Please read before applying:

To apply for this role you will need to submit a CV and statement of suitability. These need to be merged into one document. When submitting your application Applied will ask you to upload a CV, when doing this you should upload your merged document of your CV and statement of suitability. There are further details in the Selection Process section further below in this advert.

If you experience technical issues during the application process we have found using a different browser or device in the first instance can be a quick fix.

If those don't work please email scs.recruitment@communities.gov.uk with your application and/or CV before the submission deadline. Any applications received after the deadline may not be considered.

Short Summary

As Deputy Director for Institutional Reform, you have an opportunity to lead the design and implementation of a critical part of the Government’s response to the Grenfell Inquiry report.  In this role, you will have the unique chance to shape and steer key institutional reforms that are essential for enhancing the safety and regulatory framework of the Built Environment as part of the leadership team for the Building Systems and Insight Directorate in the Buildings Resilience and Fire Group.

Job Description

Your primary responsibility will be to spearhead policy and delivery work related to the institutional and regulatory landscape for building safety, working in close collaboration with industry leaders, regulatory authorities, and various governmental stakeholders. A significant aspect of your role will involve the development of a new Single Regulator for Construction, a flagship recommendation stemming from the Grenfell Inquiry. Your efforts will be directed towards integrating functions that monitor the performance of existing institutions, ensuring regulatory bodies meet their intended objectives, and driving the design and implementation of necessary reform measures including business case development and legislative provisions.

You are also responsible for the sponsorship and performance management oversight of the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). The BSR is responsible for delivery of the safety regime for new and existing high-risk buildings – and its performance is critical to the delivery of Government’s commitment to 1.5 million homes and the remediation of buildings with unsafe cladding.

Key accountabilities

The responsibility of this role includes:

• Leading the design and development of the Single Regulator for Construction, bringing together stakeholders from across industry, the regulatory system and government to build a vision for change and consensus on the model to deliver

• Building the programme business case for institutional reform measures across the Built Environment

• Developing new mechanisms for driving better oversight of the existing institutional landscape across the Built Environment, so that insight can be better derived to drive policy design

• Developing new sponsorship and performance management arrangements for the Building Safety Regulator, including assurance of a budget of c£100m over the SR period

• Leading a team of 25+ on all aspects of Ministerial advice related to the Institutional and Regulatory governance of the Built Environment

Person specification

You will be a strategic thinker, able to navigate a complex and highly fragmented system and translate into practical and tangible steps.

You will have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to manage relationships effectively, given the high degree of stakeholder work required.

You will be comfortable briefing ministers on all aspects of policy through to delivery.

You will be comfortable working at pace and responding flexibly to change.

You will be an experienced and visible leader, able to engage and motivate a team working under pressure and at pace and to actively contribute to the wider leadership agenda of the Directorate and Department.

You will be experienced in performance analysis of a complex system to identify trends and insights.

You will be comfortable with all aspects of organisational sponsorship – such as budgeting and performance management.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

Essential criteria

• Excellent stakeholder and relationship skills, with a strong ability to appreciate different perspectives, demonstrate empathy, listen and influence. ​

• Strong communication and influencing skills, both in writing and orally, with the ability to build trust and rapport at all levels from diverse communities through to senior stakeholders in government, other public organisations and industry.​

• An inspiring, confident and empowering leader, who can work under sustained scrutiny, set the strategic direction, lead effectively through ambiguity and get the best out of a diverse workforce through promoting an inclusive, high-performance culture.

• The ability to think strategically and translate the complex into the simple with a sharp focus on delivery

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in a regulatory body

• Experience of sponsorship of an arm’s length body

• Delivery of major projects or institutional reform

How to apply

Please click the Be Applied link to provide the required information and complete your application through the Be Applied website by 23:55 on Sunday 8 June 2025.

You will be asked to enter some personal details, upload your CV and to provide your responses to the role’s advertised essential criteria.​

When prompted to upload your CV, please upload a single document consisting of:

• a CV (including the names of 2 referees and your current remuneration) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities, achievements and your relevant qualifications. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. ​ 

• a statement of suitability explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria provided in the person specification. (max. 2 pages)​ 

Please remember to save these two items in one document. Both items will be assessed to determine sift outcomes.  

Failure to submit both a CV and statement of suitability will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the Essential Criteria. 

Please note that only completed applications through the Be Applied route will be considered and that any further progress updates will be sent through Be Applied. 

The hiring manager, Catherine Adams, would be happy to have informal discussions with candidates who would like further information about the role before submitting an application. If interested, please contact scs.recruitment@communities.gov.uk  

The selection panel will be made up of: 

• Catherine Adams, Director, Building Systems and Insight

• Two additional Directors

Additionally, the panel will be joined by one of our staff representatives from a pool of volunteers as part of our commitments to diversity and inclusion. 

Selection process and assessments

During sifting, both your CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the role’s Essential Criteria. These Essential Criteria will also be used to form the basis of the panel’s questions in your final interview.

If a role lists Desirable Criteria, these will only be used to determine the merit order of candidates who rank evenly when assessed against the Essential Criteria.

Candidates that are shortlisted may be invited to attend a staff engagement panel.  

At MHCLG we hold staff engagement panels as an integral part of the recruitment process for Senior Civil Servants (SCS) – they are designed to help us build up a rounded picture of each candidate and give us an insight into how you might engage and interact with your team should you be successful. The purpose of the session is to help us assess your engagement and communication skills and is not about testing your subject knowledge or expertise for this particular role. Feedback from the session is passed onto the selection panel for consideration alongside the final interview.

Candidates may also be invited to a meeting with a senior stakeholder. This is not a formal part of the selection process but an informal chance for candidates to find out more about the role and the organisation.

Shortlisted candidates will also be invited to give a short presentation or complete an exercise at the beginning of their final interview. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates when invited to interview.  

All of the evidence presented as part of the process will be considered in the final assessment. 

Location 

This role is available in one of the locations listed below. During the application process you will be asked to express a location preference, from the advertised locations. Any offer made will be based on that specific location. ​ 

• Wolverhampton

• Darlington

• Manchester

• Bristol 

Salary 

For external appointments, remuneration for this role will be £76,000 pa plus a bonus opportunity depending on performance (within the normal Civil Service pay arrangements) and attractive pension.​

For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and temporary promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If appointed on promotion you would get the higher of 10% uplift or the new minimum for Director.

Future pay awards will normally be made in line with current SCS performance-related pay arrangements.

Reserve List  

In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details in a reserve list for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this.

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Near Miss Offers​ 

Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign.

Security Clearance 

All DLUHC colleagues must meet the Baseline Personnel Security Standard. This is a series of basic security checks to confirm identity and employment history.

In addition to the BPSS, the level of security clearance required for this role is Security Check (SC) and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete. For more details of vetting levels and requirements please refer to the Cabinet Office HMG Personnel Security Controls.

Complaints Process 

Please see candidate pack slide 23 for details.