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Job summary
In December 2021 Baroness Heather Hallett, a retired Appeal Court judge, was appointed by the Prime Minister as Chair of the independent public inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic.
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry was formally established with full powers under the Inquiries Act 2005 in June 2022. The Inquiry sits independently of the Government with the Cabinet Office acting as the sponsoring department.
Following an initial set up phase the Inquiry began hearing evidence in May 2023. We are now looking for two inclusive and collaborative senior leaders to join the excellent team that is delivering the Inquiry.
These are exciting roles, offering the opportunity to lead an innovative team, in fast moving circumstances, to ensure lessons are learned from the UK response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Further information about the Inquiry can be found on the UK Covid-19 Inquiry website.
Job description
Role 1 - Information and Programme Director
The Information and Programme Director will lead a high-performing team of c.34 staff to deliver the Inquiry’s programme planning, governance, information management and data protection functions. The Director and their team ensures that our programme and information management services are fit for the task of supporting such a wide-ranging and complex investigation. With huge amounts of sensitive information arriving daily to inform the Inquiry’s work, and multiple investigations running in parallel to ensure that timely lessons can be learned, we need information and programme management that enables continued momentum in our hearings and our nationwide listening exercise. In addition to supporting delivery of the Inquiry’s terms of reference, the incoming Director will also be responsible for overseeing the Inquiry’s governance, decision-making and corporate planning, and the work needed to plan for an orderly closure of the Inquiry once the final report has been published.
As Information & Programme Director, you will:
- Play an active role - as a member of the Inquiry’s senior leadership team - in leading the Inquiry team.
- Directly manage 4 senior members of the team, each with a different professional background, overseeing evidence management, information management and data protection, governance, planning and delivery. You will indirectly manage around 30 people, building capability and maintaining a positive and inclusive ethos in line with the Inquiry’s culture.
- Maintain and enhance a culture of responsibility for information across the Inquiry’s diverse teams.
- Work closely with the Inquiry’s SLT and office-holders to embed the importance of end-to-end delivery, with a planning, governance and risk management framework that will make the Inquiry as successful as possible.
- Think creatively about how to overcome barriers or mitigate risks to delivery, and work closely with the rest of the senior leadership team to understand, support and challenge their delivery.
- Operate as the senior information risk owner, accountable for ensuring that the Inquiry manages all of its information.
- Oversee an efficient and effective evidence management function to enable the delivery of the Inquiry’s investigations, hearings and reports, overseeing appropriate contract and performance management to optimise the use of Inquiry resources.
- Own the relationship with our sponsor team in Cabinet Office, working in partnership to ensure that government supports the Inquiry’s delivery while protecting our independence from government decision-making, and with our internal auditors.
- Lead and develop a team covering a broad range of specialist areas, identifying opportunities to build capability and supporting your team to continuously improve.
Role 2 - Chief Operating Officer
The Chief Operating Officer will lead a high-performing team of c.25 staff to provide ongoing operational and corporate support to the Inquiry’s ambitious timeline for gathering evidence and drawing conclusions. The COO is responsible for the Inquiry’s overall strategy and for much of the Inquiry’s supporting infrastructure, including our finance, commercial and HR functions. The COO will need to maintain strong relationships with Cabinet Office and HM Treasury to ensure that the Inquiry can deliver while maintaining its independence and owns major contracts for audio-visual and emotional support services. As leader of our people policies, the COO has a key leadership role in embedding the Inquiry’s values, the delivery of its strategy, and ensuring a trauma-informed approach in all its dealings with members of the public, witnesses and its own staff. The COO will be responsible for these underpinnings and for working across the whole Inquiry to support its collaborative culture.
As Chief Operating Officer, you will:
- Play an active role - as a member of the Inquiry’s senior leadership team - in leading the Inquiry team.
- Directly manage 4 senior members of the team, each with a different professional background, overseeing HR, finance/commercial, support/safeguarding and estates with operational delivery. You will indirectly manage a team of over 20 people, building capability and maintaining a positive and inclusive ethos in line with the Inquiry’s culture.
- Maintain and enhance the culture of value for money through (among other things) procurement processes, supplier relationships, and facilities management to ensure cost-effectiveness and efficiency across the Inquiry.
- Along with other members of the senior leadership team, you will oversee delivery of the first phase of the Inquiry’s hearings in devolved nations, leading across the Inquiry team to ensure that the conditions for success are in place.
- Own the overall strategy for the Inquiry’s secretariat, its objectives and the ways of working that underpin them.
- Oversee the Inquiry’s People, Finance and Safeguarding strategies, annual reporting, budgeting, compliance and the development of high-performing teams across your portfolio.
- Establish policies and contribute to an ethos that promotes wellbeing in an inclusive, equitable and efficient organisational culture.
- Own senior relationships with functions across Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, leveraging those to support the Inquiry, and co-chairing the Inquiries Operational Network to bring together knowledge and learning from across all inquiries.
- Lead and develop a team covering a broad range of specialist areas, identifying opportunities to build capability and supporting your team to continuously improve.
Both roles report to the Inquiry Secretary and form part of the Inquiry’s senior leadership team which works collectively to uphold the Inquiry’s mission and values and to ensure that these permeate the organisation’s approach to decision-making, planning and prioritisation. The successful applicants will provide high-quality, flexible and innovative leadership across the Inquiry and will support the Chair and Secretary in fulfilling the Inquiry’s terms of reference.
This is an exciting opportunity to lead inclusive and innovative teams in an organisation where you will be supported to challenge yourself in often ambiguous circumstances. The team works in a flexible, collaborative manner to learn and support each other as we undertake one of the most publicly anticipated inquiries in UK history.
Person specification
It is important that, through your CV and supporting personal statement, that you provide evidence of the following Essential Criteria:
- Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams of specialists - even where you don’t share that specialism - to deliver excellent outcomes for the public.
- A track record of commitment to an inclusive, equitable and compassionate organisational culture.
- Proven ability to use management information to obtain and provide assurance on operational delivery and risk within programme structures.
- Experience managing a budget and delivery through contracts to provide the best value for the organisation and the taxpayer.
- Can demonstrate great judgement, credibility and the ability to gain the trust of - and influence - senior partners, both within and beyond the organisation.
Desirable Criteria:
- Previous experience of working on an independent inquiry, investigation or review.
- Qualifications or accreditation in a field relevant to the role(s).
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 role, please submit your completed online application form no later than 23:55 on Sunday 11th February 2024 via the CS Jobs portal:
- A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
- A Statement of Suitability (max 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed.
In the event we receive a large number of applications we’ll conduct an initial shortlist on the first essential criteria ‘Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams of specialists - even where you don’t share that specialism - to deliver excellent outcomes for the public.’, please ensure this is addressed in the first part of your supporting statement.
Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with us via: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Shortlist - The panel will assess your application to select those demonstrating the best fit with the role by considering the evidence you have provided against the criteria set out in the ‘essential requirements and desirable skills’ section of this pack. Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application.
Assessment - If shortlisted, you will be invited to undertake one assessment as part of this recruitment prior to a final interview panel:
- A staff engagement exercise: a structured exercise which involves shortlisted candidates facilitating a discussion with a selection of staff from the Inquiry on a given topic.
This exercise will not result in a “pass” or “fail” decision. Rather, it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.
Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – w/c 19th February 2024
Expected assessment date/s – w/c 4th March 2024
Expected interview date/s – w/c 17th March 2024
Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates.
Conflicts of Interest - Please note if there are any potential conflicts of interests with the Inquiry’s subject matter, you are expected to raise these and discuss them, in confidence, with the senior recruiting manager in the first instance.
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.
Further Information:
Please note that this role requires S 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.
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.
If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies in the Civil Service requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without the need for a new competition.
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
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
Further information
If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact the SCS Recruitment Team at: scscandidte.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response that 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.
