Policy Systems Change Lead

Details

Reference number

468511

Salary

£57,204 - £63,953

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

Job grade

Grade 7

Contract type

Fixed term

Loan

Secondment

Length of employment

Post runs until the end of March 2027, with the possibility of extension until March 2028

Business area

CO - Office of Government Property

Type of role

Policy

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

Location

About the job

Benefits

Things you need to know

Apply and further information

Location

Birmingham, Glasgow, York

About the job

Job summary

We are looking for a highly strategic, politically aware Grade 7 Policy Systems Change Lead to join the award-winning One Public Estate (OPE) programme.

The OPE team is a friendly, supportive, and diverse group operating in a fast-paced environment. This critical position offers significant autonomy, stretch, and a unique opportunity to shape the future landscape of public sector asset management. If you have extensive policy development experience, a proven track record of breaking down institutional silos, and the capability to influence senior leaders across central government, we would love to hear from you.

About One Public Estate (OPE)

OPE is a unique and impactful partnership between the Office of Government Property (OGP) in the Cabinet Office, Local Government Association (LGA) and the Ministery of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Established in 2013, we work with 98% of local authorities in England and have supported over 850 transformational property-led projects.

Our mission is to help central and local government partners unlock public land and property to drive regional economic growth, deliver integrated citizen services, and release land for housing (supporting the target of 1.5 million homes in this Parliament).

We are currently embarking on an exciting transition to an evolved, place-based asset management model. This includes shaping systemic changes across government to address policy barriers and maximize outcomes across the collective public estate. This role will be a critical driving force behind our long-term policy reform and future investment strategies.

Job description

As the Policy Systems Change Lead, you will research and initiate systemic reform, working across the public sector to address entrenched policy barriers to collaborative working in local places. You will design and implement solutions that move the public sector away from siloed and fragmented decision-making.

Operating with a high degree of autonomy, your specific responsibilities will include:

Systemic Reform Workstream: Lead the development of the systemic reform workstream, focusing on influencing the reform of existing national policies, guidance, standards, and controls that drive siloed decision-making.

Cross-Government Strategy: Develop and enact a comprehensive policy, engagement, and influence strategy across HM Treasury (HMT), MHCLG, Cabinet Office, NISTA, and other relevant policy departments and Arm's Length Bodies (ALBs) to help drive the above.

Spending Review (SR) Leadership: Establish a clear route map of engagement over the Spending Review period with HMT and MHCLG. Take the lead on developing and drafting the overarching SR business case, drawing on real-world learning from Pathfinders, Local Asset Management Plans (LAMPs), and "Size of the Prize" data.

Duty to Collaborate: Scope, build the evidence base for, and establish the business case for a formal "Duty to Collaborate," clearly outlining benefits and progressing its practical implementation across public bodies.

Ministerial Engagement: Secure Ministerial backing and cross-departmental buy-in for the strategic direction and proposed policy reforms of the programme.

Strategic Direction: Give clear direction across the programme team and wider external stakeholders to develop robust policy interventions, balancing a range of different socio-economic objectives.

Person specification

Essential Experience

Policy Development & Implementation: Extensive experience leading complex policy development and implementation across the public sector, preferably within a property, estates, land use, or local government environment.

Political Awareness & Strategic Vision: Strong political acumen and the ability to generate innovative ideas, navigate system complexities, and assess policy impacts within a fast-moving, high-profile environment.

Breaking Down Silos: A proven track record of breaking down policy barriers, joining up separate programmes across government, and fostering collaboration between central and local government frameworks.

Senior Stakeholder Persuasion: Exceptional communication and relationship skills, with a demonstrated ability to listen to, persuade, and create strong buy-in among senior partners (such as SCS, Chief Executives, and HMT officials).

Autonomy & Evidence-Based Decisions: Proven ability to work with a high level of autonomy, taking the initiative to develop robust, evidence-based proposals and make timely decisions in an ever-changing landscape.

Desirable Criteria

Prior experience working directly on central government Spending Review (SR) bids or major business case developments (such as Green Book models).

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:

Seeing the Big Picture

Communicating and Influencing

Making Effective Decisions

Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,204, Cabinet Office contributes £16,571 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Application process

As part of the application process, we will assess you against the required skills and experience. Experience, Behaviours and Strengths will be tested at interview.

To apply, please submit a CV and personal statement of no more than 1,250 words. Your personal statement should highlight your ability to meet the essential and desirable experience, as set out above.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

The interview will consist of questions based on the Success Profiles:

Seeing the Big Picture (Behaviours)

Communicating and Influencing (Behaviours)

Making Effective Decisions (Behaviours)

Leadership (Behaviours)

There will also be two questions to assess your Strengths.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – week commencing 20th July

Expected interview date/s – week commencing 27th July

Interview location - Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Reasonable adjustments

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 via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need 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

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

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)

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

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Name : Kirsty Rouillard

Email : Kirsty.Rouillard@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. 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 Government Recruitment Service by email at : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response 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/.