Deputy Director, Test and , Strategy and Enablement; Secondment

We recognise that candidates come from diverse employment backgrounds and are offering two distinct application routes for this role. Campaign 441402 is for those seeking a fixed-term contract or a temporary loan arrangement to become or remain a Civil Servant. This pathway is ideal for existing Civil Servants, individuals without an employer, or anyone looking for a temporary post as a Civil Servant.

Alternatively, Campaign 441398 is available on secondment for candidates who wish to maintain their current employment with their existing organisation while working with the Civil Service on a temporary basis.

For more information on secondments, please refer to the "Further information about Secondments" document attached to the bottom of this advert.

Both recruitment processes are the same, but as secondees do not become employed as Civil Servants there is a different eligibility criteria.

Please apply for one campaign, duplicate applications may be removed.

Want to learn more about the role? Join our Candidate Engagement Session at 16:30, 13th January 2026 here.

This is a critical role for delivering the Government’s public service reform agenda, leading on strategy and enablement of the Test, Learn & Grow Programme.

Located within the Cabinet Office, the Public Service Reform team plays a role in coordinating cross-government efforts around reform, anchored in a series of ‘big bets’ around prevention, place-based delivery, technology and data, and iterative and adaptive approaches to improving services and outcomes. Test, Learn and Grow is our flagship programme driving forward these efforts - the programme is designed to accelerate the Government’s mission ethos in partnership with local places, driving a focus on prevention and relational public services.

Test, Learn and Grow (TLG) is a Programme with two core components that work together to drive Public Service Reform. One part focuses on working alongside place-based services, providing teams in local government with multi-disciplinary support, enabling colleagues to embed test & learn approaches to tackle some of the biggest public service challenges. The other works to identify, prioritise and shift the blockers within central government that prevent progress locally and centrally.

As Deputy Director of TLG Strategy & Enablement you will focus on this latter strand of work within the Programme, working very closely with the Deputy Director of TLG Delivery. You will work closely across the wider Director General Group, supporting and championing the work of sister teams focused on civil service strategy, impact economy, evaluation and planning.

The Deputy Director, Test Learn and Grown, Strategy and Enablement is a senior role, responsible for:

• Growing and scaling a large, complex delivery focused programme and ensuring the structures, roles and support are in place to enable teams to be successful.
• Building, owning and driving the story of the test, learn and grow programme, ensuring the work is recognised across central and local government.
• Ensuring teams can challenge and shift cross-government blockers that prevent teams from being able to take a test and learn approach.
• Co‑leading a team of circa 50 people (with the potential to grow) with the Deputy Director TLG (delivery), forming an exceptionally high‑performing team that both delivers outcomes and inspires through our approach.

This is a key leadership role; as Deputy Director, you will be a visible senior leader across the Senior Civil Service (SCS), advising the Director of PSR and Director General (PSR and Efficiency) and overseeing a large flagship programme.

As a leader you will have the ability to build strong relationships and engagement across central government, enabling the successful delivery of the programme’s outcomes. You will embrace challenges that arise to drive change, creating a community that can work together towards shared outcomes. You will endeavour to create the conditions that lead to place‑based, citizen focused and joined up delivery for the public by valuing and championing collaboration, creativity and boldness.

Your aim is to enable your teams to…