Policy Lab Studio Officer / NSPARC Project and Operations Officer (2 roles)

Job summary

IMPORTANT - This vacancy is using the Civil Service Numerical and Verbal tests. The deadline for completing the tests is the same as the vacancy closing date. Please ensure you complete the tests with sufficient time to complete the written application.

The UK’s Policy Lab works across the whole of government to improve policymaking through design, innovation and people-centred approaches . We work in multidisciplinary and agile ways, using methods such as co-design and collective intelligence, to help policy teams improve the lives of people in the UK. This work brings the perspective of citizens directly into policies and services developed by government.

We are looking for two exceptional Higher Executive Officer (HEO) candidates with strong operational, financial and project coordination skills to join the Policy Lab team. These roles are integral to Policy Lab’s operations and will sit within Policy Lab’s Studio team and our NSPARC (National Security Policy and Research Co-Lab).

Both roles require a similar core set of experience and strengths, particularly in operational delivery, financial administration, project coordination, secretariat support and work with varied stakeholders. The successful candidates may be appointed to either role depending on campaign outcomes, business need and candidate preference.

The successful candidate for the NSPARC Project and Operations Officer role will provide operational, financial and research support across NSPARC’s portfolio of work. This role is critical to supporting project teams to unlock better, faster and more sustainable outcomes for UK national security.

The successful candidate for the Studio Officer role will undertake some of Policy Lab’s core operations including finance, secretariat support and cross-team co-ordination. The postholder will be required to use sound judgement, strong organisational skills and a collaborative approach to maintain effective processes and support colleagues of all levels.

Policy Lab has over a decade of experience working openly and collaboratively to address some of the UK’s most complex policy challenges. Our team brings together expertise in policy, lived experience research, design, systems thinking, futures, and technology. We work on a cost-recovery basis with a wide range of commissioners across government.

NSPARC (N*), the National Security Policy and Research Co ‑ Lab , is a multidisciplinary policy innovation team within government. It has a mission to tackle real ‑ world challenges using innovative and creative approaches, combining data, technology, design, and policy insight across the national security community.

Job description

We are recruiting for 2 HEO roles which will provide high-quality operational, financial and administrative support in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment.

Role 1: NSPARC Project and Operations Officer

Project Delivery & Cross-Government Engagement

• Work as part of a multidisciplinary, design and research-led project team, providing essential support across project operations and delivery and cross-government engagement.
• Work confidently in a fast-paced, agile environment, managing competing priorities and adapting to changing requirements.
• Support research, design and delivery activity, including logistics for user research, workshops, sprints and events (online and in person), ensuring smooth research and design delivery.
• Work closely with policy, design and research colleagues, as well as external partners and commissioners, to ensure projects are well run, inclusive and effective.
• Support engagement and business development activity, including coordinating meetings with commissioners, contributing to proposals, and maintaining clear, professional communications.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including internal teams, senior leaders, external partners and suppliers.

Finance & Operations

• Lead day-to-day finance and commercial processes within projects, including contract administration, supplier payments and commissioner invoicing.
• Ensure compliance with departmental finance and commercial procedures, identifying risks early and resolving issues promptly.
• Support budget tracking and forecasting within discrete projects, including relevant month-end and year-end processes.
• Develop and maintain guidance, templates and workflows to support consistent, accurate and efficient financial activity across projects.
• Provide operational support across multiple priorities and workstreams, maintaining plans, timelines, risks and dependencies, and supporting effective delivery.
• Provide support to others to enable an effective Senior Leadership Team secretariat, including preparing meetings and room bookings where required.
• Manage diary, travel and meeting arrangements where required, ensuring clear information flows.
• Contribute to continuous improvement by reviewing and refining operational processes.

SC is required for this role. The applicant must be SC cleared or willing to go through clearance.

Role 2: Policy Lab Studio Officer

Finance & Commercial Operations

• Lead day-to-day finance and commercial processes, including contract administration.
• Ensure compliance with departmental finance and commercial procedures, identifying risks early and resolving issues promptly.
• Develop and maintain guidance, templates and workflows to support consistent, accurate and efficient financial activity across the team.
• Contribute to continuous improvement by reviewing and refining operational processes.

Physical Spaces & Tools

• Develop physical office spaces that support Policy Lab’s multidisciplinary ways of working, working with colleagues to identify requirements across the team in our offices across the country.
• Manage relationships with estates and suppliers.
• Manage the team’s physical assets and workshop materials, identifying requirements and procuring materials in line with departmental processes.

Digital Spaces & Tools

• Manage the team inbox, triaging queries and responding directly where appropriate, maintaining a high standard of service to internal and external stakeholders.
• Work with colleagues to identify team-level digital needs and source solutions in line with departmental processes.
• Take ownership of Policy Lab’s microsite and SharePoint, ensuring clear responsibilities, effective information management and up-to-date guidance.
• Support colleagues to troubleshoot IT issues where these cannot be resolved through existing self-service routes.

Senior Leader Support

• Manage diary, travel and meeting arrangements for the Heads of Policy Lab, anticipating requirements and resolving scheduling conflicts independently.
• Respond to ad hoc administrative requests from our Senior Leadership Team and wider Strategy Group, ensuring timely action and clear information flows across the team.

We welcome applications from candidates seeking part time or compressed working pattern. However, due to the nature of the work and the shift coverage required, the minimum number of contracted hours for this role is 30 hours per week over a 4 day period.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

Candidates must be able to demonstrate experience of:

• Financial or operational management: You have experience in a project, programme or studio context
• High-quality administrative or secretariat support: You have experience coordinating delivery across multiple priorities in a fast-paced, agile environment. Maintaining a strong attention to detail.
• Working across cross-team initiatives you have experience managing competing priorities and different ways of working; maintaining effective working relationships across a wide range of stakeholders.
• Innovative approaches to policymaking: Experience and or proven interest in policy design skills such as people-centred research, co-design, speculative design or strategic design.

Experience may come from a range of sectors and does not need to be from a policy role, provided relevant transferable skills are demonstrated.

Technical skills

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

• Describe a specific example of how you implemented a new operational process or improved an existing one. Explain the problem, the actions you personally took, how you worked with others, and the impact. Maximum 250 words
• A short presentation (approximately 5 minutes) based on your technical statement, supported by accompanying visuals, which should be used to provide evidence and further expand on the example(s) described in your written submission.

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

• Describe a specific example of how you implemented a new operational process or improved an existing one. Explain the problem, the actions you personally took, how you worked with others, and the impact. Maximum 250 words

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,260, Department for Education contributes

£10,794 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).

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

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 Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

To apply for this role, please select 'Apply Now' at the top or bottom of this advert. CV details need to be included in the template within the application form; attached or emailed CVs will not be considered.

Stage 1: Civil Service Numerical Test (CSNT)

When you have completed your personal information, you will be asked to complete the CSNT. You must achieve the minimum pass mark to progress to the next stage.

Stage 2: Civil Service Verbal Test (CSVT)

When you have completed the CSNT, you will be asked to complete the CSVT. You must achieve the minimum pass mark to progress to