleagues. We combine this with a sharp focus on data, using insight to understand where we are, where we need to improve, and how we measure impact.

This role would suit someone who enjoys working in a visible, people-facing environment, is confident using data to inform decisions, and brings a balanced, thoughtful approach to equality, inclusion and talent.

Job description

As HR Talent & Inclusion Manager, you will play a central role in shaping how inclusion and talent are understood and delivered across the organisation. This is a varied and visible role, combining policy, delivery, data and engagement, with the opportunity to influence at all levels, including senior leadership.

You will support the delivery of our talent management initiatives, ensuring that our approach to identifying and supporting progression is fair, transparent and aligned to DCMS’s strategic priorities. Alongside this you will provide clear, practical advice on equality, diversity and inclusion to colleagues and senior leaders, and lead on the development of high-quality policies, briefings and communications, often to short deadlines. You will support and deliver key People Strategy priorities, including campaigns, outreach activity and development programmes such as the Cabinet Office Accelerated Development Scheme.

A key part of the role is designing and delivering engaging content, from workshops and away days to leadership discussions, helping to bring inclusion to life in a way that is relevant and practical. You will also support inclusive approaches to talent, including mentoring, coaching and development opportunities, ensuring that progression is fair and accessible across the organisation.

You will draw on data and insight to inform your work, using EDI reporting, Pay Gap data and People Survey results to understand trends, identify risks and shape evidence-based action. This includes building a clear picture of how talent is identified and progressing, and where there may be barriers for underrepresented groups. You will also support compliance with statutory requirements, contribute to accreditations such as Disability Confident, and help ensure that our approach is both robust and credible.

The role involves working closely with a wide range of stakeholders. You will build strong relationships across the organisation and beyond, working with Government People Group, other departments and public bodies to share best practice and align activity. You will act as the main point of contact for staff networks, supporting their coordination and ensuring their insights are reflected in wider strategy. You will also engage confidently with senior stakeholders, including preparing materials for Executive Board discussions.

Alongside delivery, you will play an important role in governance and assurance. This includes supporting the annual People Strategy review, ensuring inclusion and talent priorities are clearly reflected and evidenced, and providing secretariat support to senior forums such as the Permanent Secretary’s SCS Network Champions and Staff Network Chairs meetings.

This role offers a strong mix of influence and delivery, with the opportunity to use data, relationships and practical action to shape a more inclusive organisation.

Person specification

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience, please note that desirable skills will only be used in the event of tied candidates:

Essential requirements:

We are looking for someone who genuinely cares about equality, diversity and inclusion and can bring that to life in a practical, credible way. You will work across teams and functions, managing a varied portfolio of work and building strong relationships across the organisation. To succeed in this role, you will need to communicate clearly and confidently with a wide range of audiences, including senior leaders.

We’re also looking for you to bring:

• Inclusion and people practice: experience of delivering and/or supporting inclusive people initiatives within a complex organisation, with a strong understanding of the Equality Act 2010, protected characteristics and the wider organisational context shaping workplace inclusion.
• Data analysis and digital confidence: experience of analysing, interpreting and presenting workforce, engagement or people data to support insight-led decision making, with confidence using digital tools such as spreadsheets, online forms, collaboration platforms and presentation software.
• Stakeholder engagement and communication: ability to build effective working relationships and communicate confidently with stakeholders at all levels, including senior leaders, adapting communication style to influence, inform and build trust.
• Judgement, planning and delivery: ability to manage competing priorities and apply sound judgement in complex or sensitive environments, using evidence and context to support decision making and deliver quality outcomes to agreed timescales.

Desirable skills:

• Experience of building effective working relationships with senior stakeholders and communicating confidently in complex or sensitive environments;
• Experience of coordinating people-focused programmes, initiatives or communities within a large or matrix organisation;
• CIPD qualification (or willingness to work towards).

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

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:

Behaviour statement of 250 words which will be assessed against the behaviour success profile, including:

• Communicating and Influencing (Lead behaviour)

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 2x 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 500 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,andexperience.

The behaviours to be tested at interview are:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Bigger Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

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 5 minute 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.

Your interview will take place remotely via GoogleMeets.

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by the vacancy holder, and will take place on:

• 18th May 2026 at 12 noon

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 before 17th May, 4pm 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

Further Information

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 : natasha.gorman@dcms.gov.uk
• Email : natasha.gorman@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/contact/

Attachments

_HR Talent & Inclusion Manager- Candidate Information Pack template (3) Opens in new window (pdf, 8MB)DCMS Application & Interview Guidance for Candidates Aug 23 (1) (7) (2) Opens in new window (pdf, 180kB)