Head of People - AI Safety Institute
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 8th December 2024
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About the job
Job summary
Job description
None of this is possible without building a team consisting of world leading researchers and engineers from AI companies, builders from start-ups, and brilliant civil servants. The people we hire are the AISI’s greatest asset.
Creating an organisation of this nature presents unique opportunity but comes with significant challenge. We have already developed some of the most advanced operating procedures in government, constantly challenging the status quo whilst also genuinely reinventing best practice.
The Head of People will be at the heart of the AISI’s success.
This is a new role and new team that will be responsible for owning and implementing programmes and systems that will scale and grow the employee experience at AISI. We want to make AISI the best place to work in Government: this role will be critical to achieving this mission.
You will be an integral member of the team impacting the design and implementation of AISI people strategy. You will work closely with the wider senior management team to enable the AISI to deliver its strategic priorities. The postholder will be an effective and dynamic HR professional with a proven track record of contributing to an inclusive, values-driven, high performing culture.
The role requires an excellent communicator and relationship builder who can work strategically internally, and externally with stakeholders across DSIT and wider civil service, to ensure AISI attracts and retains the right people to enable us to deliver our vision.
This role will report to the Deputy Director for Talent & Operations and will be a trusted member of the Senior Management Team for the organisation. The role will naturally evolve over time as the organisation matures and you identify and pursue opportunities to enhance the service and support required by the team.
Person specification
To be successful in this role, you must demonstrate the ability to think strategically and creatively. The team are genuinely trying to do something innovate, so the post holder will need to draw on their expertise and experience as a creative HR professional to think outside of the box, working closely with colleagues across the wider HR functions and key XWH stakeholders including Government Recruitment Services, the Government People Group, and the Civil Service Commission to help tackle our challenges around people policy design, process optimisation, retention and progression, and organisation culture.
This is a fast-paced environment, and any individual must be able to work dynamically and effectively independently, and often with uncertainty.
As the Head of People, you will be responsible for facilitating all aspects related to people in the AI Safety Institute, including but not limited to:
- You will take ownership of the full People Experience journey including, onboarding, talent management.
- Partner with senior leadership to understand organisational goals and develop people strategies that support these objectives including expert advice on organisational design, strategic workforce planning, talent management, and succession planning as well as strategic People initiatives that improve organisational effectiveness and employee engagement.
- Work closely with the Talent Team to help attract and retain top talent, including the development, optimisation and implementation of onboarding processes with the aim of bettering those of leading private sector organisations in this field.
- Develop and implement Pay & Progression strategies to ensure competitive, fair, and transparent career paths within the AISI for technical and non-technical staff.
- Develop and implement performance management processes, along with the facilitation of career development activities for technical and non-technical staff.
- Support change management efforts as the organisation grows and scales as we prepare for being placed onto a statutory footing. This will include providing critical technical HR/employment oversight to ensure the AISI remains the best place to work, ensuring effective communication with teams and employees about any changes during a transition period.
- Working closely with the special projects team and corporate work strands to foster a positive and inclusive organisational culture aligned with organisational values by developing and implementing employee engagement initiatives to improve morale and productivity including DEI strategies and programs.
- Identify opportunities for process improvement and automation, leveraging AI within People team to enhance operational effectiveness.
- Work closely with Talent SMT on identifying areas for continuous improvement in way in which HR services are delivered across the organisation.
- Evaluate the competitive landscape and create strategies to adapt to changing market trends to ensure that we remain competitive.
Essential:
- Proven ability to lead and manage teams across diverse HR portfolios.
- Demonstration of designing and implementing innovative HR people policies that meet strategic organisation objectives.
- Deep understanding of pay and progression.
- Expert in strategic workforce planning for scaling organisations.
- In-depth understanding of People best practices, with the ability to move seamlessly from strategy development to execution.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships at all levels of the department and with colleagues across the wider function.
- Strategic thinker with a track record of aligning HR initiatives to current workforce needs and long-term business goals, delivering innovative people solutions.
- Proven track record of delivering results in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, sensibly navigating ambiguity where necessary.
- High level of integrity and ability to use good judgment.
- Analytical mindset with proficiency in HR analytics and data-driven decision-making.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and concisely to a range of audiences.
Desirable:
- An understanding or awareness of negotiating secondments.
- An understanding or awareness of managing global talent, including visa sponsorship requirements.
Qualifications
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
Benefits
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
- A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
- Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
- A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
- An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
- Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
- A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 3 x A4 pages.
- A Personal Statement (max 750 words) explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed.
For sifting, we will assess your experience and select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your CV and Personal Statement.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the CV.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Interview stage 1
If you are selected for Interview Stage 1, you will be assessed on your experience.
Interview stage 2
If you are selected for Interview Stage 2, you will be assessed against the following behaviours:
- Leadership
- Working together
- Delivering at Pace
- Seeing the Bigger Picture
You may be asked to give a presentation to demonstrate one of these behaviours.
Sift and interview dates
Expected Timeline subject to change
Sift dates: w/c 9th December
Interview 1 dates: w/c 16th December
Interview 2 dates: w/c 6th January
Interview Location: MS Teams.
Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.
Further Information
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
Reasonable Adjustment
We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.
Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DSIT Candidate Guidance. A DSIT Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.
We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).
DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.
DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Azmi Sbaiti
- Email : Azmi.sbaiti2@dsit.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : active.campaigns@dsit.gov.uk
Further information
