Policy Director, 10 Downing Street
Cabinet Office
Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 20th November 2024
Details
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Loan
Secondment
Length of employment
Business area
Type of role
Senior leadership
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Job summary
This is a rare opportunity to work at the heart of government as Policy Director in No 10. It is a uniquely rewarding and challenging role, advising the PM on the most challenging issues of the day.
As head of the Civil Service Policy Unit team, you will work closely with the political Head of the Policy Unit to ensure that the Prime Minister receives first-class policy advice, and to drive his domestic reform agenda across government and beyond.
You will be responsible for leading a close-knit team of Policy Advisers who advise the Prime Minister across the full range of domestic and economic policy areas, working closely with the wider No 10 team, government departments and external stakeholders – often at the most senior levels, and on the most challenging immediate and long-term policy issues of the day.
Job description
Your specific responsibilities will include:
- Providing outstanding leadership and management for the Prime Minister’s policy advisers across the full range domestic and economic policy areas – currently fifteen direct reports.
- Forming an effective working relationship with the political Head of the Policy Unit, to combine the respective strengths of both the Civil Service and political Special Advisers in presenting clear policy advice to the Prime Minister.
- Helping to set and drive the strategic direction for the Prime Minister’s policy agenda – working closely with the senior No 10 team including the PM’s Private Office, EDS, the Mission Delivery Unit, 10DS and with senior civil servants and political figures across government and beyond.
- Personally leading on strategic and cross-cutting advice to the PM for key set-piece domestic policy events.
- Applying your judgement to help ensure the Prime Minister and his senior team receive the very best advice on the most important issues of the day.
- Playing a major role in the wider corporate leadership of No10 – building close relationships across the teams supporting the PM on domestic policy and helping shape a wider programme of change across No10.
Person specification
It is important that, through your CV and supporting statement, that you provide evidence of the following Essential Criteria:
- A track record of inclusively leading and motivating a diverse, high-performing, ambitious team of professionals to deliver at pace on a demanding and complex agenda, driving progress despite a range of competing views and priorities.
- Outstanding policy and analytical skills, with the ability to get to the heart of complex policy arguments quickly and communicate the key judgements clearly.
- Comfortable with analysing, critically interpreting and tasking data to provide an objective version of the facts to support the evaluation and development of policy.
- The personal effectiveness and credibility to work at the most senior levels across government, giving robust advice to the PM and a clear lead to Whitehall.
- A track record of building collaborative and trusting relationships with senior stakeholders, with the ability to translate political priorities into policy development.
- A track record of delivering major policy reforms (experience of delivering policy reforms in a similar context at the centre of government is desirable but not essential).
- A strong understanding of the wider media and political context in which No10 and the Government operates.
- Excellent interpersonal, negotiation and relationship building skills to ensure you can work closely, whilst under pressure, with colleagues across No10, Government departments and external organisations to support strategic thinking, analysis and use of evidence-based decision making
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
Benefits
Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead. You’ll benefit from a wide range of training and development opportunities, regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits.
This includes:
- 25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to 8 public holidays and one privilege day to mark the King's birthday.
- A competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension; where your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire;
- Flexible working patterns including part-time or time-term working and access to Flexible Working Schemes allowing you to vary your working day as long as you work your total hours;
- Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers;
- Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle;
- The opportunity to use onsite facilities including fitness centres and staff canteens (where applicable); and
- Occupational sick pay.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process, outlined below. This should be completed no later than 23:55, Wednesday 20th November 2024.
A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification.
Failure to submit both portions of the online application form (CV and Statement of Suitability) will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.
If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to attend a panel interview, in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification. We will be assessing against the success profile Behaviours and Strengths at interview.
Shortlisted candidates may be invited to attend a Meet the Team session which will be held on the same day of interview. This will not form part of the formal assessment process.
Shortlisted candidates may be invited to an informal discussion with a senior Minister. Please note, this will not form part of the formal assessment process. A representative from the Civil Service Commission will also be present.
The Panel will be chaired by Christopher Pilgrim, Civil Service Commissioner. Ninjeri Pandit, Principal Private Secretary will also be on the panel. The remaining panel members are to be confirmed.
It is likely that shortlisted candidates will be required to prepare a presentation for the final interview, you will be given the subject in advance. Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates.
Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with us via: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – w/c 18th November 2024
Expected interview and SEE date/s – w/c 25th November and 2nd December 2024
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 at: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
- Complete the ‘assistance required’ section in the ‘personal information’ page of your application form to provide information we should be aware of that will enable us to support you further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Reserve lists
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitable vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview.
Further Information
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
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. Determine your eligibility here.
Current Civil Servants (all contract types) will need to ensure that they are still employed as a civil servant at the point of starting in the relevant new post. If their contract ends (e.g. end of FTA contract or resignation) at any point during the recruitment/onboarding process for the advertised role, they will no longer be eligible and may be withdrawn.
Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years UK residency in the past 5 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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : SCS Recruitment Team
- Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact; scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk and more information can be found at www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
