Head of Office

DSIT 

The responsibilities for the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology for 2023 are as follows: 

• Positioning the UK at the forefront of global scientific and technological advancement
• Driving innovations that change lives and sustain economic growth
• Delivering talent programmes, physical and digital infrastructure and regulation to support our economy, security and public services
• R&D funding 

For 2023, our priorities are: 

• Optimise public R&D investment to support areas of relative UK strength and increase the level of private R&D to make our economy the most innovative in the world.
• Promote a diverse research and innovation system that connects discovery to new companies, growth and jobs – including by delivering world-class physical and digital infrastructure (such as gigabit broadband), making the UK the best place to start and grow a technology business and developing and attracting top talent.
• Put our public services – including the NHS and schools – at the forefront of innovation, championing new ways of working and the development of in-house STEM capability to improve outcomes for people.
• Strengthen international collaboration on science and technology in line with the Integrated Review, and ensure our researchers are able to continue to work with leading scientists in Europe and around the world.
• Deliver key legislative and regulatory reforms to drive competition and promote innovation, including the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill and our pro-innovation approach to regulating AI.
• Pass the remaining stages of the reformed Online Safety Bill to keep British people, especially children, safe online. 

Our Inclusive Environment 

We are building an inclusive culture to make the Department a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.  

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive. 

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. We will fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process. 

Find Out More 

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/departmentforsciencetechnologyandinnovation? 

You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers/   

The Digital, Technology and Telecoms Director-General group is one of the most exciting DG groups in Government. We are leading on AI policy and recently delivered the first global AI Safety Summit. We have one of the busiest legislative agendas with the forthcoming Data Protection Bill and Digital Markets Bill, and are pivoting to the implementation of the Online Safety Act. Alongside an exciting policy agenda there is a vibrant corporate culture in the group that the DG office support, with 1,200 staff within the group and a large SLT.

We are looking for a dynamic individual, with significant leadership experience, to lead the Director General’s office. You will have exposure to an enormous breadth of fascinating policy development and delivery and will develop relationships across the Department at all levels. You will have visibility of decisions take right across the Department as well as link with other Departments and key external stakeholders.

This is a key job for achieving outstanding public service delivery in the most efficient way, because it helps to ensure that the DG uses his time and information to best effect.

You can expect an exciting, fast-paced and varied job, as you provide advice and support to the DG in handling complex issues relating to policy and corporate matters. You will also have line management responsibility for the two Assistant Private Secretaries and one Diary Manager.

The job requires a combination of very strong judgement, outstanding ability to prioritise and organise, adaptability and excellent written and verbal communication skills. You should be able credibly to engage with colleagues at all levels, represent the DG’s views and reflect others’ views back to him, as well as think strategically about how the DG should use his time to best effect, anticipating upcoming priorities. 

Key responsibilities:

• Staying informed of current and emerging issues to provide advice and recommendations to the DG, building and maintaining a strategic overview of priorities across the group and DSIT;
• Working with senior officials across the department and Whitehall on the development and implementation of policies;
• Building relationships across DSIT, its stakeholders and Government to advance the DG’s priorities;
• Representing and feeding back the DG’s views at senior level meetings and in writing, and managing upwards to the DG;
• Supporting the DGs corporate delivery, managing their senior leadership team and holding Directors to account;
• Leadership of the DG’s Private Office team (x2 Assistant Private Secretaries and x1 Diary Manager);
• Supporting the DG on all relevant policy areas, taking responsibility for submissions and meetings on these areas, acting on DG commissions, minuting meetings, drafting and monitoring the progress of work to ensure timely delivery;
• Responding to changing circumstances, taking initiative and personal responsibility as necessary to ensure delivery of the DG’s key responsibilities;
• Ensuring DG office processes such as inbox and diary management are operating effectively, ensuring the DG consistently receives an excellent service, iterating ways of working and delivery where necessary; and
• Ensuring that the DG is supported on a day-to-day basis with briefing and other information needed for her to carry out her role effectively.     

Skills and experience:

• Strong management and leadership skills;
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills;
• Demonstrable ability to work effectively with and positively influence a range of colleagues and senior stakeholders, internal and external;
• Calm under pressure and resilient, with a proven ability to cut through complex and time sensitive issues and to make decisions in real time;
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to balance competing priorities and pressure.
• Clear and proven ability to deliver in fast paced environments, responding quickly and calmly as priorities change and as short deadlines are imposed.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 

Prior knowledge of working on Digital and Tech policy is preferable.     

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an average employer contribution of 27%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
• A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need.

Job contact :

• Name : Hannah Yusef-George/Claire Bradshaw
• Email : bradshaw-yusuf.george@dsit.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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