Business Manager to Director of Capability and People Services
Job description
- Job grade: Grade 7
- Contract type: Permanent
- Business area: CO - Government Commercial and Grants Function - Capability and People Services Team.
- Type of role: Business Management and Improvement
- Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
- Number of jobs available: 1
Location
About the job
Job summary
The role sits at the heart of GCF Capability and People Services, providing strategic and operational support to the Director and acting as a key bridge between senior leadership and the wider function. It manages and resolves complex issues across a stakeholder network of around 6,000 colleagues, including the Government Commercial Organisation, while protecting Director bandwidth and driving delivery of strategic, operational and people priorities. |
Job description
- Provide strategic and operational support to the Director of Capability and People Services, managing workflow, triaging competing priorities and protecting Director capacity for the highest-value activity.
- Act as a key operational problem-solver across the directorate, coordinating responses to complex resourcing, HR, pay, data protection and organisational issues and providing assurance on resolution.
- Lead and coordinate day-to-day Business Management Team operations and directly line manage, coach and develop the Business Support Officer.
- Own and coordinate senior governance and information flow, including SLT/LT agendas, town halls, central commissions and quality assurance of high-level outputs.
- Draft, refine and quality-assure submissions and briefings for the Government Chief Commercial Officer, Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Chief Commercial Officers and Commercial Directors.
- Coordinate workforce planning and headcount reporting, and guide leadership through resourcing approvals.
- Lead delivery of the Capability Employee Experience Strategy and associated working group, using data and stakeholder insight to drive improvements in organisational culture.
- Support delivery of the People strand of the GCF Commercial Strategy 2026-29 and the development and implementation of the GCF People Plan.
- Support the Director's wider corporate responsibilities, including Cabinet Office Race Champion and Head of Place South West activity.
- Support organisational transformation and the Capability directorate's integration into the Government Commercial Agency.
Person specification
Essential:
- Experience managing upwards and providing strategic and operational support to senior officials (SCS2+).
- Excellent judgement, organisation and prioritisation in a fast-paced environment with multiple competing demands.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to resolve complex operational blockers while balancing policy, risk and stakeholder needs.
- Ability to build credible, collaborative relationships with senior stakeholders across government and external organisations.
- Excellent written and verbal communication, including distilling complex information into clear, persuasive submissions, briefings and senior communications.
- Experience of leading/coordinating team delivery and line managing, coaching or mentoring others.
- Ability to design and improve processes, governance and ways of working.
- Strong IT capability across Microsoft Office and/or Google Workspace.
Experience:
- Managing upwards for senior officials (SCS2+).
- Delivering in fast-paced business environments, including engagement with Ministerial Private Offices.
- Drafting high-quality submissions and briefings for senior leadership.
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:
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
Benefits
- 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
Selection process details
Application process
At the application stage, candidates will be assessed on:
Behaviours.
CV.
Statement of suitability.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the Lead Behaviour. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Selection process
At interview stage, candidates will be assessed on:
Behaviours
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
Strengths
Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – WC 9th November
Expected interview date/s – WC 23rd November
Interview location - Online (Google Meet)
Further Information
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.
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.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
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 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.
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
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
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 : Jason Ghaboos
- Email : jason.ghaboos@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
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 (2) Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB) |
| Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 (2) Opens in new window (docx, 94kB) |
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