People Operations Lead - AI Security Institute

Job summary

The UK AI Security Institute (AISI) exists to make frontier AI systems secure, trustworthy, and beneficial for society. We work at the heart of the UK government with direct lines to No. 10—advancing our understanding of how to evaluate and govern advanced AI systems so they can be deployed safely and responsibly.

Our mission is to strengthen state technical capacity in AI security research to support both government and global partners in managing the risks and harnessing the opportunities of this transformative technology.

We’re building a world-class team of scientists, policy specialists, and operational professionals united by one goal: ensuring AI benefits all humanity.

The AISI People Team is the engine driving the AI Security Institute’s bold transformation of government HR for technical institutes. As AISI scales rapidly, we’re setting the pace, breaking new ground and raising the bar for what’s possible in public sector people operations. Our team is central to building a high-performance, talent-dense culture where initiative and impact matter. We offer a single front door to HR, delivering fast, robust decisions and top-tier data. This is a hands-on, high-energy environment: activity-managed by AISI, with expert support from DSIT HR. If you’re ready to make your mark, shape the future, and thrive in a team that values action and ambition, this is where you belong.

Job description

The role

As People Operations Lead, you will be at the heart of AISI’s mission to redefine what great people operations look like in government. This is a delivery and design role for those who want to roll up their sleeves and turn principles into practice. You will lead day-to-day people operations, build and refine the systems that underpin our high standards, and ensure AISI is recognised as the best place to work in government. We are looking for someone who relishes hands-on challenges, is eager to drive meaningful change, and is motivated to entice and empower other high performers to join our journey.

What you will do:

• Lead People operations and the HR front door: run the service catalogue, triage and SLAs; lead the team to resolve BAU queries are resolved quickly and consistently.

• Deliver HR projects end-to-end on time and to standard (e.g. performance management processes, offboarding, contract changes) with clear quality gates and equality assurance.

• Build and enforce our Standard Operating Procedure to a high standard including templates and checklists across core processes (contracts/changes, visas, leave, OGD/loans, Business Appointment rules, exits), ensuring complete approvals and audit trails.

• Drive service excellence: track KPIs including: response and resolution times, first-contact resolution, customer satisfaction

• Coordinate cross-functional delivery with DSIT HR, Legal, Finance, Security, Talent and Trade Unions to land changes and handle scenarios fairly and lawfully; escalate risks early.

• Enable tech-literate operations: Lead the team to ensure we have accurate people data for the organisation and use approved AI-enabled tools to automate repeat tasks and increase team efficiency.

Person specification

Who we’re looking for:

We’re looking for a high‑judgement HR operator who can run brilliant people ops at pace, lead through ambiguity, and build smarter, data‑driven systems that make AISI the best place to work in government.

• Strong HR/People Ops experience: proven HR generalist delivery with depth in at least two of performance/ER, pay/allowances, workforce planning, or organisational change; able to produce clear, proportionate written advice and documentation.

• Operational excellence at pace: experience running/improving a high‑volume service, prioritising risk, meeting SLAs, and keeping clean audit trails.

• Strategic thinking + stakeholder influence: able to partner with senior leaders, translate priorities into simple scalable processes, and support the G6 Head of People to shape and deliver AISI’s people strategy.

• Data/tech‑literate: confident in navigating people data with strong Excel/Sharepoint List skills and ability to use MI/dashboards; comfortable using automation/AI tools appropriately, with strong information‑handling discipline.

• Fairness, inclusion and leadership: high integrity and discretion; applies policy consistently with equality in mind; able to lead through others, and build a high‑performing, supportive team culture.

Desirable:

• CIPD Level 5 or equivalent.

• Experience in a start up/ AI organisation/central Government.

Behaviours

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

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

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £54,415, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £15,764 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.

Office attendance

The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.

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.

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 use your personal statement (in no more than 750 words) to covering the following:

1. Leading People Ops (250 words)
   Describe a time you ran or improved a People/HR operations service. What did you change, how did you prioritise, and what measurable difference did it make?
2. Using data, AI tools and automation (250 words)
   Give an example of how you have used HR systems, data or tooling to improve speed, quality or consistency.
3. Why AISI? (250 words)
   Why do you want to work at AISI specifically, and how will you thrive in a fast‑paced, high‑ambiguity environment.

In the event of a high volume of applicants, applications will be sifted on CVs alone.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Interview 1: Short screening interview to understand your motivation to join AISI and your HR profession experience.

Interview 2: Interview encompassing presentation task, behaviours and strengths questions. You will receive details on the presentation task when invited to interview 2.

Interview 3: Senior interview panel

Sift and interview dates

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Further Information

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

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply,and can be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DSIT Candidate Guidance. A DSIT Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.

We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

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

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Candidates who meet the minimum benchmark may be placed on a Reserve List for consideration for similar roles, including those at a lower grade. Candidates who narrowly miss the benchmark and are not placed on the Reserve List may still be considered for an offer in a similar role at a lower grade.

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

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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.

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

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.

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

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.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 : Lizzy Ecart
• Email : Lizzy.Ecart@dsit.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Georgia.Stone@dsit.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 you should contact in the first instance DSITrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk . If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints.

Attachments

DSIT T&Cs v1.2 Opens in new window (docx, 179kB)