Head of Senior Leaders\' Engagement and One Big Thing programme (G6)

Overview

The Civil Service Strategy Unit (CSSU) is at the heart of the government's agenda for change, aimed at growing the economy and improving people's lives right across the United Kingdom. We are an active part of the Public Sector Reform & Efficiency Unit, whose mission is simple: to make it easier for people to get great things done across the civil service and wider public sector. With colleagues, we aim to improve speed, efficiency and innovation in improving public services, making them joined-up, resilient and effective in meeting the public's needs and expectations.

In CSSU we ensure that priority, cross cutting reform initiatives are developed, prioritised, delivered and scaled. With a direct link to the Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and liaison with Ministers, we have the ability to champion reform issues at the highest levels of government. This is an ambitious role looking at all aspects of the Civil Service, focusing on how we can radically improve our people, organisation, and digital use in departments, functions, professions and public bodies.

We are a delivery-focused "think-and-do" tank where you can iterate, test, and fail fast, learning lessons on the way to find what truly works. CSSU has been newly reshaped in order to be more agile to the key strategic issues. The Directorate consists of around 40 staff, located across the UK, who work together to deliver high quality strategic advice.

This is a pivotal and high-profile opportunity for a creative and influential leader to drive a large-scale, cross-government engagement programme. You will lead a team of five, acting as a catalyst for a movement of reform across the Civil Service. The focus of this role is to move our stakeholders from unaware/inactive on reform to engaged, aligned and active.

You will have levers to do that, from engagement with senior Civil Service networks (such as the Chief Operating Officers network or Heads of Professions), through to practical demonstration of reform (by successfully delivering the 'One Big Thing' programme). You will understand how the civil service operates and how to engage different leaders, as well as how to project manage and deliver. You will inspire Civil Servants to feel a part of this movement, fostering a culture of innovation, productivity, and agility. You will be programmatic in your approach to delivery - meaning engagement is systematised and consistent.

Lead a flagship upskilling and engagement programme to demonstrate civil service reform in action:

• Work with the G7 “Head of One Big Thing” to lead the end-to-end design, development, and successful delivery of 'One Big Thing', a high-impact, cross-government engagement programme.
• Ensure it directly aligns with the Civil Service's reform agenda and strategic priorities, and gets high levels of buy-in from departments in order to get maximal participation. This part of the role includes budget management, problem solving and intense management of a disparate group of government contacts who you need to persuade in order to deliver.

Programmatic Senior Stakeholder Engagement & Influence:

• Build a programme of engagement with internal and external partners (including but not limited to think tanks).
• Analyse data-led insights: Harvest and produce accessible data-led insights which inform interventions.
• Build Coalitions: Foster relationships and build a coalition of reformers across government, departments, and teams to champion reform and embed a culture of innovation and agility.
• Lead engagement with and influence key Civil Service networks and stakeholders, e.g. think tanks, to secure buy-in and active participation in reform initiatives. This includes identifying vessels and vehicles to increase engagement and take stakeholders on a journey.
• Measure and Report Impact: Establish clear metrics for success and report on the impact of all engagement activities, demonstrating how they are driving cultural change and supporting reform objectives.

Drive Strategic Communications:

• Develop and deliver a strategic communications and engagement plan to ensure the Government Reform Agenda has a wide reach, creating a shared sense of purpose and inspiring a movement of change.

Team and corporate leadership:

• Both lead, manage, and develop your own team of five, fostering a high-performing and collaborative culture that delivers with creativity and precision.
• Act as a corporate role model and leader, helping the SCS to establish effective people and financial management across the CSSU.

Personal development:

• Lead, manage, and develop a team of five, including 2 x G7 direct reports. Foster a high-performing and collaborative culture, setting clear priorities and ensuring the team delivers with precision and professionalism.