Government jobs in Gran Bretaña

Length of employment: 2 years

Job Summary:
The Chief Scientific Adviser team provides scientific and technical leadership within the department, gives direct advice to ministers and officials and ensures that the department is able to draw upon the best possible research and evidence. Professor Tom Crick MBE is the DCMS Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA)

The CSA is supported by a team who coordinate and provide rigorous and robust, scientific and technical advice, and challenge, to the department. The team enables access to expertise through links with the UK science and research communities, and across government.

We support ambitious, strategic research through the DCMS Science and Analysis R&D Programme alongside providing funding for smaller scale rapid evidence gathering to meet immediate demands. Working collaboratively on R&D with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the UK Research Councils and promoting vibrant relationships with the UK science and research community.

The CSA works closely with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Government Office for Science and the Chief Scientific Adviser Network to work collaboratively to address scientific issues for the government.

Job Description:
The DCMS Science and Analysis Research & Development (R&D) Programme funds experimental, cross-cutting, and long-term evidence development with an emphasis on developing sustainable research collaborations, knowledge sharing and networks. This role presents an exciting opportunity to develop a vision and strategy for the next phase of the programme, leading a team of three that sits within the CSA team.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop and lead the next phase of the DCMS Science and Analysis R&D Programme, ensuring its delivery, impact and linkage to wider Departmental R&D work and priorities.
• Conduct an evaluation of the first three years (22/23-24/25) of the £8.3m Programme; consolidating findings and best practice.
• Lead and coordinate the development of a robust and sustainable R&D ecosystem for DCMS, including governance, assurance, and best practices.
• Manage senior relationships, both across Government and within the department: the CSA, the Director of Analysis and across analysis, strategy and policy. Develop close working relationships with relevant organisations such as UK Research and Innovation, DCMS Arms Length Bodies and related funding agencies.

Benefits

DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We're 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
  
• 26.5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years' service
  
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
  
• Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice
  
• 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
  
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice
  
• 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.
The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience.

Essential requirements:

• A track record of successful leadership in research or similar role, including experience of leading a team.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills, including a proven ability to build credible and influential relationships with senior leaders, academics, higher education institutions, and UK research funders.
• Strong knowledge and experience of the research lifecycle, from conception to delivery and impact, including experience of research commissioning in a Government setting.
• Management of interdisciplinary research that cuts across STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and SHAPE (Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts for People and the Economy).
• Experience of programme management in a research setting, including Commercial and Finance processes, and budget management at six figures and across multiple funding streams.

Desirable skills:

• Experience as a researcher and of research delivery in and outside Government, especially with UKRI.
• Awareness of DCMS policy areas and areas of research interest.

We are running an online information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by Professor Tom Crick and Nicole Huggins, and will take place on: Friday 6th June, 11:30am

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.

Please register your interest by filling out this Registration form by 5pm, Thursday 5th June and you will be sent an invitation. Please note that the session will not be recorded and will not focus on the DCMS recruitment process - please direct any queries that you have on this topic (timelines, reasonable adjustments, onboarding, etc) to recruitment.team@dcms.gov.uk
To apply for this post, please send us the following documents no later than 23:55 on 15th June 2025 vi a the CS Jobs portal:

To apply for this vacancy, you will need to submit the following documents which will assessed against the experience success profile :

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages and you should insert your CV into the "Job History" section on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
• A Statement of Suitability (max 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed however these will not be considered in the assessment of your application except in circumstances where there are a high number and calibre of candidates.

For the shortlist, we will select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.

For support in writing your application and interviewing, please refer to the 'Application and Interview Guidance' document attached to the job advert.

For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.

The interview process will assess behaviours and strengths through questions and a presentation which will be provided prior to interview.

The behaviours to be tested at interview are:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

You will not be made aware of the strengths being assessed prior to your interview.

As part of your interview, you may be asked to deliver a short oral presentation. Full details of this, including the topic, length of time, and whether or not you will need to use visual aids, will be sent to you prior to your interview.

Your interview will take place remotely via GoogleMeets.

Further Information

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

Any move to Department for Culture, Media and Sport 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

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

DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the 'Candidate Information Pack' attached.

If the vacancy is offered as FTA/Loan, existing Civil Servants must join on a Loan basis only. Prior agreement to be released on loan 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.

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 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 stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

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.

NSV

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

Reasonable Adjustment

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process.

In order to request an adjustment, please:

Complete the 'Assistance required' section on 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 a verbal test rather than a written one.

Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the 'contact point for applicants' section of the job advert.

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