National Leadership Forum Lead

Job summary

Within the Cabinet Office, the Public Sector Leadership team runs programmes and events for the most senior officials across the UK public sector, aimed at increasing their capability and networks for systems leadership. The team brings the community of public service leaders together through formal and informal learning, community and network building and large scale events. As part of a new skills model, this work is growing over the next two years to increase impact and quality of what is delivered.

Our largest scale intervention, the National Leadership Forum is an annual event which brings together CEO-leaders en masse to improve networks, provide inspiration, and spark collaboration across the public sector.

The event is a day-long conference which is typically attended by around 100-150 leaders from the UK public sector. Attendees build in person networks, improve their understanding of the country’s strategic context, and contribute to the collective leadership of the country.

The event typically features:

• High profile keynote speakers from the state, providing context and challenge
• External insight and challenge for executive leaders
• Table discussions and networking time to build connections with peers

The previous national events have been highly successful, and attendees praise the quality of the speakers, the dynamic networking in the room, and the opportunity to get out of their own organisation’s and sector’s bubble.

Next year, we want to build on the impact of the cross-UK events with more conferences for place-based networks. The postholder will lead the work to establish the best way of doing this and begin to roll out the new programme of work alongside delivering the 2026 national event.

There is a reasonable amount of travel required for these roles to attend event delivery, get to know the leaders we support, and to meet in person with geographically spread team members.

Job description

We embrace flexibility and adaptability in our roles, responding to Government priorities, the needs of our leaders, and the programmes that we deliver. We also want to create opportunities for you to engage in work that interests you and that supports your development.

Within this context you can expect a mix of the following responsibilities:

• Lead the design and delivery of high-impact, high-quality events tailored for CEO leaders and aspirant CEOs, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Engage stakeholders across the UK public sector to incorporate best practices and insights into your work.
• Translate strategic goals into detailed event content, including agendas, speaker briefings, and participant communications.
• Oversee the preparation and review of event materials, including evaluation processes to measure impact.
• Line manage a team, fostering a high-performance culture, recognising success, and supporting professional development.
• Drive the development of a community of leaders from the NHS, police, fire service, military, education sectors, and local government through a broad range of interventions.
• Identify strategic opportunities to link events with policy development, public service reform, and leadership development initiatives.
• Oversee and manage cross-team projects, such as onboarding strategies for new CEOs, programme budget management, and maintaining the engagement database.
• Promote and model best practice behaviours, including audience insight utilisation, inclusive design, evaluation, and diversity.

Person specification

Essential:

• Experience of end-to-end event delivery, taking personal accountability for creating a high-impact and high-quality event.
• Significant knowledge of event design and inclusive practices
• Understanding of - or expertise in - the public sector audience and organisations.
• Inclusive team leadership with a track record of developing and empowering teams.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, particularly writing for different audiences including executive level leaders
• Ability to synthesise, analyse, and clearly present complex data/information accurately to senior leaders, ministers, and other partners.
• Comfortable working in fast-paced environments, with excellent organisational, prioritisation, and delegation skills

Desired:

• Experience of CEO level event delivery and customer management
• The desire to learn, the evidence of investing in your own professional development, and willingness to work towards a formal qualification - such as one awarded by CIPD.

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

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

• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,204, Cabinet Office contributes £16,571 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 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 Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Application process

Applicants will be expected to submit a CV and a statement of suitability, of up to 750 words, detailing how they meet the skills and experience for the role and a behaviour statement.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead Behaviour, Working Together.

Selection process

Successful applicants will be invited to attend an interview and will be assessed against the experience and strengths required for this role as well as the following behaviours:

• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – w/c 09/02/2026
Expected interview date/s – TBC
Interview location - Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

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.

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 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.

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

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

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 : Billy Street
• Email : Billy.Street@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, 94kB)