People Capability Lead

Job summary

Are you looking to work in a varied, dynamic and fast paced environment, where you set the direction of your work and how it is delivered?

Can you act as a people change agent, building consensus through an understanding of stakeholders operating contexts, creating a compelling vision, while taking of other’s needs?

Do you enjoy enabling organisations and their people to build and develop their capability so they can meet current and future business objectives - ensuring they have suitably skilled and capable employees at all levels?

Have you got experience engaging at all levels in business to influence and form consensus, agree strategies while also being robust, enable others to deliver those people strategies and plans whilst coaching and maintaining their focus and drive to deliver?

The Department for Transport (DfT) seeks an experienced strategic HR leader to strengthen relationships, drive people-focused change, and enhance outcomes for its Project Delivery Profession and Function. DfT manages one of the largest and most complex government project portfolios, worth over £119bn, supported by 500+ project professionals and additional staff in its Arm’s Length Bodies.

The Project Delivery and Performance Directorate (PDPD) ensures the Department has the capability to deliver projects successfully. Its People Team has shifted to a strategic advisory role, focusing on building capability, talent, and resourcing, including accrediting 25% of professionals to boost credibility. The next phase involves deeper collaboration with DfT’s wider family and other government departments, influencing best practices and fostering consensus.

This role offers a challenging opportunity to work with senior leaders, leverage data and expertise, and shape HR strategy in a dynamic environment ideal for those aspiring to become a trusted voice in HR and beyond.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at DfTc Department for Transport Central - Department for Transport Careers

Job description

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Build relationships with PD Profession Teams across DfT’s Arm’s Length Bodies and Executive Agencies (organisations) to strengthen leadership capability building.
• Drive delivery of 75% of DfT centrals’ PD Professionals achieving National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority’s (NISTA) PD Accreditation by 2030 and coordinate rollout with DfT organisations to enhance their capability and credibility.
• Lead the annual Project Delivery (PD) Fast Stream graduate Scheme Bidding (March), coordinating (June/July) and onboarding process (September and October), manage funding and ensure accurate financial records and payments.
• Use people data to provide insights and advise Senior Project Leads on capability and capacity and support annual Director Talent exercise.
• Develop strategies for project delivery improvement using data-driven insights; engage and motivate stakeholders in change initiatives.
• Act as relationship lead with NISTA and key partners to influence and collaborate on improving People capability and Capacity project outcomes.
• Work cross-functionally within the team, Directorate, and wider Government; undertaking ad-hoc tasks as required
• Deputise for the Head of the People Team at meetings and Boards as required

For further information on the role, please read the attached role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

We are seeking a HR strategic thinker with proven experience in developing and implementing people strategies to address organisational capability challenges. You will be passionate about leading change in a complex environment and confident in using evidence to inform decisions within a wider government and departmental context. The role requires independent judgment in making risk-based decisions and providing clear, tailored advice and recommendations.

As a visible and effective leader, you will set a clear vision, inspire others, and work at pace to deliver change. Strong relationship-building skills are essential, as you will collaborate with colleagues at all levels, including senior stakeholders, particularly within the Project Delivery community. Excellent communication skills and the ability to adapt your approach to different audiences will be key to driving improvements in project delivery across the department.

Required experience:

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Building strong, effective relationships to understand stakeholders’ needs and priorities, and utilise colleagues’ expertise to enable the delivery of key People Capability objectives.
• Identifying and implementing decisions, plans or strategies underpinned by data to deliver timely outcomes through collective agreement to build people capability at an organisational or multi-organisational level.
• Influencing stakeholders at senior levels to support and buy into people capability and capacity building initiatives; and
• Strong project management skills, working at pace to ensure delivery of key outcomes and milestones, managing a range of multiple priorities to key deadlines.

You will either hold your CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) qualification level 3 (or above) or be Associate CIPD (or above), be working towards it, or willing to work towards it when in post within 18 months.

Additional Information

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week. Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.

There is a requirement to travel to DfT’s London Office twice a month on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Occasional travel to other offices will be required, which may involve overnight stays.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

DfTc does not offer Visa Sponsorship for this role

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions

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

• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

• Working with analysts and other colleagues to use data effectively to understand and highlight risks to customers, and add value to the organisation
• Interpreting data to create and present evidence-based insight. Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions and providing recommendations

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,241, Department for Transport contributes £12,816 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies (opens in a new window).

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, Experience and Technical skills.

How to apply:

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: CV no more than 2 sides of A4, a behavioural statement and a Personal Statement (1000 words)

Stage 2: Interview with presentation

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

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

Stage 1: Sift

At this stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (no more than 2 sides of A4) and personal statement (1000-word count). Please provide evidence in the Personal Statement of your Experience of the following:

• Building strong, effective relationships to understand stakeholders’ needs and priorities, and utilise colleagues’ expertise to enable the delivery of key People Capability objectives.
• Identifying and implementing decisions, plans or strategies underpinned by data to deliver timely outcomes through collective agreement to build people capability at an organisational or multi-organisational level; and
• Influencing stakeholders at senior levels to support and buy into people capability and capacity building initiatives.

Please note that the technical elements of the role will be assessed against the Government HR Career Framework which you will be able to access here.

The sift will take place week commencing 16 Feb 2026

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead Success Profile element ‘Seeing the Big Picture’. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Please note: the sift will be completed on a rolling basis whilst the campaign is still live, so you may receive your sift scores before the advert closing date.

Stage 2: Interview

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

Behaviours –

• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions

You will also be required to deliver a presentation to assess the success profile ‘Behaviour Communicating and Influencing’. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview

Technical–

• Managing delivery teams and working with suppliers or external partners to implement learning initiatives, as well as providing ongoing support and advice to business areas
• Collaborating with analysts and colleagues to interpret data, identify risks, and develop insights that add value and mitigate challenges for customers

Please note that the technical elements of the role will be assessed against the HR Career Framework - Capability, Learning and Talent - Working Level HEO/SEO

Strengths

The interviews will take place week commencing 23 Feb 2026; however, dates are subject to change due to operational circumstances.

Interviews will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams only. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview including providing evidence of Identification.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window).

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

Further information on the selection process

Feedback on your application can only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

We will also hold a12 month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

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

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit theHow We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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.

All External applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour

Threats or acts of violence

Illegal activity or substance misuse

Sexually explicit material

Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public.

Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle—it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture.

If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

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 : Lee Smith
• Email : lee.smith@dft.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here

Attachments

Role Profile Opens in new window (docx, 41kB)