ESSENTIAL SKILLS

• Extensive background in HR and a proven track record in thinking strategically and aligning people and policy initiatives with organisational goals.
• Proven experience in pay and reward whether that be strategic pay, or the implementation and handling of pay and reward across an organisation.
• Extensive experience in business partnering and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Strong leadership skills, capable of navigating ambiguity, complexity and motivating teams through change.

DESIRABLE SKILLS

• Expertise in data-driven decision making and people analytics.
• Experience in automating services to enhance user experiences as well as utilising AI tools to deliver them.
• Experience of handling sensitive complex casework with professionalism and using legislative knowledge and best practice.
• Experience in innovative pay and reward solutions and specialist allowances.
• Chartered Fellow/fully qualified member (Level 7) of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) or willing to work towards this within a year of being in post.

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)
• 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

THE ROLE

As Deputy Director of HR Partnering and Policy at DSIT, you’ll be at the heart of building a modern, agile, and high-performing workforce that powers the UK’s science and technology ambitions. In this pivotal leadership role, you will:

• Drive strategic HR transformation, designing and delivering people policies that are bold, inclusive, and future-focused.
• Build strong partnerships cross the organisation to develop and deliver people strategies aligned with departmental goals and national priorities.
• Ensure compliance and excellence, balancing creativity with rigour in a fast-evolving pay and policy landscape.

This is your opportunity to lead with purpose, influence at the highest levels, and help shape the people strategies of a department that’s redefining the future.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead a high-impact HR Business Partnering team that fosters strong, trusted partnerships across the department, enabling leaders to make confident, people-first decisions.
• Work closely with the strategic workforce planning and people analytics teams to ensure senior leaders can identify workforce trends and make data-based decisions.
• Enable DSIT to come together through pay and policy harmonisation following the 2024 machinery of government change bringing Government Digital Service (GDS) into DSIT.
• Engage with DSITs Arms Length Bodies (ALBs) and partner organisations, ensuring appropriate synergies and support is in place.
• Lead collaboration in the HR function to build insight on people initiatives, ensuring they are people-centric and enable the business to deliver.
• Ensure DSITs people policies are innovative and relevant whilst remaining clear, inclusive and compliant with legal and ethical standards.
• Lead the SCS management team and establish a matrix way of working across the HR function to support on resourcing, Cabinet Office commissions, SCS talent and leadership development.
• Lead the team to establish robust SCS performance management in line with the governments ambition for a productive and agile state.
• Bring innovation to pay and reward, championing and piloting new pay-related initiatives that enable high productivity and performance.
• Collaborate with Integrated Corporate Services (ICS) to deliver the best pay offer possible for DSIT colleagues, from shaping correspondence with HMT to developing, communicating and delivering the departments pay remit.
• Responsible for the development and implementation of pay and allowances, including any specialist allowances aligned to Professions.
• Build and lead the departments relationship with its Trade Unions, and provide departmental advice on industrial and employee relations.
• Lead on complex employee relations issues, working closely with legal, comms and the most senior leaders as appropriate, providing guidance accordingly.
• Champion the HR agenda as a trusted advisor, working alongside the People Director and the senior leadership team to shape the future of our workforce and influence the broader Government People Group community and wider partner organisations.
• Build a culture of innovation, leveraging technology to automate and streamline processes, unlock new solutions, and deliver exceptional results.
• Embed diversity, equality, and inclusion into workstreams, championing a culture where everyone can thrive.