Learning Portfolio Lead

Job summary

Government Skills is undertaking an exciting period of expansion and transformation. In January 2026 the government announced plans to establish the National School of Government and Public Services to support our ambitions for a world-class, professional Civil Service.

The new school will align training with government priorities, introduce a new streamlined curriculum that is designed and delivered in-house, and invest in public sector leadership.

At the heart of this transformation is our commitment to equip public servants with the precise, high-priority skills needed to deliver current and emerging government mandates.

Within Government Skills, the Design and Delivery Team exists to curate, design and deliver high-quality learning opportunities that equip civil servants with the skills and knowledge they need to deliver excellent public services.

As a Learning Portfolio Lead, you will set the strategic direction for a team of SEO and HEO learning designers. You will have the lead responsibility for a specific area of the curriculum of the new National School of Government: for example, core knowledge, or a suite of leadership, management or universal skills programmes. You will lead your team to design and deliver new, innovative, evidence-based learning products and/or improve existing products in various delivery formats (face-to-face, hybrid, and virtual learning environments). You will collaborate with teams across Government to understand and translate learner needs into the wider offer, and to influence key stakeholder groups throughout product development and delivery.

The Design and Delivery team work flexibly and you can expect to lead and contribute to multiple workstreams, offering excellent developmental opportunities.

Job description

As Government Skills transitions to become the National School of Government and Public Services, the Learning Portfolio Leadwill lead a team of learning and development specialists as we bring more of our learning design and delivery in-house. Teams will be responsible for delivering learning products aligned to the curriculum and covering areas such as working in government, leadership and management, communicating and influencing and personal effectiveness. Learning will be designed for civil servants at all grades; with an audience of over 500,000 civil servants. As part of the Design and Delivery leadership team, you will play a vital role in providing strategic direction to your team as part of the transition to the National School of Government and Public Services, translating strategy into delivery and aligning objectives to wider priorities.

You will have a deep understanding of adult learning theories, approaches and methodologies, with experience of incorporating them into the design of learning solutions. You will remain abreast of the latest academic and practical models and approaches, horizon scanning best practice across sectors to ensure your team delivers high quality learning and innovative learning interventions

You will build and manage relationships with stakeholders, subject matter experts, professions, suppliers, senior leaders and learners across government to ensure ongoing alignment with Government Skills’ priorities, to build and maintain engagement and ultimately to deliver on customer and learner requirements through the learning offer.

In this leadership role, you will line manage a team of learning specialists. You will work across the team to allocate resources effectively, in-line with the Design and Delivery business plan; prioritising workloads to ensure timelines are met and deliverables are achieved. You will champion inclusivity in your approach, ensuring all team members have suitable learning and development opportunities in place and actively build a culture that drives performance and productivity to deliver high quality outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Overseeing the design, strategy and delivery of learning interventions. This will include leading strategic engagement, consultation exercises and supporting learning designers through design and governance processes.
• Scoping and drafting strategic outlines for new learning projects. This will include securing the ministerial, board, and/or senior level approvals required for the learning design process to be initiated; and provide ongoing updates to senior leaders and governance boards throughout the design and delivery process.
• Horizon-scanning the learning landscape, providing the Design and Delivery Team with insights and training in new theoretical, academic and practical models, theories, approaches, and learning methodologies.
• Engaging and collaborating across the team to coordinate learning designers' efforts so that content can be shared and adapted to different audiences; avoiding duplication of effort.
• Line managing a team of SEO/HEO learning designers and deploying them across Design and Delivery to support time-bound projects.
• Engaging and consulting with senior stakeholders, suppliers, subject matter experts, professions, engagement groups and government departments to ensure our products are fit for purpose and meet learner needs; and to support ongoing engagement on the learning offer.
• Evaluating the impact of learning using dashboards and analytics; and then using insights to refine content, improve delivery methods and instill a culture of continuous improvement.
• Supporting the delivery of organisational wide learning priorities and initiatives – using subject matter expertise in growing skills and capabilities to ensure successful delivery of organisational wide programmes.

Person specification

Essential

• Proven track record of end-to-end design and delivery of multi-stakeholder learning and development programmes in a complex/public sector environment with demonstrable impact and benefits realisation
• Significant knowledge of learning design and inclusive practices with an ability to translate adult learning theories, approaches and methodologies into the design of learning interventions
• Experienced in leading geographically dispersed and diverse teams, building an inclusive culture that drives high performance
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, particularly writing for different audiences including executive level leaders with an ability to synthesise, analyse and present complex data/information clearly
• Skilled in designing and leading evaluation frameworks, using data to drive continuous improvement and demonstrate impact
• Comfortable working in fast-paced and ambiguous environments with excellent organisational, prioritisation and delegation skills and an ability to balance multiple priorities and changing demands
• Strong stakeholder management skills, building, maintaining and managing relationships with suppliers, external partners, departments, professions, subject matter experts and senior leaders with an ability to secure buy-in and manage contracts effectively.

Desirable Criteria

• Level 7 CIPD L&D qualification (or equivalent)
• Understanding of learning and development in the context of the public sector.

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.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £59,207, Cabinet Office contributes £17,152 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• 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 Strengths and Experience.

Application process

As part of the application form, you will be asked to submit:

• A CV
• A 1000 word Personal Statement/Statement of suitability setting out how you meet the essential criteria in the person specification.
• A 250 word response to this technical question: ‘Describe a time when you led a team to deliver a learning intervention. How did you build an inclusive and high-performing team, ensuring effective application of relevant learning methodologies, and how did you evaluate the intervention's impact to demonstrate effectiveness’

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead criteria: the technical question. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to interview.

Selection process

Applicants who pass the sift will be invited to interview.

The interview will consist of questions to assess the candidates against Civil Service Strengths and Experience. There will also be a presentation to assess experience, the question will be provided to successful applicants following the sift.

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – week commencing 28th September
Expected interview date/s – week commencing 12th October
Interview location - Online

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 cabinetofficerecruitment.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.

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

Further Information

A reserve list may 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.

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

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.

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

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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 : Charlotte Hanks
• Email : charlotte.hanks@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)