Governance Manager

£46,169 - £50,062 (London) / £42,382 - £45,920 (National). The base salary of this grade is £46,169 for London and £42,382 for other locations.
Published on 15 April 2025 Deadline 27 April 2025

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:

• joining up public sector services
• harnessing the power of AI for the public good
• strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
• elevating leadership and investing in talent
• funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
• 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.

In the Strategy, Performance and Assurance directorate we are responsible for:

• mobilising all of HMG around a single Government Digital and Data strategy;
• making the processes and systems of HMG (such as how we fund and deliver digital services) fit for the digital age;
• ensuring Government Digital and Data is a world-class function that meets the needs of departmental, official and ministerial stakeholders;
• monitoring progress against the Government Digital and Data Strategy and identifying opportunities for improvement;
• managing day-to-day operations of the GDS deliverables and internal/external governance.

Our priorities are:

• delivering a Government Digital and AI roadmap to cover the next Spending Review period;
• leading a programme of work to address systemic issues that prevent digital transformation of HMG;
• transforming the Government Digital and Data function through better data and insight;
• sharpening the focus of Government Digital and Data Assurance and deployment of a new operating model;
• implementing the new GDS design and establishing portfolio management and governance for GDS.

You will be responsible for supporting the Governance Lead in GDS, offering effective coordination of GDS internal and external governance.

As Governance Manager you’ll:

• support GDS’s responses to Select Committee inquiries, coordinating content for written evidence submissions, oral session briefings, and government responses;
• provide monthly performance reporting to senior management;
• shape internal governance and external governance and support as secretariat on senior cross-government forums. Work collaboratively, confidently and independently with senior stakeholders in GDS and beyond to take forward governance matters and objectives, ensure strategic alignment, and broker resolutions where perspectives differ;
• work with the Governance Lead to support the efficient running of senior cross-government Digital and Data Governance structures. This would include leading and assisting on delivery, reviews of the overarching structure of digital governance, and tracking of milestones;
• deliver end-to-end at least two forums with flexibility to work across governance fora where necessary, and to develop and own their portfolio and participate in special projects. This would include reviewing papers, working with the Secretariat on logistics, supporting commissioning and chasing of papers, and coordinating senior reviews of papers.

Person specification

We're interested in people who have:

• experience of engaging credibly and confidently with senior stakeholders, including through written briefings;
• excellent communications and drafting skills, including minute writing and are able to demonstrate attention to detail and strong organisational skills;
• the ability to think creatively and develop innovative solutions. This could include experience of supporting with strategic and/or policy-based issues;
• experience of managing stakeholders and competing priorities and are able to deliver at pace and work in a complex environment;
• sound judgement and the ability to think laterally in order to make connections between different areas of work within the department that others may have missed;
• knowledge of interfacing governance structures;
• experience of delivering a cycle of meetings at senior managerial - preferably Permanent Secretary - level;
• a proactive approach, with excellent administrative and organisational skills and keen attention to detail;
• an ability to work calmly and efficiently under pressure.

The benefits of working at GDS

There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:

• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours;
• a Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%;
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days;
• an extra day off for The King’s birthday;
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance;
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development;
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme;
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK;
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets;
• cycle to work scheme and facilities;
• access to children's holiday play schemes across different locations in central London;
• access to an employee discounts scheme;
• 10 learning days per year;
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year);
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning.

Any move to Government Digital Service 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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

Things you need to know

The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:

• a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and cover letter of up to 750 words. Important tip - please ensure that your cover letter includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above.

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

While we value the use of AI technology to enhance our daily work, we also value the personal touch and urge applicants to write cover letters without the use of AI to emphasise their own unique experiences.

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

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

In January 2025, it was announced that the Government Digital Service (GDS) will move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) as a part of a machinery of government change. This change aims to bring together the digital transformation of public services into one central department, presenting exciting opportunities and positioning DSIT to lead the government’s digital agenda.

This role is in scope to transfer to DSIT when the machinery of government change takes place. As a result, if you are successful and appointed by Cabinet Office to this role before 1st June 2025, your role will transfer from Cabinet Office to DSIT at the time of the relevant machinery of government change taking place. If your start date is after 1 June 2025, you will be appointed direct to DSIT and your appointment will be unaffected by the machinery of government change. We are currently consulting with our Trade Unions on which policies, terms and conditions will apply on transfer. The statement of changes applied to all other Cabinet Office staff will also apply to you if you are successful.

We encourage you to apply and look forward to reviewing your application. We will keep you updated throughout the process.

Sponsorship

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.