Chief of Staff

Public Sector Resourcing; East Kilbride; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK Government department seeks a Chief of Staff for a hybrid role based in East Kilbride. The ideal candidate will support senior leadership, run decision processes, and improve organizational coordination. Essential qualifications include operational leadership experience and strong communication skills. This is a 12-month contract with a focus on engaging with senior stakeholders and resolving operational issues. Eligible candidates must be able to undergo security clearance and are expected to thrive in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting senior leadership.
• Proven leadership cadence and governance skills.
• Eligible for SC and DV Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Run the leadership operating rhythm for RUN.
• Ensure evidence-based decision-making.
• Support G6 leaders in resolving delivery risks.
• Strengthen alignment across leadership.
• Act as a proxy for senior leadership engagements.

Skills

Experience in a senior operational role

Strong understanding of IT service environments

Excellent communication skills

Strong organisational skills

Ability to engage with senior civil servants

Job description

On behalf of FCDO, we are looking for a Chief of Staff (Inside IR35) for a 12 month contract. This is a hybrid working role (three days per week office based - East Kilbride).

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) pursues our national interests and projects the UK as a force for good in the world. We promote the interests of British citizens, safeguard the UK's security, defend our values, reduce poverty, and tackle global challenges with our international partners.

Job Purpose

The Rosa Service Organisation (RSO) provides the UK Government's secure technology service across more than 90 departments, ALBs and international partners. The organisation is entering a period of significant transformation while maintaining high‑quality RUN operations across 160+ global locations.

To support this, we are seeking an experienced Chief of Staff to work alongside the Deputy Service Director and extended leadership team to strengthen operational discipline, improve organisational coordination, and ensure clear, confident engagement with senior stakeholders across government.

This is a high‑impact role at the centre of one of HMG's most important secure technology services.

The Role

The Chief of Staff is the leadership execution engine for the RUN organisation. You will ensure the Deputy Service Director and extended leadership team operate with pace, clarity and discipline – running the leadership rhythm, sharpening decisions, and improving cross‑functional alignment.

You will not own operational processes (SLAs, service metrics, vendor contracts, etc.) – those sit with G6 functional leads – but you will work closely with them to ensure delivery issues are surfaced, prioritised, and acted upon. You will also act as a proxy for senior leaders in engagements with the Cabinet Office Oversight Function, HMT and other central bodies, helping shape narrative and coordinate key submissions.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who thrives in complex, fast‑moving environments and can bring structure, focus, and high standards to an ambitious organisation undergoing major transformation.

Responsibilities

• Run the leadership operating rhythm for RUN: agendas, board papers, action tracking, forward look and escalation paths.
• Ensure decision‑making is evidence‑based, well‑prepared and communicated clearly across the organisation.
• Provide the Deputy Service Director with a coherent, timely view of operational performance drawing on inputs from functional leads.
• Identify cross‑team issues and support G6 leaders in resolving delivery risks or misalignment.
• Act as a proxy for senior leadership in Cabinet Office engagement, supporting submissions, approvals and assurance activity.
• Strengthen alignment and information flow across the extended leadership team.
• Support the delivery of People Plan priority actions (Leadership Charter, People Survey actions, staff engagement, SLT offsites).

Essential

• Experience in a senior operational, leadership‑support or Chief of Staff role.
• Strong understanding of IT service environments (ITIL/ITSM awareness useful).
• Proven ability to run leadership cadence, governance and decision processes.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to prepare clear, concise papers.
• Confidence engaging with senior civil servants and cross‑government partners.
• Strong organisational and analytical skills, with the ability to hold people to account through influence.
• Eligible to undergo SC and DV Clearance.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas.

Disability Confident

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, FCDO guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

FCDO guarantees to interview veterans or spouses/partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex‑military candidates/military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".