BEIS seeks transformation director to create ‘long-term plan’

New department says £125k role will focus on developing its “underpinning foundations”, building values and forming its culture


By Jim Dunton

23 Mar 2017

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has launched the hunt for a “transformation director”, who will be tasked with forging the new ministry’s identity and culture.

BEIS said the role had arisen as it left the “transition phase” that followed its creation from parts of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department of Energy and Climate Change in last July’s machinery of government changes.

It said that nine months on from the Whitehall reorganisation the department was “moving into the transformation phase” and needed a director to focus on creating a “long term plan to develop [its] underpinning foundations”, building its values, ways of working and culture.  


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The job description for the £125,000 a year Senior Civil Service Pay Band 2 role says the successful applicant will be tasked with building relationships with departmental director generals, trade union leaders and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.

According to the candidate information pack for the role, developing and getting approval for the BEIS transformation plan is a core function, as is providing strategic and operational advice to permanent secretary Alex Chisholm and director general for finance and corporate services Angie Ridgwell.

Ridgwell said BEIS was starting to shape its future as a “go to” department in Whitehall, that would set an example for businesses to follow.

“We want to be innovative, flexible and collaborative,” she said.

“We are looking to exploit new ways of working, so we can deliver great policies that deliver our secretary of state’s ambitions.”

“Working with ministers, the executive committee and across the whole department, [the successful candidate] will be responsible for leading the design of our culture and embedding it into the department.”

She added that working closely with staff to ensure they felt a sense of ownership and passion for the department’s work would also be a crucial part of the role.

The deadline for applications is 9am on April 10.

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