Operations Delivery Manager (UKSV)

Job summary

The primary role of an Operations Delivery Manager will be to lead and manage a Delivery Vetting Clearance Officer team, ensuring that vetting products are delivered within specific time frames and with the required assurance. You will be expected to ensure that individual and team performance and engagement under your leadership is optimised. As Line Manager, you will be directly responsible for taking action to improve performance, attendance and any other personnel-related matters across your team.

As well as team management, we want someone who is open to change, can challenge our current ways of working and will work with us to shape the future of vetting helping deliver as a champion of continuous improvement in vetting, including the use of Artificial Intelligence products where approved at corporate level.

We need robust, senior operational team leaders who will strike the right balance between safeguarding the business and the critical needs of our customers from a qualitative and quantitative perspective, whilst supporting colleagues with a wide range of challenges. A strong track record of holding "difficult conversations", having the resolve and confidence to take action and make difficult, informed decisions which may not always work for all parties is paramount and will be tested throughout the recruitment process.

In addition to your Line Management duties, you will play a lead role in one or more of our Delivery (Field) Portfolios, which include: People, Quality, Ops, Comms, CI, Training and Centre of Excellence. These are critical "secondary" roles which require an understanding of cross-delivery policies and processes and a forward-thinking mindset to identify and successfully implement solutions, whilst under considerable time-constraints and other pressures.

Strong communication, influencing and engagement skills are essential to establish and maintain productive and collaborative working relations with colleagues across all UKSV business areas.

Job description

Roles and Responsibilities

Reporting to the relevant Assistant Heads of Delivery, you will:

• Have direct line management responsibilities for a large, quality-focused and target driven team.
• Analyse and interpret MI and data to enable you to manage and improve performance across your team members, ensuring efficiency is maximised.
• Build an engaging team culture, focused on staff well-being and development.
• Be focused on quality assurance and support continual learning to ensure consistently high standards from all colleagues, taking action to address shortfalls where necessary.
• Take primary responsibility for identifying and managing risks, escalating to the Assistant Head of Delivery where necessary.
• Driving iterative transformation, innovation and ongoing continuous improvement across your area in support of the organisation's strategic objectives.
• Lead and support Delivery (Field) Portfolios in support of the business and our people.
• Build positive working relationships across the business, supporting the relevant Assistant Heads of Delivery where needed with external stakeholder engagement.

Person specification

As a Operations Delivery Manager within UK Security Vetting, we are looking for people who have the following expertise and attributes:

• A dynamic leader passionate about inspiring others to become the best they can be.
• A leader who can balance the need for high quality delivery against productivity demands from our customers.
• A strong leader who is proficient and experienced in holding "difficult conversations" and in making challenging decisions in the interests of the business and our people.
• A high-energy and proactive nature, with a positive can-do attitude and result-focused.
• An ability to multitask and meet stringent deadlines whilst staying calm under pressure.
• A natural collaborator with an ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• A strong communicator, both verbally and written, with good attention to detail who can proactively identify opportunities for improvement and challenge assumptions,
• Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills with an ability to translate raw information into actionable strategies and plans.
• Proficiency in Google Suite, MS Excel, Word and PowerPoint to create visual and verbally engaging analysis, reports and presentations.
• Ability to work flexibly to meet changing priorities, managing a diverse workload and optimising resources to meet current and future demand.

Essential:

• Experience at senior level managing/leading a team.
• Experience in an operational, quality and productivity-focused environment.
• Agility to adapt quickly and successfully to new demands and challenges.

Desirable:

• Knowledge/experience of National Security Vetting processes
• Knowledge of the vetting products (DV, SC/CTC)

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.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

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

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,760, Cabinet Office contributes £12,677 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

At the sift stage you will be assessed on the Behaviours and Experience elements of the Success Profiles.

You will be asked to provide a 250-word statement on the Behaviours Leadership and Delivering at Pace.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please provide a personal statement of no more than 750 words. It should explain how your knowledge, skills and experience (using examples) meet the requirements for this role in line with the Success Profile element(s) being assessed (e.g. Behaviours, Experience etc). Using the job advert information, particularly the job description and person specification. Information is available on the application process (including what Civil Service Success Profiles is) and how to write your personal statement.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Leadership. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

At interview, you will be assessed on the Behaviours, Experience and Strengths elements of the Success Profiles.

The Behaviours being assessed are Leadership, Delivering at Pace and Managing a Quality Service.

The Strengths assessed will be relative to requirements listed in person specification and Behaviours being assessed so please read the advert carefully and consider what Strengths might be relevant to the role.

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – week commencing 23rd March 2026
Expected interview date/s – week commencing 20th April 2026
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.

Reasonable adjustments

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.

Further information

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 that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting 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

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

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.

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

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.

Feedback

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 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

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.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 : UKSV Resourcing Team
• Email : uksv-resourcingteam@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

Operations Delivery Manager Job Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 8MB)2022-11-04 Cabinet Office Employee Offer (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 344kB)2025-07-24 Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 82kB)