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Job summary

Ofqual is the independent qualifications regulator for England. We currently regulate 200+ awarding organisations, and approx. 11,600 certified qualifications.

These include GCSEs, AS and A levels, and a broad range of vocational and technical qualifications.

For more information about the work we do please visit our website and our Careers Pages https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual and
https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/ofqual-hub/

Are you passionate about creating workplaces where people thrive, grow and perform at their best?

Ofqual is looking for an exceptional Head of Talent, Development and Culture to lead the talent, learning and culture agenda at an exciting time of organisational change.

Reporting to the Director of People and Culture and sitting within the HR Leadership Team, this newly created role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future capability, leadership and culture of an organisation that plays a vital role in maintaining standards and confidence in qualifications and assessments.

Job description

As Head of Talent, Development and Culture, you will lead the design and delivery of strategic people initiatives that ensure Ofqual continues to attract, develop and retain the specialist expertise needed now and in the future.

You will be instrumental in building robust talent pipelines, developing future leaders, and creating career pathways that enable our people to realise their potential. At the same time, you will champion an inclusive, high-performing culture where wellbeing, engagement and continuous learning are embedded across the organisation.

Working collaboratively with senior leaders and external networks, you will bring innovation, insight and best practice to drive meaningful and measurable outcomes for our people.

We're looking for a strategic and forward-thinking HR professional who combines commercial insight with a genuine passion for developing people and organisational capability.

You'll bring a Chartered CIPD membership, significant experience designing and delivering organisation-wide talent management, learning and development, or organisational development strategies. You’ll have a strong track record of developing talent pipelines, succession planning frameworks and early careers programmes aligned to workforce needs.

We are looking for someone who has exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills, and with the confidence to challenge and support senior leaders and experience of leading and embedding organisational change. It goes without saying that you will need to have outstanding communication skills with the ability to translate complex ideas into practical and impactful solutions. There is an element of analytics within this role and therefore you will bring strong analytical capability, using data, evidence and insight to shape strategy and measure success.

If you're a talented people leader with the vision and expertise to build capability, inspire culture and drive organisational success, we'd love to hear from you.

Join Ofqual and help create an organisation where talented people can thrive, develop and make a real difference.

Person specification

Please refer to the job description attached for a full list of essential criteria to support your application.

Qualifications

Degree level or equivalent knowledge gained through experience.

Memberships

Chartered Member of CIPD.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,900, Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation) contributes £15,035 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).

As a Civil Servant, you will benefit from a leading, modern employment offer which includes flexible working arrangements that support people at different stages in their lives, and pensions among the best available in the UK, as well as generous annual leave entitlements.

Other benefits you can enjoy include:

• Organisational performance related bonus
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Regular professional development
• Health and wellbeing initiatives such as mini-medicals, flu vaccinations
• Employee assistance programme and occupational health
• Free eye tests and contribution towards lenses/spectacles for VDU users, if appropriate
• Family friendly policies
• Interest free rail season ticket loan
• Access to exclusive discounts
• Free car parking

We are committed to promoting Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing throughout the organisation. We are proud of the action we are taking to support this. We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds to support our ethos of creating a diverse culture that is reflective of both our employees and the learners we support.

Due to our continued commitment and focus in relation to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, our inclusion and fair treatment score based on the Civil Service 2024 annual people survey ranks us joint 5th out of 104 participating departments.

Ofqual is a rewarding, dynamic place to work. We offer employees the opportunity to develop within their role and progress through the organisation via a number of Learning and Development opportunities and activities.

Ofqual has a highly engaged workforce. Our 2024 Civil Service People Survey score on engagement was 71%, against 64% for the whole Civil Service, and was the joint 12th highest of the 104 participating CS departments.

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.

Please note that Ofqual does not offer Visa sponsorship.

You will be assessed on the Behaviours shown above at interview stage.

Ofqual has adopted anonymised recruitment. This means that your name, date of birth and other personal details will not be seen by the sift panel. You’ll be asked to remove all personal details from your CV when you apply.

When you press the ‘apply now’ button, you will be asked to complete personal details (not seen by the shortlisting panel), your career history and qualifications.

You will then be asked to provide a personal statement evidencing how you meet the essential criteria shown on the job description attached to this advert. Once this job has closed, the job description will no longer be available. You may wish to save a copy for your records.

Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your personal statement, how you meet these requirements as this will form a key part of your evidence when the panel is scoring your application, against the requirements of the role.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift will be undertaken using the work history and personal statement against the lead essential criteria, which is experience in leading the design and implementation of organisational wide talent management or learning and development strategies and practices.

During the interview process, this vacancy will include a presentation and/or task. You will be assessed on skills in leading the design and implementation of organisation wide talent management or learning and development strategies and practices.

We reserve the right to offer a second interview, if required.

Please submit your application by 17 August 2026 at 23:55pm.

Interview date 10 September 2026 – (subject to change).

We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or at a lower grade than they applied for, we may extend an offer without the need to go through a further selection process, providing the role has comparable behaviours and essential criteria.

Ofqual works flexibly, with a hybrid office/home based working model. Employees will spend a minimum of two days per week working from our office in Coventry. As Coventry will be your base location expenses for travel to the office will not be paid.

Final panel interviews will be held in person. Further details will be provided at invite to interview stage.

One of our resourcing colleagues will be on hand to answer any queries you may have throughout the process.

Please be aware that expenses incurred by candidates during the recruitment process will not be reimbursed.

A reserve list may be held for up to 6 months. Ofqual may use this to fill future suitably similar vacancies for candidates who are considered appointable following 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 require assistance or need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should tell us what changes or help you might need further in the recruitment process.

For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. You should contact us at recruitment@ofqual.gov.uk to discuss your needs.

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 : Ofqual Recruitment Team
• Email : recruitment@ofqual.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ofqual.gov.uk

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should first contact Ofqual by email: recruitment@ofqual.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can then contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

Attachments

Head of Talent, Development and Culture JD July 26 Opens in new window (docx, 72kB)