Head of Talent, Partnerships and External Engagement

Job summary

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

1. joining up public sector services
2. harnessing the power of AI for the public good
3. strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
4. elevating leadership and investing in talent
5. funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
6. committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need.

Please note

Former DSIT recruitment campaigns are continuing as usual, but candidates should be aware that following the Government’s announcement on the changes to some civil service departments, roles will be subject to the machinery of government moves and will ultimately be in one of the new departments. We will provide more information if you are selected for a role. This work remains of high importance to the civil service, and we thank you for your continued interest.

Job description

Build the team and movement behind CustomerFirst

CustomerFirst is testing a radically different way of transforming public services. We are building diverse, cross-functional teams to transform public services end-to-end using a NewCo methodology.

That means we need more than good recruitment. We need exceptional people, strong partnerships, a clear story and a network of supporters inside and outside government.

We are looking for a Grade 6 who can build all of that. This role brings together talent strategy, recruitment, workforce insight, partnerships, communications, events and external engagement into one senior leadership role.

You will make sure CustomerFirst has the right people and skills now, while also building the external relationships, outreach and reputation that help the model scale across government.

This is not a traditional HR role. It is about building the talent engine and external ecosystem behind a high-profile transformation unit. The right person will help CustomerFirst attract specialist capability, learn from the best outside government and make the NewCo model visible, credible and scalable.

Success after 12 months looks like:

• CustomerFirst is recognised as a destination for tansformation talent across Government. All CustomerFirst project teams (8-10 specialists) are recruited and operating effectively according to our talent strategy.
  
• Recruitment and onboarding feel faster, clearer and more purposeful for candidates and hiring teams.
  
• Senior leaders have better workforce insight and can make sharper decisions on capability and deployment.
  
• CustomerFirst has a strong network of external partners whose insights are improving our operating model and improving outcomes.
  
• Events, outreach and communications increase the visibility, credibility and reach of Customer First.

Person specification

• Lead the CustomerFirst talent strategy - You will set and lead the talent strategy for CustomerFirst. You will advise senior leaders on workforce planning, capability gaps, deployment, succession and the mix of routes needed to bring in the right expertise at the right time.
  
• Improve recruitment, onboarding and offboarding - You will oversee recruitment, onboarding, induction and offboarding across CustomerFirst as projects scale. You will be accountable for making sure the experience is clear, fair, human and fast enough for live delivery, while also setting the standard for candidate experience.
  
• Build new routes to talent - You will develop routes into CustomerFirst, including fixed-term appointments, secondments, loans, contingent labour, industry partnerships where appropriate. You will help leaders choose the right route for the work, not simply default to the familiar one.
  
• Lead external engagement and drive partnership opportunities - You will identify, shape and manage new partnership opportunities with organisations that can bring capability, insight, credibility or challenge. This may include technology firms, AI companies, start-ups and scale-ups, universities, professional networks, public sector innovators, service transformation specialists and customer experience experts.
  
• Own events, outreach and engagement opportunities - You will help CustomerFirst show its work. You will spot and create opportunities for events, roundtables, workshops, showcases, speaking slots and community activity that build confidence in the model and attract people who want to contribute.
  
• Shape communications and the CustomerFirst story - Working with communications colleagues and senior leaders, you will help tell the CustomerFirst story in a way that is clear, credible and human. This includes recruitment marketing, internal engagement, external outreach, thought leadership and partner-facing content.
  
• Develop culture and ways of working - You will help create the conditions for people to do their best work. This includes performance expectations, inclusion, learning, feedback, wellbeing and practical ways of working for a team that is growing quickly and operating in ambiguity.
  
• Use workforce insight to support decisions - You will build stronger management information on workforce, skills, capability, vacancies, deployment and joining routes. You will turn that information into advice for senior leaders so talent decisions are based on evidence, not instinct.

As a line manager, you will be responsible for working with your members of staff to define their objectives, as well as managing their development and performance.

Essential Criteria

We are looking for people who thrive in a fast-moving transformation environment. Our team members are mission-driven, relentlessly customer-focused, comfortable working in ambiguity, able to build strong relationships across organisational boundaries and committed to helping others grow and succeed.

For this role we are looking for someone who can build organisations, partnerships and communities.

Essential experience:

• Experience creating and delivering talent, workforce, organisational development or capability strate