Senior HR Policy Consultant

Job summary

The Government People Group exists to work with departments, professions, and functions to build a modern, effective Civil Service.

We support the government workforce with the right skills and capability. We are working with leaders to get the right people in the right jobs, with the right skills and continuous learning to excel in their roles.

We provide leadership, and in turn, create leaders with exceptional line management capability across departments, influencing partners in the wider public sector and beyond. This involves getting our retention and reward strategy right, to nurture specific skills, and create pride and resilience in our workforce.

Our role is also to provide system leadership across central government in pulling together back office services. Collectively, we help support the Cabinet Office’s priority to drive efficiencies, and reforms that will make government work better, to ultimately provide a better service to the public.

This role is within the Pay, Policy and Pensions domain of GPG, which plays a central role in developing and maintaining core HR model policies. This ensures all government departments and agencies have access to consistent, legally compliant, and best-practice policy and procedures, thereby avoiding duplication of effort and ensuring value for money across government.

A key function of the team is providing expert policy advice, addressing complex HR policy queries and proactively amending policies to reflect changes in legislation, such as the Employment Rights Bill and case law.

Policy and Practice also delivers and coordinates specialist independent expert services such as Mediation, HR Investigations, Workplace Adjustments, and Job Evaluation, offering crucial advice and support to departments. It collaborates with departments to develop and sustain a comprehensive, cross-government wellbeing offer. Through supporting HR forums and a digital hub, it actively fosters best practice and shared learning within the HR function.

Successful candidates will have an excellent opportunity to develop and enhance core HR skills and expert business knowledge. Comprehensive training will be provided across all necessary areas, offering significant scope to expand HR knowledge and expertise.

Job description

Are you starting out on your journey in the HR profession? Do you want to make a difference to the working lives of your colleagues? Have you thought about working with a team that offers the opportunity to develop yourself and others. Yes? This could be the opportunity that you have been looking for.

This role is within the Pay, Policy and Pensions domain, a vital part of the Cabinet Office's Government People Group (GPG), which is central to the mission of creating a modern and effective Civil Service by collaborating with departments, professions, and functions.

A core function is to define and maintain essential HR model policies. This involves providing expert policy advice, handling intricate HR policy questions, and assisting legal compliance across departments. Specifically, the team proactively develops and updates policies to incorporate recent legislative changes, such as the Employment Rights Bill, and evolving case law.

Developing and implementing a broad range of HR model policies, guidance, and initiatives for implementation across the Civil Service.

Collaborating with key stakeholders, including departmental HR contacts and practitioners, networks, Trade Unions, and legal teams.

Considering and addressing interdependencies with broader agendas, in alignment with the Civil Service People Plan and in support of Government Reforms and Ministerial priorities.

Regularly briefing Senior Leaders and key stakeholders, through both written and verbal updates, on the progress of work programme priorities.

Developing responses to correspondence, such as: Freedom of Information requests, Parliamentary Questions and Ministerial.

Working on other areas of employee offer and HR policy development and services as and when needed.

Leadership and potential line management of team members across multiple locations

Develop self and teams to provide a continuous learning environment to increase HR policy and service expertise, supporting knowledge Management within the domain.

Person specification

1. Proven ability as an experienced senior HR practitioner, demonstrating a strong working knowledge of HR people policies, practices, and services, coupled with experience in developing and drafting policy, clearly and succinctly.

2. Demonstrated interest in employee policy, the employment offer, and current developments in employment law and human resources.

3. Skilled in effective communication and influence across diverse customers, key partners, and stakeholders. A track record of building and maintaining robust relationships to shape and inform decision-making.

4. Experienced in leading and motivating high-performance teams, promoting collaboration, and supporting colleagues to work effectively across unit and departmental boundaries.

5. Possesses highly developed organisational and prioritisation skills, effectively using these to ensure the successful, timely, and quality delivery of customer service, even under pressure.

6. Must be flexible, adaptable, and able to work at pace. This includes managing shifting priorities and making significant contributions to a variety of high-profile HR projects, briefings, and commissions for Senior Leaders as needed.

7. Proficient research, analytical, and drafting skills, including the ability to interpret complex information. Experienced in drafting reports and presenting technically complex information, data, and insight, highlighting trends, issues, and potential solutions to senior groups and the wider business.

8. CIPD membership, or willing to work towards a professional CIPD, MCIPD, or equivalent qualification.

This is an HR policy post so would suit individuals with a HR policy background who would like to develop and enhance their policy skills in a range of HR areas.

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:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

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

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test and 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 23:55 on 15/02/2026. 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.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements.
2. A Personal Statement against the skills and experience (maximum 750 words).

Your CV and Personal Statement are your opportunities to show us how your experience means that you meet the criteria for this role. Your CV should cover your skills, job history, and achievements to date and your Personal Statement is the chance to further expand on this and give specific examples of where you have demonstrated the desired skills. Giving examples rather than just saying you're experienced with a certain requirement will strengthen your statement and enable the sift panel to understand more about your suitability for the role.

You will also be asked to provide 250 word examples of the 3 listed behaviours.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead Behaviour, Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to interview.

Selection process

If successful at the application stage, candidates will be invited for an interview. During the interview, you will be assessed on the Behaviours for the role as stated above. You will be expected to give clear examples of previous experience relating to these Behaviours. You will be asked questions to understand whether you have the Strengths relevant to this role. Further information about the interview process will be provided if you are selected for an interview.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – 16th February

Expected interview date/s – W/C 23rd February

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.

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

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.

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 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 : Frances Thompson
• Email : frances.thompson@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.