Business Appointment Rules - Casework Lead

Job summary

This is a rare chance to take a leadership role at the heart of a policy area that is under more scrutiny, and undergoing more change, than at any point in the last 50 years.

Based in the heart of Westminster, the Independent Offices, the Civil Service Commission and the Commissioner for Public Appointments, are arms-length bodies connected by the shared goal of contributing to public confidence in the integrity of government.

The Commission's Business Appointment Rules (BARs) team provides independent advice on, and scrutiny of, the application of the BARs for senior civil servants, special advisers and diplomats. This important work rightly receives considerable scrutiny from the media, academics and parliamentarians, and right now it sits at the centre of how the whole system works.

We are looking for a motivated and capable Casework Lead to oversee the day-to-day production of casework within this high-profile team. Reporting to the Grade 7 Team Leader, you will play a vital role in ensuring the quality, accuracy and timeliness of the team's advice, while providing empowering line management to two Higher Executive Officers (HEOs).

We are a friendly and welcoming team, working in an agile and impactful manner on fast-changing priorities. We place a great emphasis on staff wellbeing and providing unique career development opportunities and chances for colleagues to stretch and challenge themselves.

Why this role is exciting

• Lead a significant review. You will implement the findings of the Commission’s strategic review into the BARs, the most significant overhaul of the rules in over 50 years.
• Line management. You will line manage two HEOs, giving you experience of building and coaching a high-performing team.
• Senior stakeholder exposure. Casework and correspondence in this role regularly involves direct engagement with SCS Pay Band 3 and 4 stakeholders across government, giving you a level of senior access rarely available at this grade.
• Genuine cross-Civil Service reach. Due to the Commission’s independent set-up, you will work across departments, building a breadth of experience that is hard to get anywhere else.
• Sharpen your operational skills. You will help run and improve the team's casework operation, from SLA performance to prioritisation and quality assurance, building the kind of delivery discipline that underpins strong leadership.
• Be at the forefront of AI in government. The team is developing an AI-native approach to casework, using source-grounded tools to improve quality and speed.

Job description

In this role you will:

• Lead and line-manage the Casework function within the Business Appointment Rules team in the Civil Service Commission, taking responsibility for the production of all casework.
• Review draft casework produced by the team, ensuring that it is high quality, produced to set deadlines and reflects agreed policy on the application of the Rules.
• Occasionally personally lead on the production of particularly complex or sensitive advice, often involving direct engagement with SCS3 and SCS4 stakeholders.
• Lead the management of correspondence related to the application of Business Appointment Rules, including queries from senior civil servants, parliamentary questions and requests made under the Freedom of Information Act.
• Support the Grade 7 Head of Team to develop new policy positions in relation to novel or contentious issues, including feeding into the BARs Policy Review.
• Build capability across the team to ensure a sophisticated and professional approach to the Business Appointment Rules, and to the production of casework in general, including through the innovative use of AI tools.
• Ensure that Civil Service Commissioners feel well supported when reviewing and making a decision on relevant casework.
• Take on a broader leadership role across the Civil Service Commission and Independent Offices, contributing to a strong, positive team culture.

Please find more information on the Civil Service Commission and the Business Appointment Rules here.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Critical thinking and analysis: ability to think critically, using strong analytical skills to make judgements based on evidence within a framework of rules and guidance.
• Leadership and coaching: ability to inspire and coach team members, with the capability to build, develop and lead an inclusive, high-performing team of HEOs and indirectly an EO.
• Prioritisation and delivery: capability to balance multiple competing priorities effectively, ensuring that day-to-day casework is delivered to tight deadlines while keeping key customers and stakeholders informed.
• Communication: ability to communicate complex information objectively and persuasively, both orally and in writing, to help people at all levels, up to and including the most senior in government, make the right decisions and to convey messaging externally.

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:

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £49,458, Cabinet Office contributes £14,327 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• 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

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.