Honours Strategy Lead

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; Manchester; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in the UK seeks a senior leader to drive strategic reform of the honours system within the department. You will shape policies, coordinate with Ministers and Cabinet Office, and guide cultural and organisational change to improve representation and participation in honours nominations.

You will oversee two major workstreams, manage an analyst support function, and act as a key adviser on high-priority governance initiatives, aligning with

Qualifications

• Experience delivering strategic recommendations on high-priority, high-profile areas.
• Strong political awareness and ability to engage ministers and officials at senior levels.
• Proven capability to work in ambiguity and lead reform programmes.
• Experience engaging multiple Whitehall stakeholders and external partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead two major workstreams: DCMS honours reform and cross-government engagement.
• Design policies and processes to improve quality, diversity and regional representation of nominations.
• Engage senior stakeholders, including Ministers and Permanent Secretary, to drive change.
• Coordinate DCMS’ input to cross-government honours review and advise ministers.
• Manage an HEO analyst team providing data support for policy development.

Skills

Policy strategy

Stakeholder engagement

Political awareness

Communication

Change management

Data-driven decision making

CRM software

AI for reporting

Tools

CRM software

Data analytics tools

AI reporting tools

Job description

The Honours & Awards team of nine, led by Meg Taylor (G6), is part of the Public Bodies, Appointments and Honours team within Corporate Strategy.

The honours team manage honours nominations from across DCMS sectors, two rounds per year: New Year’s Day and the King’s Birthday. The dedicated team delivers each element of the process and works closely with Cabinet Office as well as the independent honours committees, SCS and Ministers. This is an exciting time to be working within the honours system, as a high priority for both our Secretary of State and our Permanent Secretary.

DCMS plays an active role in Arts & Media, Sport, and Community & Voluntary Service lists, as well as contributing to Public Service, Economy and Science Technology and Research lists. DCMS is the biggest departmental contributor of nominations to the Honours system.

This is a new, high-profile role at the heart of the Department's honours work. It offers a unique opportunity to lead strategic reform of the DCMS honours system and help ensure that honours better reflect the diversity, achievements and contribution of people across the whole of the UK. Improving the honours system is a key ministerial priority. Following an internal review of DCMS honours processes, you will lead work to implement a programme of reform and drive improvements across the department. You will also play a central role in shaping DCMS's contribution to ongoing improvements to the honours system led by the Cabinet Office.

You will lead two major workstreams:

• Deliver honours system reform within DCMS. Implementing the recommendations from the departmental honours review; developing policies and processes that strengthen the quality, diversity and regional representation of honours nominations; designing and leading engagement with senior stakeholders, including Ministers, the Permanent Secretary, Honours Committee Chairs; and driving cultural and organisational change to improve understanding and participation in the honours system across the department.
• Lead DCMS engagement on the cross- government honours review. Coordinating DCMS’ contribution to the cross-Government honours review; providing strategic advice to ministers and senior leaders.

You will manage and be supported by an HEO analyst, who will provide data, insight and demographic analysis to support policy development and drive improvements in the diversity of nominations.

Person specification

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

• Exceptional ability to work at pace operationally, to deliver on strategic priorities whilst meeting deadlines;
• Strong political awareness: the ability to build credibility and trust with ministers and officials at the highest levels of government;
• Excellent communication skills: adept at advising verbally and in writing;
• Significant experience of working in ambiguity, particularly in self-starting and developing iterative work and a strategic way forward with limited parameters;
• Significant experience engaging multiple stakeholders with a wide range of seniority, including across Whitehall and external to Government;
• Experience of using CRM software and AI for reporting and streamlining of processes and data;
• Confident using data to inform evidence-based decision making and recommendations.
• Previous experience delivering strategic recommendations on a high priority and high profile area;
• Previous experience working with Cabinet Office, No10 or the Royal Palace.

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by Meg Taylor, and will take place on:

10:30 - 11am on 28 November 2026

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.

Behaviours

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