The Civil Society and Youth (CSY) directorate aims to build a fairer society, in which government, civil society, and businesses are able to work together to tackle social challenges and build stronger communities. We have over 100 staff working across the United Kingdom.

As leads on Civil Society in government, we are responsible for a dynamic set of policy areas including:

• Supporting a strong, stable and sustainable Voluntary, Community, & Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector on behalf of government;
• Unlocking private finance and public service spend to maximise social value;
• Building connected and cohesive communities, taking a lead on:
  
  • volunteering and its role in communities as well as its personal benefits;
  • tackling loneliness, with a focus on mobilising and supporting people across society to take action;
• Creating opportunities for young people to realise their potential by providing upstream interventions out of school
• Supporting growth in the Social Enterprise sector to empower communities and address social challenges.

This is two-pronged role, and an exciting opportunity to work closely with the Director and senior leadership team in the CSY Directorate as a Business Manager; and across the DCMS Policy Profession, including with the Director Generals of Policy Group, as Policy Profession Lead.

CSY Business Management

Sitting at the heart of CSY directorate and working to the Senior Business Manager, you will lead a number of areas of the directorates operational function to make sure that CSYs budgets, staffing, in-year reward, directorate governance and other corporate processes are well managed. You will work closely with the Senior Leadership Team on cross-cutting corporate and leadership issues.

Policy Profession Lead

As DCMS Policy Profession Lead, you will drive forward the development of DCMSs approach to the Policy Profession: building and maintaining a strong function within DCMS, managing the relationship with the central government Policy Profession Unit, managing the annual intake of Fast Streamers, and overseeing the Policy Profession budget. You will work closely with the CSY Director (who is head of DCMS Policy Profession) and a group of volunteers from across DCMS. 

Because of the roles dual function, you will be able to demonstrate experience of managing a varied workload, prioritising effectively and managing multiple concurrent tasks.

Business Manager:  

• Managing workforce planning and monitoring the directorates headcount. Ensuring that HR management information is accurate and kept up-to-date.  
• Ownership of Senior Management Team and Senior Leadership Team governance
• Coordinating the operational elements of  business planning and responses to fiscal events
• Leading the departmental rewards and recognition process for the directorate
• Leadership of the Executive Assistant cohort in the directorate
• Overseeing the L&D budget and owning the Government Procurement Card for the directorate
• Acting as the Business Continuity lead for the directorate, developing and maintaining plans.

Policy support for teams:

• Coordination of cross-cutting briefings, parliamentary questions and ministerial visits.

Policy Profession Lead:

• Acting as secretariat for the Policy Profession Working Group chaired by SCS2 Head of Profession
• Managing the Policy Profession budget, overseeing timely and appropriate spending to provide the best value for money for the department
• Liaising with internal and external suppliers to maintain a strong learning and development offer for DCMS policy professionals
• Managing the annual intake of graduate policy fast streamers to DCMSs Policy Group, ensuring they all undertake valuable postings that support policy teams to deliver their objectives

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience:

Essential Requirements:

• Strong IT skills and numeracy, especially being comfortable using spreadsheets and data
• High attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to deliver at pace,including managing a varied workload, prioritising effectively and the ability to manage multiple tasks concurrently
• Proactive and able to look ahead to anticipate issues
• Ability to build and maintain excellent relationships with people at all levels across an organisation. 

Desirable Skills:

• Experience of minute taking
• Experience in providing a coordinating function in the team to support with correspondence, briefings and arranging visits. 
• Good knowledge of Google products (Gmail/Docs, Sheets, Slides)

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions

DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. Were committed to developing talent, and supporting colleagues to have great careers in our department. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:

• Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working - DCMS staff work on a flexible basis with time spent in offices, and time spent working from home. 
• 5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years service.
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• 3 days of paid volunteering leave. 
• Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave.
• Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year. 
• Occupational sick pay.
• Active and engaged staff networks to join including the LGBT+, Ethnic Diversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality Networks.
• Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day to day work.
• Season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and much more!

Terms and conditions at SCS grades will vary. Those applying for SCS roles should refer to the candidate information pack for more information on terms and conditions.

Job contact :

• Name : Vilecea Naidoo
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]