Deputy Director, Fast Stream & Early Talent

Job Description

LocationBristol, London, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-TyneAbout the jobSummaryThe Fast Stream and Early Talent team plays an important part in delivering the Government?s commitment to making the Civil Service the UK?s most inclusive employer by 2020. We strive to reflect the society we serve, being as inclusive as possible, and recognising talent and potential from all backgrounds. In recent years the Fast Stream has seen a sharp increase in the number of applicants from lower socio-economic and ethnic minority backgrounds. I am delighted that the Fast Stream reached number 1 in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers in 2019, and remained the Public Sector Graduate Employer of Choice. It remains our vision to be the best talent programme in the UK.Job descriptionProvide exemplary strategic and operational leadership to the Fast Stream and Early Talent team of c.200, across multiple locations; Lead the Civil Service flagship talent management programme, ensuring a continuous flow of talent and potential; Provide leadership and line management to over 2,000 Fast Streamers (central programme) across the Civil Service, ensuring that processes are in place to support, develop and nurture; Lead the continuing evolution of the Fast Stream Talent programme and the continuous improvement of the Fast Stream recruitment platform; Lead the agile development of the Fast Stream recruitment platform, working very closely with internal Digital partners, expert psychologists, external delivery partners and senior stakeholders; Lead the design, delivery, and growth, of a new centralised Apprenticeship programme; Lead the growth of Fast Stream diversity internships (EDIP & SDIP), the Annual Autism Exchange Internship and centralised Schools Outreach programme; Lead the Fast Stream and Early Talent team through the next phase of HR Operations Transformation; Design and delivery of the Civil Service approach to T-Level Industrial Placements, in partnership with DfE.ResponsibilitiesSkills The successful candidate will be a respected leader with a successful history of delivery, having operated alongside the highest levels of the Civil Service and with experience of operational leadership. The post holder will need to be able to operate in an agile, flexible and autonomous way but will not be afraid to learn from others in this space and will work as part of a coordinated approach to Civil Service talent. Ambiguity is frequently a challenge and we need someone who can not only take this in their stride, but support others to do the same. They will need to be able to engage with a broad range of stakeholders, from the most senior Whitehall officials and ministers, to the most junior employees, trade unions, suppliers, and partner organisations. The customer is at the heart of service delivery, and the role holder will need to create a collaborative and enabling leadership culture, with honest and constructive communication and feedback. The role holder will need a combination of ?real world? operational delivery experience and talent ?subject matter expertise?, and a solid track record in the design, implementation and transformation of services, both at a technical and human level. Skill in finding the balance between bringing expertise to the table and supporting and inspiring others to find the answers from within is key to this role. The role holder will need to draw extensively upon evidence-based methods and models, while keeping the service orientated towards pragmatic and outcome-focused activity. Experience of building, nurturing and challenging management teams to equip them and guide them in delivery is essential. In your application you will need to demonstrate how you meet the following essential requirements: Highly credible HR professional with the ability to lead a diverse team of generalists and specialists within a talent management context. Strong track record of delivering talent programmes in a complex, regulated, and politically-sensitive environment. Leadership of a large and geographically-dispersed team during periods of critical business delivery and corporate change.BenefitsBenefits25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years? service. This is in addition to 8 public holidays. This will be complimented by one further day paid privilege entitlement to mark the Queen?s Birthday; a competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension; where your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire; Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers; childcare benefits (policy for new employees as of 5 April 2018): The government has introduced the Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) scheme. Working parents can open an online childcare account and for every £8 they pay in, the government adds £2, up to a maximum of £2000 a year for each child or £4000 for a disabled child. Parents then use the funds to pay for registered childcare. Existing employees may be able to continue to claim childcare vouchers, so please check how the policy would work for you here; interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle; the opportunity to use onsite facilities including fitness centres and staff canteens (where applicable); and occupational sick pay.Things you need to knowSecuritySuccessful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check. Selection process detailsTo apply for any of this posts, you will need to complete the online application process no later than 23:55pm on Wednesday 15th January 2020. The application will include: A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 1250 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for these roles, with particular reference to the essential