Deputy Director, Strategy Unit

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted virtually by Louise Smith, Strategy Director and will take place at:15:00 on Tuesday 17th November

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department.It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have about the application, and the interview and assessment process.

Please register your interest before 09:00 on Tuesday 17th November by filling out this form and you will be sent an invitation.

Invites will only be sent after this deadline has passed.

This will take place virtually, via Microsoft Teams.

Please note that the session will not be recorded.

The Strategy Unit sits at the centre of the Department and plays a critical role in supporting Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and senior leaders to make better strategic decisions.

We bring together expertise in strategy development, fiscal strategy, foresight, place, cross-cutting policy and strategic problem solving. Our role is to help the Department look ahead, focus on the right priorities and make effective choices about where to direct its effort and resources.

The Unit is evolving in response to the Department's expanded remit and changing strategic needs. We are building a modern strategy function that combines long-term thinking with practical delivery and works closely with policy, delivery, finance and analytical teams across the organisation.

Alongside delivering immediate priorities, the successful candidate will play a central role in defining how strategy is undertaken in the Department for years to come. This includes helping shape the structure, capability and culture of the newly configured Strategy Unit and establishing a successful partnership across the new two-Deputy Director leadership model.

This is a unique opportunity to influence decisions at the highest levels of government while helping build one of the most influential strategy functions in Whitehall.

Whilst exact portfolios are yet to be agreed across the two Strategy Unit Deputy Director roles, we would expect this role to include responsibilities spanning:

Fiscal strategy

Lead development of the Department's overall fiscal strategy.

Lead preparation for Spending Reviews and fiscal events, ensuring the departments proposals are clear, evidenced and prioritised.

Provide strategic engagement with HM Treasury, No.10 and others Shape departmental strategy

Lead development and implementation of the Department's strategic framework.

Support Ministers and senior leaders to translate long-term ambitions into clear priorities, outcomes.

Drive strategic prioritisation and cross-cutting policy and strategy

Lead major cross-cutting priorities including areas like growth and social cohesion

Ensure strategic coherence across policy development and decision-making and drive informed choices between competing priorities and finite resources.

Strategic oversight and effective use of levers such as legislation and regulation

Build the future Strategy Unit

Help design and embed the Strategy Unit's future operating model under the new two-Deputy Director structure.

Develop capability, culture and ways of working across the Unit that promotes innovation, collaboration and high performance.

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience, please note that desirable skills will only be used in the event of tied candidates:

Esential Criteria

Strategic Leadership: experience of leading complex strategic programmes, helping organisations set direction, prioritise resources and deliver long-term objectives within a challenging and fast-moving environment.

Fiscal Strategy and Resource Prioritisation: experience of leading significant spending, financial strategy, resource prioritisation or investment decisions, balancing competing demands and influencing outcomes in complex environments.

Senior Stakeholder Influence: demonstrable experience of advising and influencing Boards, executive leadership teams or equivalent senior decision-makers on high-profile, complex or sensitive issues.

Leading People, Change and Collaboration: experience of leading high-performing teams through organisational change, ambiguity and transformation, while building effective partnerships across organisational boundaries to deliver shared objectives. Innovation and Delivery: experience of improving organisational performance through innovative approaches, modern ways of working, data, technology or evidence-led decision making, delivering measurable outcomes.

Desirable Skills

Experience of growth, place-based policy, economic

development or fiscal strategy.

Experience of strategic planning and corporate strategy