Policy Officer

Job summary

The Cabinet Office supports the Prime Minister and the Minister for the Cabinet Office in delivering key objectives and milestones which help to form the wider government. The Cabinet Office is both a “corporate centre” for government and a policy department in its own right. It challenges, supports, leads and provides services to other Ministerial departments. The Cabinet Office currently employs 6,000+ people in a variety of roles across the UK.

The Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) is responsible for working with departments and arms-length bodies to better understand and reduce the impact of fraud against the public sector. Working in the PSFA is an opportunity to make a difference to the taxpayer by improving how the public sector deals with fraud. This can reduce the cost of public services and drive fairness in society.

Working in the PSFA offers access to a wide range of stakeholders across government and the opportunity to work with various sectors in a high profile policy area with high media, parliamentary and ministerial interest.

Job description

We are looking for policy professionals who are ambitious and delivery focused. They should be passionate about challenging the status quo, making difference, fighting fraud, developing capability and shaping how the public sector effectively understands and reduces the impact of fraud.

These Policy Officer roles will be a core part of the Public Sector Fraud Authority’s Policy and Communications Unit, a geographically spread team of policy and communications experts that:

• develops cross government policy and legislation working with cross-government and cross-sector partners to modernise the counter fraud response;
• provide expert and trusted policy advice and information to Ministers, senior civil servants, government departments and public bodies;
• lead the strategic direction of the Government Counter Fraud Function and leadership of the Function's strategic and collaborative governance forums and boards; and
• lead the International Public Sector Fraud Forum (IPSFF), working with counter fraud experts in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation for Development (OECD), to support the sharing and development of international counter fraud best practice.

Job Description and Responsibilities

Both roles would have the opportunity to lead and support:

• the development of counter fraud policy proposals and projects, supporting Ministerial direction of doing more to tackle fraud in the public sector;
• the development of primary/secondary legislation to ensure the operationalisation of the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 and explore the introduction of new measures to counter fraud against the public sector;
• international cross-government policy which will help shape the UK and wider-Five Eyes international fraud arena. This includes projects such as the delivery of an international Summit that brings together influential counter-fraud experts from across the Five-Eyes, and the management of the IPSFF Senior Leaders forum;
• the strategic direction of the Government Counter Fraud Function, through the cross-government coordination and engagement of actions as part of the Government Counter Fraud Strategy;
• wider cross-government counter fraud strategy development and reporting with stakeholders such as the National Audit Office, HM Treasury and Home Office; and
• project management activities and processes within the team to ensure the Policy and Communications Unit’s busy and wide-ranging portfolio is well-managed and visible.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of policy and/or project management roles, and utilisation of these skills to both develop policy proposals and then implement them;
• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to work in an ambiguous and fast paced environment and to manage competing demands and deadlines;
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with experience of communicating effectively and working collaboratively with a broad range of senior internal and external partners;
• Flexibility and resilience when responding to shifting priorities, change and challenge;
• Ability to communicate with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm with colleagues, partners and stakeholders to influence and obtain support/agreement;
• Experience of leading and working collaboratively with peers to improve the delivery of outcomes; and
• The ability to be proactive, look ahead, anticipate issues, and drive forward work independently.

Desirable Criteria:

• Previous experience in a counter fraud, economic crime or anti bribery and corruption role/environment; and
• Previous experience of drafting and briefing Ministers and senior civil servants.

Please note

Recruitment campaigns for the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) are continuing as usual, but candidates should be aware that following the Government’s announcement on the changes to some civil service departments, roles will be subject to the machinery of government move of the PSFA to DWP. We will provide more information on any potential or future impact this will have on office locations and other elements if you are selected to interview. This work remains of high importance to the civil service, and we thank you for your continued interest.

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.

Technical skills

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

• policy/project' based presentation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,292, Cabinet Office contributes £13,121 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 Experience and Technical skills.

Application process

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:59 on 9th October 2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

You will be directed to the Talogy - True Talent – Scheduled Maintenance Window Webpage for online tests during an outage.

Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between 4 p.m. and Midnight on 27th September 2026. You will be unable to access tests during this period.

If you are in the middle of a test when the maintenance begins, your progress will be paused. You will be able to resume your test from where you left off via your application centre once the downtime has ended. Please note that you will not be able to launch any new tests while the system is offline.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement of no more than 500 words aligned to the person specification. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Selection process

Then the interview is a 'policy/project' based presentation where we then have the opportunity to ask questions about your experience

Expected timeline

Expected sift date – TBD

Expected interview date/s – TBD

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.

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 that this role requires CTC clearance, which would normally need 3 UK residency in the past 3 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.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

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.

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.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist 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.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 : Ricky Reed-Killick
• Email : ricky.reed-killick1@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 (2) Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 (2) Opens in new window (docx, 94kB)