Tiger Team, HEO

Job summary

The Civil Service Strategy Unit (CSSU) is at the heart of the government's agenda for change, aimed at growing the economy and improving people's lives right across the United Kingdom. We are an active part of the Future Civil Service Group (FCS), whose mission is simple: to make it easier for people to get great things done across the civil service and wider public sector. With Government Peoples Group (GPG) colleagues, we aim to improve speed, efficiency and innovation in improving public services, making them joined-up, resilient and effective in meeting the public's needs and expectations.

In CSSU we ensure that priority, cross cutting reform initiatives are developed, prioritised, delivered and scaled. With a direct link to the Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and liaison with Ministers, we have the ability to champion reform issues at the highest levels of government. This is an ambitious role looking at all aspects of the Civil Service, it is focusing on how we can radically improve our people, organisation, and digital use in departments, functions, professions and public bodies. We are a delivery-focused "think-and-do" tank where you can iterate, test, and fail fast, learning lessons on the way to find what truly works. CSSU has been newly reshaped in order to be more agile to the key strategic issues. The Directorate consists of around 50+ staff, located across the UK, who work together to deliver high quality strategic advice.

The role

This is an exciting opportunity for highly motivated and analytical individuals to join the newly formed Policy & Strategy Team within the Civil Service Strategy Unit. Operating akin to an internal 'Strategy House' consultancy or strategic project team in the Civil Service, this team works in agile sprints, rapidly picking up and delivering high-quality strategic advice and policy solutions for critical clients, including Ministers, the Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary, and our Director General.

Working in close collaboration with and supporting Policy & Strategy Advisors (G7s and G6s), you will be instrumental in providing the foundational research and analysis that underpins strategic change across the Civil Service.

Job description

Duties Involved:

• Policy and Problem Research & Data Gathering: Conduct thorough research into complex policy and strategic challenges, identifying relevant data sources (qualitative and quantitative) and gathering information from across government and external sources.
• Analytical Policy-Making: Perform initial data analysis, synthesise findings, and contribute to the development of evidence-based insights. This may include preparing charts, graphs, and summary tables.
• Deliverable Contribution: Support the drafting and refinement of high-quality outputs, including briefing papers, strategic options analyses, and presentation decks, ensuring accuracy and clarity.
• Meeting Preparation & Support: Assist in preparing materials for client and stakeholder meetings, including background research, agenda drafting, minute-taking, and workshop hosting.
• Agile Sprint Contribution: Manage assigned tasks and work packages within defined agile sprints, ensuring timely completion and adherence to quality standards. Proactively flag any potential issues or blockers to your line manager.
• Knowledge Management: Contribute to the team's collective knowledge base by organising research materials, documenting findings, and sharing relevant information.
• Process Adherence: Diligently follow the team's 'Strategy House' methodologies and processes to ensure consistency and quality of work.
• Supporting Functional Standards. You will provide stewardship of functional standards.

In addition, the HEO who supports the public bodies and tiger team G7s will have the following additional tasks:

Public Bodies

• Project management of ALB reform: ensuring that the ALB reform programme is on track to meet its deliverables and generating and updating the forward look of ALB reform announcements.
• Policy development and management: Lead a team to conduct thorough research into ALB policy challenges and best practices related to ALBs, identifying and gathering relevant qualitative and quantitative data.
• Briefing & Communication: Lead on the drafting and refinement of high-quality outputs, including briefing papers, reports, and presentations, ensuring accuracy and clarity.
• Meeting & Engagement: Relationship manage stakeholders, leading meetings and engagement activities, including preparing agendas, taking minutes, and tracking actions.
• Knowledge Management: Contribute to the team's knowledge base by organising research materials, documenting findings, and ensuring information is accessible.

Risk & Issue Tracking: Lead on the identification and tracking programme risks and issues, escalating them to senior colleagues as appropriate.

Person specification

Skills required

The work of this team is highly dynamic and requires a proactive approach.

• Policy and Research Skills: Proven capability to conduct effective research, identify relevant sources, and gather and interpret information systematically.
• Analytical Aptitude: Strong ability to understand and process complex information, with a keen eye for detail and accuracy. Basic proficiency in handling and presenting data, using tools like Excel or Google Sheets is an advantage.
• Problem-Solving Orientation: A proactive approach to identifying issues and contributing to solutions.
• Communication (Written & Verbal): Clear, concise written communication and the ability to draft professional documents. Effective verbal communication for internal team discussions.
• Collaboration: A proactive and supportive approach to working within a team, eager to learn from and contribute to collective success.
• Organisation & Time Management: Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.
  

Qulaifications

We would welcome qualifications/certification associated with public policy and strategy development but not essential.

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.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,922, Cabinet Office contributes £10,986 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 and Experience.

Application process

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 provide:

• A 500 word personal statement
• A CV (no longer than two pages)
• A 250 word statement of Making Effective Decisions (lead behaviour)

Please provide a personal statement of no more than 500 words. It should explain how your knowledge, skills and experience (using examples) meet the requirements for this role in line with the Success Profile element(s) being assessed (e.g. Behaviours, Experience etc). Using the job advert information, particularly the job description and person specification. Information is available on the application process (including what Civil Service Success Profiles is) and how to write your personal statement.

The interview will be of the following success profiles elements:

Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – tbc

Expected interview date/s – tbc

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.

Reasonable adjustments

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.

Further information

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.

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.

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.

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

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 : Head of Tiger Team
• Email : cssu-admin@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 Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 Opens in new window (docx, 83kB)