Director General, Department for Culture, Media & Sport in Manchester

This is a varied and challenging leadership role which directly supports the Secretary of State’s agenda. This role has policy responsibility for a very broad portfolio, ranging from the UK’s media landscape and public service broadcasting, including the BBC and Channel 4, the creative industries including music, gaming, fashion, film and high end TV and how tech is shaping this landscape. The DG group includes policy for a huge range of important parts of our society including arts and libraries, tourism, culture and youth, civil society and our international agenda. It also has oversight of more than half of DCMS’ 41 arm’s length bodies, including Arts Council England and 15 national museums & galleries which had more than 40 million visitors in the last year.

The role will report directly to me and will be a key member of the Executive Board, which is responsible for setting the strategic direction for the Department and providing governance and oversight of all of our work. Like all Whitehall departments we are transforming our organisation, ensuring we are innovative and ideas driven as we deliver for this Government and I want a committed leader who can help deliver this. The Group has a delegated budget of c.£2 billion and has a busy forward plan including driving the Creative Industries as part of the Modern Industrial Strategy, delivering the Charter Review for the BBC and implementing Baroness Hodge’s Review of Arts Council England. As part of our transformation, we are continuing to review the balance of our DG portfolios and, once the post is filled, there may be further group change in due course.

Together with our DG for Strategy, Sport and Events and our Chief Operating Officer, this role will be vital to delivering our agenda, working with our Arms Length Bodies, engaging with local government, civil society and our sectors, and will also represent the Department across Whitehall and beyond.

Person specification

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience, please note that desirable skills will only be used in the event of tied candidates.

• A track record of providing highly visible leadership within a complex organisation, delivering programmes with multiple stakeholders and across a range of different areas. This should include experience of leading strategy, policy and of setting direction in a complex organisation or context across the public and or private sectors;
• Highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to establish credibility quickly with a diverse network of stakeholders up to Board and Ministerial (or equivalent) level and to present complex issues simply and effectively, driving forward to a mutually beneficial outcome;
• Excellent judgement and political acumen with the ability to understand the changing context, to manage risk and to reach sound judgements and decisions on a range of strategic and reputational issues;
• Experience of leading high performing teams and a proven ability to build mutually supportive teams, to manage transformation and efficiency programmes, as well as a demonstrable commitment to diversity and nurturing a culture of inclusivity;
• Proven financial and commercial stewardship, including experience managing significant budgets and complex investment frameworks to deliver value for money and the ability to provide corporate leadership that contributes to the collective governance of the department and the wider Civil Service.

Desirable skills

• Private sector, third sector, local government experience and networks, or prior uniformed service could be helpful in this role given the portfolio.