Senior Digital Portfolio Manager at Government Legal Department in Bristol, Croydon, Leeds, London, Manchester

Job summary

From healthcare to artificial intelligence, energy to national security, we provide legal advice to government departments on nation-changing subjects.

At Government Legal Department we have a vital, single-minded purpose: to help the Government govern well within the rule of law. This is complemented by our exciting vision to be an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism and a brilliant place to work where we can all thrive and fulfil our potential.

Our work touches almost every aspect of public life. We are the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters.

Our respected professionals are involved in everything from regulation and litigation to advice on drafting legislation. They provide expertise to the full range of government departments. We are at the heart of delivering the government’s priorities and our success depends on our people.

GLD is a non-ministerial government department headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary, and employs nearly 4000 people, including nearly 3000 legal professionals. We have offices nationwide, in Bristol, Leeds, inner and outer London and Manchester. Our lawyers can also be located within other departments and overseas.

GLD also depends on a range of cross-functional professionals to provide our corporate services. There are nearly 1000 colleagues playing an essential part in helping GLD to achieve its purpose and truly deliver much more than law.

This is an exciting time to join GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service .

To find out more about what we do you can view our introductory film . On our website you can hear from team members, find out how to apply and learn about the benefits of working for GLD. You can also read more about the future vision for GLD in our GLD Strategy 2024 – 2027 .

Job description

The Digital, Data and Cyber Team is transforming the way GLD works through modern technology, data and digital services.

We are building a modern digital workplace that empowers our people, strengthens collaboration and enables the organisation to operate efficiently, securely and sustainably.

Through agile delivery and user-centred approaches, we design and deliver products and services in partnership with the people who use them, ensuring solutions meet real needs and deliver lasting value.

As part of the wider Government Digital and Data profession , we play a key role in transforming how government operates, enabling better outcomes for colleagues, stakeholders and the public we serve.

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join a newly formed, ambitious team where you will help influence decision-making, improve how we deliver change, and contribute to major transformation programmes. We are looking for proactive, curious and collaborative individuals who enjoy solving complex problems, building relationships across organisational boundaries, and turning insight into action.

The Digital Portfolio Team helps shape GLD’s Digital Data and Cyber function driving a range of initiatives that enable better services for our users. We provide strategic oversight, governance, assurance, workforce planning and portfolio management.

Key Responsibilities

The key responsibilities of this role include but are not limited to:

Strategy

• Support senior leaders to shape and continually review digital, data and cyber strategy aligned to GLD’s goals and user needs.
• Run quarterly portfolio reviews.
• Translate digital strategy into clear, measurable outcomes
• Monitor risks, delivery and progress against objectives
• Evaluate current strategies to ensure business requirements are being met and exceeded where possible
• Communicating digital’s vision and strategy to key stakeholders across the department and government
• Build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement

Adaptive Planning

• provide senior leaders with insights into digital projects so that they can make evidenced based decisions
• support the prioritisation of digital projects and programmes
• help stakeholders understand the performance of digital work and any related risks
• Providing flexible project/ business case support and cover across the wider team as required
• Planning communication strategies with digital, data and cyber teams to ensure they inform stakeholders in a timely way in plain English.

Person specification

Behaviours

Below are details of the Success Profiles that make up this role. Demonstrating all the behaviours listed below is essential at either application or interview. You can read more about Success Profiles and how they are used as an assessment method before completing your application .

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

• Seeing the big picture

Key Skills and Experience

Essential – Candidates must demonstrate the following key skills at interview:

Strategic thinking

• Contributing to, developing or implementing a digital, data or technology strategy in a complex organisation.

Portfolio management

• Managing a portfolio of competing transformation programmes.

Process and/or service design

• Designing, improving or implementing intake, demand management or prioritisation processes for a digital, data, transformation or change team.

Analysis and reporting

• Using data, evidence and insight to inform planning, prioritisation, reporting or decision-making.

Stakeholder management and communications

• Building effective relationships with a range of stakeholders, delivery teams and non-technical audiences. This includes senior stakeholders.

Technical Professional Skills

We will be assessing your experience and specialist technical skills against the following skills defined in the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework . Please note we are using the skills listed under the Senior Digital Portfolio Manager role in the framework.

Essential – must be demonstrated at application and interview

• Agile working
• Communication analysis and insight
• Governance and assurance
• Planning
• Stakeholder relationship management
• Strategic thinking

Security Clearance Level

All GLD employees must successfully obtain Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance before starting employment.

This role requires Security Check (SC) clearance. You may start employment once BPSS clearance has been completed and while your SC clearance application is being processed; however, obtaining and maintaining SC clearance is a condition of employment. If you are unable to obtain or maintain SC clearance, you may not be able to remain in the role you have been appointed to and this may lead to the termination of your contract or offer of employment.

Current SC clearance requirements typically include a 5-year verifiable UK residency history , with no more than 6 months spent outside the UK in the preceding 12 months . You will be asked to confirm whether you believe you meet these requirements as part of your application. This information will not be used as part of the assessment process.

As security vetting requirements are determined by the relevant vetting authority and may change over time, applicants are encouraged to review the latest UK Security Vetting guidance before applying via United Kingdom Security Vetting: Applicant Guidance .

Sponsorship and Visa Information

Visa sponsorship will not be given to candidates except where they are existing civil servants employed by GLD, who meet the HO/UKVI requirements for sponsorship. If you are an existing civil servant employed by GLD who requires sponsorship, you should confirm your eligibility for sponsorship for this role prior to application. Individuals should seek Home Office guidance on how new positions with the organisation impact on changes to sponsorship eligibility.

Candidates with Limited Leave to Remain can apply but must have at least 12 months remaining on an existing visa which allows them to work for GLD when employment commences. Candidates must ensure that their current visa dates cover the entire period of employment or that they are eligible for non-sponsored immigration routes, to allow their employment with GLD to continue for the duration of this role.

The expectation is that applicants have an existing visa, which at the point they start work with GLD has at least 12 months remaining on it. The share code you provide for your pre-employment checks must be linked to the visa that allows you to work for a minimum of 12 months in the role for which you have applied. This doesn’t not include having any outstanding visa applications in process during the recruitment process.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the right to work in the UK and hold an appropriate visa or are on an alternative route that covers the entire period of your employment. Please note, GLD will not be able to provide sponsorship for this role when your current visa arrangements expire and you will not be able to continue in your employment with GLD via sponsorship. Please allow three months for the onboarding process from the point of offer.

Candidates with Indefinite Leave to Remain can apply.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

• Technical professional skills

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,263, Government Legal Department contributes

£16,589 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).

• 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%

Benefits of working for the Civil Service

Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead, and you’ll benefit from regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits.

Learning and Development at GLD

GLD has a comprehensive learning and development offer for all employees.

We offer a programme of in-person/hybrid and virtual sessions providing learning on profession-specific, soft skills, technical skills, and different topics. We also support colleagues through a range of different professional qualifications.

Cross-Functional Professional

We support all Professions with building their careers and capability aligning with the wider Civil Service offerings for each Profession.

Talent and Development at GLD

There are also talent and development opportunities offered throughout the year these include:

Senior Leaders and Future Leaders Schemes – cross Civil Service accelerated development schemes.

Beyond Boundaries – cross government development programme designed to help participants develop the knowledge, skills and networks required to build a satisfying and effective career in the Civil Service.

Mentoring and Coaching – we encourage all colleagues to share their knowledge, capability, and experience.

Apprenticeships - We have a range of apprenticeships on offer across all professions with the opportunity for all employees to expl