Head of Governance and Performance (SCS PB1)

Why this role matters

The Home Office is one of the largest and most complex departments in government, responsible for delivering priorities including border security, migration, policing and homeland security. The Department's work directly affects the safety, security and prosperity of the United Kingdom.

Against this backdrop, this is a high-profile senior leadership role working at the heart the Department, with a view across the full breadth of the Home Office's work. The postholder will play a central role in ensuring that Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and Directors General have the insight, assurance, and governance needed to make informed decisions, manage risk, and maintain grip on performance and delivery across the Home Office's agenda.

The successful candidate will lead a multidisciplinary team, build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, including Ministers, Exco and Non-Executive Directors.

The role requires excellent judgement, resilience, political awareness and the confidence to operate across a complex organisational landscape, with the opportunity to shape how the Department assesses performance, responds to risk, and strengthens governance at the highest levels.

Key Accountabilities:

• Leading a team of c.15-20 (covering governance, planning, corporate reporting & analysis), fostering a high-performing and supportive culture. Alongside this, act as a core member of the Performance, Risk, Assurance & Governance directorate’s senior leadership team.
• Lead the Home Office Performance System, which consists of monthly performance stocktakes between the Permanent Secretary and Director Generals, and regular reporting to Executive Committee, Departmental Board and Ministers.
• Lead projects to deliver insight across Home Office performance, risk, compliance and value for money position to support senior decision-making.
• Continuously improve the cross departmental performance system, including through application of digital technology.
• Provide excellent support to the Department’s Non-Executive Directors (NEDs), including recruitment, induction and ongoing engagement.
• Lead the operation of the Department’s core governance forums, including:
• Ensuring the Departmental Board, chaired by the Home Secretary, functions effectively.
• Supporting the Executive Committee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary, to be an effective forum for collective leadership and decision-making.
• Supporting the Audit, Risk, and Assurance Committee to provide oversight and assurance across the department.
• Overseeing the effective operation of Investment and People Committees.
• Lead key audit reviews of performance and governance arrangements across the department.

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)

Please follow the Job Advert instructions on the Civil Service Jobs website to apply online by 23:55hrs on 16th September 2026.

You will be asked to provide:

• A CV – (2 pages max) setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. Please provide reasons for any gaps within the last two years.​​
• A Statement of Suitability – (limited to 1250 words) providing examples of how your experience meets the essential criteria.​​ This is your opportunity to give examples and show how your skills and experience fit the job requirements.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.