Curriculum Specialist

• Job grade: Senior Executive Officer
• Contract type: Permanent
• Business area: CO - Government People Group (GPG)
• Type of role: Human Resources
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Number of jobs available: 1

Location

E14 4PU, G2 8HS, YO1 7PX

About the job

Job summary

The post holder will join the new UK College for National Security (CfNS). CfNS is the PM endorsed, National Security Advisor sponsored, learning and development capability to help deliver the Integrated Review. It was announced by Ministers in March 2022, and confirmed as a capability in the 2023 Integrated Review Refresh.

The College will build knowledge, expertise and networks of national security policy makers across the Union - so they can tackle the complex threats the UK faces, and also exploit opportunities. CfNS is supported by multiple departments, intelligence and security agencies and the Devolved Governments. It uniquely operates across all security classifications. The College formally launched in January 2025 and is at the start of pulling together its portfolio. The team is based in locations based across the UK with a mix of national security, project management, and learning and development experience.

The role will involve exciting and creative work on our highest priority, mass learning offer - the National Security Curriculum. Work is already in place to design and pilot a range of courses across the curriculum on priority national security topics such as Serious and Organised Crime, Counter Terrorism, Economic Statecraft and State Threats. The job holder will work closely with the Deputy Head of College and Head of Delivery to review and further develop these materials into engaging and effective courses for our national security community and beyond.

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

● Be CfNS’ Academic and Research Liaison: Responsible for cultivating relationships with external providers, universities, and x-government to source, contract (if external), and onboard the right SMEs to support the design, deliver, and facilitate of our learning interventions (from podcasts to practitioner courses). You will work closely with the Commercial Lead to finalise contracts, the Head of Engagement to feed into Communities of Practice, and the Head of Events to coordinate expert delivery.

● Act as the Delivery Team’s bridge between key leads, including commercial lead (SEO), Events Manager (SEO) and Strategic Engagement Manager (SEO).

● Build a network of SMEs x-government and external on a number of national security topics, alongside the confidence in reaching out to this network across multiple grades, including SCS.

● Create Community of Practices for each national security topic, working closely with CfNS’ Head of Engagement.

● Develop a bank of facilitators, working closely with the wider National School of government. This bank can then be utilised across our curriculum, working closely with the Head of Events (SEO), and ensure you adhere to due diligence policy.

● Working closely with the other Curriculum SEO, support your team on their design of learning products of the national security curriculum. This includes the review of current materials, building upon these to build effective courses.

● Line Management of a number of HEOs, and support their Line Management of EO/AO/interns/apprentices.

● Driving innovation and diversity in the learning design of modules. Ensuring courses meet the needs of all our student base and are fully accessible. Diversity is at the heart of how we approach and deliver our work.

● Working with colleagues to build and act on continuous evaluation of our programmes.

● The role requires regular travel to London and other areas of the UK for meetings and pilot of courses.

Person specification

Experience and Knowledge

● Significant knowledge of learning design, and prior experience of designing high quality L&D courses for different learning styles, abilities and accessibility needs in order to achieve organisational goals.

● Experience in identifying, sourcing, and securing key individuals (x-gov SMEs, academics/think tanks, and external practitioners) to enrich and deliver high-impact learning interventions.

● Strong National Security background, with an understanding of departmental roles within National Security and an understanding of UK’s threat landscape, and knowledge of the relevant strategies, including the National Security strategy

● Experience in having delegated financial responsibility, and confidence in having commercial conversations, with various stakeholders including having difficult conversations and pushing back where required.

● Strong understanding of university offers and others in the National Security space.

Skills

● Strong decision-making and communication skills.

● Ability to lead a team, working collaboratively to problem-solve and deliver high standards, at pace, whilst ensuring their wellbeing.

● Strong organisational skills including the ability to manage multiple priorities.

● Ability to manage third-party relationships effectively, ensuring external academics and delivery partners deliver value against contractual agreements.

● Project Management experience is desirable but not essential.

● Must currently hold SC clearance, with a willingness to undergo DV.

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service

• Communicating and Influencing

• Making Effective Decisions

• Seeing the Big Picture

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,292, Cabinet Office contributes
£13,121 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application form you will be asked to submit:

• A CV
• A 750 word Personal Statement/Statement of suitability setting out how you meet the criteria in the person specification.
• A 250 word behaviour statement on Communicating and Influencing.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead Behaviour, Communicating and Influencing.

Selection process

At the interview stage candidates will be asked behaviour questions and strength questions. The behaviour questions being asked are:

• Managing a quality service
• Making effective decisions
• Seeing the bigger picture

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – TBC

Expected interview date/s – TBC

Interview location - Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Reasonable adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

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

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in 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 if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Further information

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section.

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

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

Any move to Cabinet Office 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

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/Disclosure Scotland 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 Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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

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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals

• nationals of the Republic of Ireland

• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK

• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)

• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020

• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

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).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the

Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window)
and the

Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available.
You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Amy jones
• Email : Amy.jones3@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service by email at : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/.

Attachments

Cabinet Office Employee Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB) Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 Opens in new window (docx, 83kB)

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