Manchester Digital Campus, Document Controller

The Government Property Agency is the largest property holder in government, with more than £2.1 billion in property assets and over 55% of the government’s office estate.

We are transforming the way the Civil Service works by creating great places to work, leading the largest commercial office programme in the UK, working towards halving carbon emissions from government offices, and achieving greater value for taxpayers. And we are looking for innovative, solutions-focused people to join our team.

Representing the best covenant in the UK – His Majesty’s Government – we are leading significant transformational programmes. We are also delivering cost-effective property services such as asset management, lifecycle replacement and workplace services.

Innovation and progress underpin our behaviours. We foster a culture of lifelong learning, where curiosity and self-improvement are encouraged. Our four core values are at the heart of everything we do. They shape our culture and guide how we work, lead and grow together:

• Striving for excellence- We always aim to deliver great results
• Empowering through respect- We insist on fair treatment for all, always
• Acting with integrity- We consistently do the right thing
• Succeeding together- We rely on each other to achieve success

We are committed to representing the communities we serve by making Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) part of everything we do. Our strong emphasis on EDI is not just about driving inclusion across our organisation, it is also about ensuring our services meet the needs of government departments and the civil servants who use our spaces. To ensure that we are always recruiting and retaining a diverse mix of talent, we are particularly inviting applications from candidates who are disabled, ethnically or gender diverse, and people who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Join our dynamic and diverse team that leads with purpose, improving sustainability, nurturing social value, driving inclusivity and flexibility, and kickstarting economic growth. We are driven by purpose, and you can be part of it too: where you make a meaningful impact; where you influence; where your voice really matters; where you help to shape our future direction.

The Manchester Digital Campus (MDC) is part of the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP), and is an exciting transformation across multiple Government departments, with significant ministerial, public, industrial and media interest. MDC is GPA’s biggest delivery programme yet.

The campus will comprise of two Government Hubs, built on a 5.5acre brownfield site in central Manchester. It will become a vibrant workplace for well over 8,000 people (including ministers and senior officials) from the digitally focused departments. The new, bespoke buildings will be designed to support the transformation objectives, collaborative working across government and with industry, academia and the local community. MDC will strengthen HMG’s skills, innovation and enable multi-department careers, whilst learning from and contributing to the exciting digital/AI sector in Manchester and the North West. It will directly support economic growth, skills, Civil Service reform (PAS) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is an exciting vision!

MDC is overseen by its policy sponsors (including Places for Growth and Government Digital/Data – in Cabinet Office and DCMS) and delivered by the GPA, together with the Departmental Partners transforming to use the new site. Having completed our Outline Business Case approval, and approaching our RIBA3 milestone (design complete), we are expanding the dedicated MDC team to match the growing workload. The MDC team is multi-disciplinary and all are dedicated to and passionate about our amazing programme. We pride ourselves on our inclusivity, curiosity to explore and solve problems, our openness to challenge and our commitment to delivering what's needed for the Civil Service’s future.

SC is the minimum vetting requirement to start in MDC posts. MDC may subsequently offer the opportunity to sponsor your DV application in specific roles.

If you are interested at all in this role, but have a question, do please reach out.

As the Manchester Digital Campus (MDC) develops, you will play a pivotal leadership role in establishing robust information governance and security standards, ensuring the programme realises its objectives effectively.

As Deputy Information and Documents Manager (Deputy IDM), you will be at the heart of a major government programme, driving integration across all workstreams and taking end-to-end ownership of the secure management and strategic governance of critical data and information assets throughout the lifecycle of the project.

MDC uses electronic document management systems (EDRMS) to store and exchange OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE information. You will provide strategic oversight to assure that data and information is securely generated, stored, and shared across networks and between partners and supply chains. This includes managing client requirements, and setting standards for information management across the design, build, and operational transition phases of the project.

As part of a supportive, collaborative team, you will engage with senior managers across the programme to champion information governance and influence key stakeholders to maintain rigorous security compliance. You will act as an authoritative lead, guiding decision-making, proactively mitigating risks, and adapting information frameworks to match the changing and expanding needs of the MDC programme.

You will report to the MDC Information and Documents Manager and have line management responsibility for an HEO Document Controller, collectively ensuring robust information governance and assurance across the entire MDC programme.

Key Responsibilities

• Day-to-day management of data and information to ensure it’s appropriately and securely received, stored, organised, retrieved and distributed.
• Engage with senior stakeholders to coordinate training and action plans in line with the project schedule and subject to audit compliance.
• Deliver regular information handling inductions and briefings to GPA teams, delivery partners, and supply chain contractors, to ensure the correct and controlled management of and access to secure information .
• Line manage one HEO.
• Administer the MDC document control systems and maintain the security of sensitive documents, including commercial and financial information.
• Securely receive, store, maintain, and distribute data and information between stakeholders.
• Establish and maintain document control workflows to ensure correct and up-to-date procedures for safe data and information exchange.
• Manage user accounts and control access to the secure repositories.
• Perform regular compliance checks to ensure all documents and records are correctly stored and referenced, acting as the department’s Library Manager and assisting Corporate Services.
• Quality assure documents for accuracy, completeness and compliance.
• Report any breach immediately and where appropriate escalate.

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)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Please note - At this time GPA are unable to offer any Visa Sponsorship to candidates as we do not currently hold a visa sponsorship licence. Please do not apply for permanent roles with GPA if you will require your employer to take on the sponsorship of your current or any future visas.

Sift

The sift is due to take place week commencing 10th November 2026.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to include a CV and a 500-word personal statement. The personal statement should then align with the person specification.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Interview

GPA policy is for interviews to be held face to face, with virtual interviews only by absolute exception. The date and location will be confirmed if you are invited to interview. If you feel this will be a problem for you, please contact recruitment@gpa.gov.uk to discuss prior to submitting your application.

At interview, applicants will be scored against 4 behaviours - Working Together , Managing a Quality Service, and Delivering at Pace.

Interview questions will be a blend of Behaviour, Experience, Strength and Technical (core skill) questions.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to GPA 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via GPArecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

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.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service 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.

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

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.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Feedback

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