Job summary
Job description
The successful candidate will:
- Build and lead a new directorate – with colleagues based across the UK – ensuring a positive team culture and focus on excellence in delivery.
- Act as the Senior Responsible Officer overseeing the Government’s commitment to deliver UEFA EURO 2028, working seamlessly with Government and football partners across the UK and Ireland, ensuring the highest standards of project delivery, with direct accountability to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee for successful delivery. This includes delivering related legislation; overseeing an impactful legacy programme; coordinating related governance – including with other Government departments; and enabling a safe and successful event.
- Directly support Ministers and sporting bodies to ensure the UK continues to secure and deliver major sporting events in the future.
- Ensure successful delivery of the department’s Grassroots Sports Facilities investment, working closely with Sport Team colleagues who are responsible for the related policy and strategy.
- Be an active leader within DCMS’s project delivery profession, supporting wider programme delivery in the department.
- Play an active role as part of Policy Group and DCMS’s senior leadership team providing strategic direction to the department as a whole, supporting delivery of Ministers’ priorities for the department and our commitment to a diverse and engaged workforce.
The Major Sporting Projects Delivery Directorate is a new directorate within DCMS’s Policy Group. It will oversee the Government’s input to some of the highest profile programmes in the world of sport.
Amongst the projects and programmes covered by the team are:
- The UEFA European Championships 2028 – ensuring the Government delivers on its commitments to ensure that this major event is staged successfully, maximising economic growth and benefiting local communities. This programme is part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio, and the post-holder will be the Senior Responsible Officer.
- The future pipeline of major sporting events – ensuring the Government meets its manifesto commitment to keep securing, and successfully hosting, the world’s biggest and best sporting events, including the women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.
- Grassroots facilities delivery – overseeing the delivery of hundreds of millions into multi-sport grassroots facilities across the UK, as part of the EURO 2028 impact programme and to tackle inactivity, support the Health mission and build cohesive communities through providing access to high quality shared sporting spaces.
The directorate is evolving out of a unit within the existing Sport and Gambling Directorate, with which it will need to continue working seamlessly.
The team prioritises a positive workplace culture, where colleagues are committed to excellence in delivery, ongoing personal development, a supportive working environment, and operating seamlessly with colleagues and stakeholders based across the UK, and beyond.
Person specification
The ideal candidate will have the following key skills and experience:
Essential Requirements
- Leadership – A track record of providing visible leadership within a complex organisation or context, successfully delivering major programmes and projects with multiple stakeholders.
- Delivering at Pace – Experience of major event delivery and/or oversight of infrastructure/grant funding programmes including operational risk management.
- Communicating and Influencing – Highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to establish credibility quickly with stakeholders up to Board and Ministerial (or equivalent) level, and to present complex issues simply and effectively, driving towards a mutually beneficial outcome.
- Seeing the Big Picture – Excellent judgement and political acumen with the ability to manage risk and to reach sound judgements on a range of strategic and reputational issues.
- Working Together – Experience of leading high performing teams and a proven ability to build mutually supportive teams as well as a demonstrable commitment to diversity and nurturing a culture of inclusivity.
Desirable Skills
- Experience of working with the sport sector, particularly with football stakeholders.
- Experience of working with emergency services.
- Understanding of delivery across the UK, including working with the Devolved Governments.
- This role requires any candidate who has not completed the Major Projects Leadership Academy (MPLA) to do so. You will be supported to achieve this in role.
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.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
To apply for this vacancy, you will need to submit the following documents which will assessed against the essential requirements for the role:
- 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 Civil Service Jobs on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
- A Statement of Suitability (max 1250 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.
For the shortlist, we will select applicants who demonstrate the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application and how this meets the essential requirements.
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.
Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : SCS Recruitment
- Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : scsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. More information can be found at www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
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