Job Description

Details

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Reference number

424303
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Salary

160,000 - 190,000
Standard Cabinet Office rules on pay will apply to civil servants appointed on level transfer or promotion. Their salary will increase to the minimum of the SCS PB3 range or by a promotion award of up to 10% more than their current basic salary excluding all allowances (whichever is the greater). Individuals appointed on level transfer will retain their existing basic salary excluding all allowances.
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
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Job grade

SCS Pay Band 3###

Contract type

Permanent###

Business area

HO - Digital Data and Technology###

Type of role

Digital

Senior leadership###

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share###

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

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Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information

Location

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London

About the job

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Job summary

The Home Office is seeking an exceptional leader to become their

Director General - Chief Digital & Innovation Officer (CDIO)

, a pivotal Executive Committee role at the heart of government. This is one of the most significant technology and innovation leadership opportunities in the UK public sector, with a mission to transform services that touch millions of lives every single day.


As DG CDIO, you will set the strategic direction for digital, data, science and technology across one of government's most complex and high-profile departments. With responsibility for a team of around 4,000 and oversight of a budget of approximately 1.8bn, you will be accountable for delivering mission-critical live services, modernising national-scale programmes such as biometrics and digital identity, and driving innovation to strengthen both operational delivery and citizen outcomes.


The Home Office plays a vital role in keeping the UK safe and secure. As CDIO, you will ensure its digital and innovation ecosystem is equipped to meet future challenges, working across government, industry, academia, and international partners. You will build on strong foundations to deliver transformation at pace and scale - embracing cutting-edge technologies while ensuring security, value for money and public trust.

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Job description

Key Responsibilities

As

Director General - Chief Digital & Innovation Officer

, your specific responsibilities will include:

Strategic Leadership:

Lead cross-departmental digital services, harnessing digital technologies and data to transform services for users.

Live Service Operations:

Deliver mission-critical live services at scale.

Digital, Scientific, Data and Research Innovation:

Champion the integration of cutting-edge technologies, data science, and research into operational delivery and policy development.

Cross-Government Engagement:

Represent the Home Office in senior forums, influencing policy and delivery across Whitehall and with international partners.

Operational Oversight:

Provide strategic direction and governance for major programmes such as Home Office Biometrics and Digital First, ensuring delivery excellence and risk management.

Organisational Development:

Build and nurture high-performing, inclusive teams, and develop future leaders across all functions.

Budgetary Responsibility:

Accountable for a combined budget exceeding 1.8bn, ensuring value for money and alignment with spending review commitments.

Strategic Partnerships:

Foster collaboration across government, academia, industry, and international stakeholders to enhance service transformation outcomes. ###

Person specification

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate their knowledge, experience, capability and behavioural approach to a high standard against the following key criteria:

Proven experience operating at Board or Executive Committee level in a large, complex organisation, with a track record of strategic leadership and delivery. Demonstrable ability to lead and integrate diverse functions--such as digital, science, research and international engagement--to deliver coherent, high-impact outcomes. Strong corporate and political acumen, with experience advising senior stakeholders such as C-Suite executives or Ministers on sensitive, cross-cutting, and high-profile issues. Exceptional leadership and people management skills, with a proven ability to build high-performing, inclusive teams and lead through others in complex environments. Deep understanding of governance within large organisations, operational delivery, programme management and risk oversight, including experience of leading in high-pressure or crisis situations. A strong track record of innovation and transformation, including the use of digital technologies, data and AI to improve services and achieve value for money. Outstanding communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across government, with delivery partners, and on the international stage. To learn more about the essential and desirable criteria for this role, please refer to the candidate pack located at the bottom of the advert.

Benefits

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Alongside your salary of 160,000, Home Office contributes 46,352 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.Learning and development tailored to your role An environment with flexible working options A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

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Selection process details

Online Application

Please submit your application online at the following link Chief Digital and Innovation Officer no later than

23:55hrs on 25th

September 2025.

Provide some basic personal information;

CV -

setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role, including details where budgets and numbers of people managed, relevant achievements in recent posts, together with reasons for any gaps within the last two years;

Statement of Suitability -

(limited to 1250 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification.

Diversity Monitoring -

as part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say'. See the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy: 2022 to 2025 (HTML) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for more information.


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

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .



See our vetting charter .
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) 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
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Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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 .
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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

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This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
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

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Job contact :

Name : Global Resourcing Email : HO-DG@global-resourcing.com
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Recruitment team

Email : SCSRecruitment@homeoffice.gov.uk ###

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint you should contact SCSRecruitment@homeoffice.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Home Office you can contact the Civil Service Commission.




Complaints should be sent in writing to:


Civil Service Commission,


Room G8,


1 Horse Guards Road,


London,


SW1A 2HQ