Strategic Projects and Cross-functional lead

Job summary

The Grants, Risk, Assurance and Fraud team - or GRAFT - is a small, diverse and friendly team of experts that sits within the Finance Directorate in DCMS and was created to provide advice and guidance to ensure the Department and its public bodies spend money and manage their risks wisely and to maximise public outcomes.

We work across the organisation and our public bodies, supporting a variety of policy and project areas from sporting events to heritage projects through to our charities sector.

We love innovation and new ideas. It is team that welcomes challenge and growth.

Come and make a difference to the things you love.

Job description

The GRAFT team is shifting its own ways of working to help the department deliver so this is recruitment for a new role. We are moving from having a single focus on one of the functional areas we cover, towards all GRAFT team members a developing their knowledge and skills in each other’s areas. This will support us to engage with policy teams even earlier and more robustly, skilfully spotting both opportunities and potential issues across the team’s range of functions. You will have a specific focus on supporting the Counter fraud lead in strengthening our identification and reporting of fraud and error across DCMS and its public bodies. This means the successful applicant could have existing expertise in any one of grants, risk, assurance, or counter fraud (we are recruiting separately for data protection) - or in more than one of them. We will support you to further develop that core expertise alongside ensuring you grow knowledge and skills in each of the other areas.

In addition, the post holder will work directly with the DDs (job share) to undertake strategic projects beyond GRAFT, these could encompass the finance directorate as a whole or indeed the wider Corporate Services Group in DCMS. They will need the ability to join the dots between different priorities, and to rapidly develop trusting relationships and form recommendations. Overall this means the role offers a real breadth of experience and exposure which is unusual in central government.

Key responsibilities are

Identifying and working with the DDs and as required wider Finance Directorate on strategic projects. Some examples include leading on the development of Finance Strategy including driving implementation of strategic action and risk

Undertaking business analysis work, identifying business needs, determining solutions, and driving organisational change to deliver value.

Providing risk based support and guidance in the GRAFT area to policies team to design and deliver projects and programme across the DCMS portfolio

Supporting the Counter Fraud functional lead

Person specification

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience, please note that desirable skills will only be used in the event of tied candidates:

Essential requirements:

• Numerical and analytical skills and taking insight to make clear recommendations to improve services
• Existing knowledge, qualifications or experience in one or more of grants, risk, assurance and counter fraud. This does not need to be the main part of your current or previous role - but we want to see engagement with these areas
• A track record of learning and delivering across organisational boundaries to agree clear improvements and actions
• Experience in initiating, progressing and bringing to completion strategic projects particularly related to corporate services (finance, HR, digital data and technology, etc)
• Experience in rapidly developing productive relationships with colleagues to understand their professional priorities
• Experience providing challenge to senior colleagues

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by Laura Clayton, and will take place on:

• 21st May @ 2.30pm

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.

Please register your interest before 20th May 4pm by filling out this Registration form and you will be sent an invitation. Invites will only be sent after this deadline has passed.

Please note that the session will not be recorded and will not focus on the DCMS recruitment process - please direct any queries that you have on this topic (timelines, reasonable adjustments, onboarding etc) to resourcing.team@dcms.gov.uk

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,565, Department for Culture, Media and Sport contributes £12,041 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We’re committed to developing talent, and supporting colleagues to have great careers in our department. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:

• Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working - DCMS staff work on a flexible basis with time spent in offices, and time spent working from home

• 26.5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years’ service

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

• Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice

• 3 days of paid volunteering leave

• Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave

• Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year

• Occupational sick pay

• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice

• Active and engaged staff networks to join including the LGBT+, Ethnic Diversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality Networks

• Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day to day work

• Season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and much more!

Terms and conditions at SCS grades will vary. Those applying for SCS roles should refer to the candidate information pack for more information on terms and conditions.

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.

To apply for this post, please send us the following documents no later than23:55 on 25th May 2026 via the CS Jobs portal:

To apply for this vacancy, you will need to submit the following documents which will assessed against the experience success profile:

• A behaviour “working together” of 250 words on which will be assessed against the behaviour success profile.
• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages and you should insert your CV into the "Job History" section on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
• A Statement of Suitability (max 500 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed however these will not be considered in the assessment of your application except in circumstances where there are a high number and calibre of candidates.

For the shortlist, we will select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.

For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead behaviour of working together. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.

For support in writing your application and interviewing, please refer to the ‘Application and Interview Guidance’ document attached to the job advert.

The interview process will assess behaviours and strengths. The behaviours to be tested at interview are:

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Prior to the interview you will be sent the behaviour questions in advance.

You will not be made aware of the strengths being assessed prior to your interview.

Your interview will take place remotely via GoogleMeets.

Further Information

If the vacancy is offered as FTA/Loan, existing Civil Servants must join on a Loan basis only. Prior agreement to be released on loan 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.

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

Any move to Department for Culture, Media and Sport 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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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

DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the ‘Candidate Information Pack’ attached.

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 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.

Reasonable Adjustment

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process.

In order to request an adjustment, please:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on 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 a verbal test rather than a written one.

Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the 'contact point for applicants' section of the job advert.

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 : laura.clayton@dcms.gov.uk
• Email : laura.clayton@dcms.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact recruitment.team@dcms.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact/

Attachments

GRAFT SEO Opens in new window (pdf, 7904kB)DCMS Application & Interview Guidance for Candidates Aug 23 (1) (7) (2) Opens in new window (pdf, 180kB)