Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Strategy Advisor
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Bristol, Darlington, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Wolverhampton
Job Summary
We are MHCLG
About The Team
You will be joining the Elections Strategy Team within the Elections Directorate at MHCLG. This is an exciting time to join the Directorate as we deliver the Government's strategy to reduce barriers to participation in democracy and modernise elections, as set out in Restoring Trust in Our Democracy: Our Strategy for Modern and Secure Elections. The Elections Strategy Team supports the delivery of electoral reform and change across Great Britain. Our work includes:
- Tackling attitudinal and practical barriers to voting.
- Supporting inclusive democratic engagement.
- Piloting modernisation initiatives such as flexible voting.
- Improving voter information and accessibility.
- Supporting local authorities to deliver change.
- Ensuring clear public communications concerning electoral reform.
- Working with the Scottish and Welsh Governments and the Electoral Commission to deliver an elector-focused environment across Great Britain.
We are recruiting two HEOs to support this high-profile programme of work. These roles offer the opportunity to contribute to meaningful democratic change and work closely with stakeholders across government, the electoral sector and statutory bodies.
Job Description
These roles will support pilots and innovation in elections delivery, including:
- Engaging with and supporting local authorities with pilots
- Supporting pilot design, delivery, and evaluation
- Support the delivery of Ministerial submissions and briefings
- Support the team in drafting responses to Parliamentary Questions and Ministerial Correspondence
- Liaising with suppliers and supporting funding initiatives
- Contributing to a market development strategy
Person specification
Essential
- The ability to work to broad goals independently, with minimal direction
- Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Ability to manage competing priorities and work at pace
- Analytical and problem-solving skills
Alongside your salary of £36,169, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £10,478 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).
At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Staff Benefits Scheme, Childcare Vouchers, and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.
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
Application and Selection
The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:
- Behaviours
- Strengths
Stage 1: Sift
- Behaviour: Delivering at pace (Lead Behaviour)
- Behaviour: Communicating and influencing
- Behaviour: Working together
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There is a 250-word limit per question.
When Writing Your Application, Remember
- The assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially
- Do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers
- If talking about something in your first answer, make sure to write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!)
Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.
In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead behaviour listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.
If you run into any technical problems when applying through Be Applied (for example, trouble logging in or submitting your application), their support team can help. Please contact them at hello@beapplied.com.
Stage 2: Interview
- Behaviours: Delivering at pace, Communicating and influencing, Working together.
- Strengths: The strength-based questions will require natural responses from the candidates.
Sift and Interview Dates
Sifting is envisaged to take place starting 02/09/2026.
Interviews are currently being held remotely via video call. This could be subject to change.
Disability Confident Scheme (DCS)
We are a Disability Confident employer.
We apply a fair and proportionate interview process for all candidates. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to progress candidates who apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and meet the required minimum selection criteria.
However, where high application volumes are received, progression to interview may be limited to those who best meet the role criteria. In these circumstances, the benchmark required to proceed to interview may be raised for all candidates.
How We Recruit
Find out more about our recruitment processes here.
Applying
- Sifting
- Interview
- Interview Results & Feedback
- Reserve List
- Near Miss
- Civil Service Grades
- We are a Disability Confident Scheme, Redeployment Interview scheme & Great Place to Work for Veterans employer
- Reasonable Adjustments
How To Apply
Find out everything you need to know before applying here.
You must review the following information from the MHCLG Career's Site before submitting your application. This step is essential to ensure your eligibility for the role and that your application is completed correctly.
- Security Clearance Requirements
- Civil Service Nationality Requirements
- Right to Work
- Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles
- CV Declaration
- Sponsorships
- Salary and Grade
- Existing Civil Servants
- Conflict of Interest
- Location and Flexible Working
- Internal Fraud Database
- Appeals and Complaints
- Fixed Term Appointments for:
- External Candidates
- Existing Civil Servants (Including Loans)
- Secondments
- MHCLG employees
Security Clearance Requirements
- National Office: BPSS
- London Office: BPSS + CTC
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window). See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
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).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
- Name: Gregory Brownlow
- Email: gregory.brownlow@communities.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Further information
About
If you are unsure about any part of the process or require additional information about the post to enable you to progress your application, you should speak to the Resourcing team - recruitment@communities.gov.uk. Candidates can appeal at any stage of the recruitment process if they believe there has been:
- a procedural irregularity
- an infringement of the Civil Service equal opportunities policy
- exceptional circumstances which were not notified to the interview panel which might have affected performance on the day.
It is important to note that these are appeals about the process not the decision. In the first instance, an appeal should be directed to the MHCLG Resourcing Hub at recruitment@communities.gov.uk.
If the MHCLG Resourcing Hub is unable to satisfactorily resolve your complaint, you may contact put your complaint in writing to the Civil Service Commission, Room G8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ or by email to: info@
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