Senior Occupational Psychologist

The Senior Occupational Psychologist (SOP) role is part of the Occupational Psychology and Psychometric Services (OPPS) Team.

OPPS is within the newly formed OneGov Delivery Agency and is currently led by Alice Clark (Head of Service) and Tina Gardner (Deputy Director).

OPPS acts as the provider for cross-Civil Service centralised tests and assessments. We collaborate with government departments, functions and professions to develop and deliver solutions grounded in occupational psychology. We place ourselves at the forefront of assessment innovation, and are actively creating a growing range of evidence-based psychological assessment tools.

Your Professional Home: The Government Occupational Psychology Profession (GOPP)

This post is part of the wider Government Occupational Psychology Profession (a recognised government specialist profession). The profession comprises over 250 members across all the major government departments and many agencies and arms-length bodies – which makes us the largest Occupational Psychology community in the U.K. We are a vibrant community with a long history in government going as far back as, at least, World War II, as shown in the Fifty Years of Occupational Psychology in Britain. The Head of the Government Occupational Psychology Profession is Dr Antonia Dietmann.

Building on the foundation of skills that you developed in your Masters degree, your career in the Government Occupational Psychology Profession will develop both your technical and consultancy capabilities. We welcome people from a range of different backgrounds as this helps to increase the diversity of thought and perspectives when developing solutions. Collaborating across departments and sharing learning is key to how we work. Throughout the year there will be many opportunities to connect with other members of the profession and build the relationships that will make the most rewarding occupational psychology career. Upon joining the civil service you are encouraged to sign up to the profession.

As a Senior Occupational Psychologist at the Cabinet Office, you will play a critical role in supporting our growing business offer. You will frequently be working with other members of the team on large programmes of work, but you will also be given the freedom to lead on projects independently, covering the entire consultancy cycle. You will be adaptable, flexible and dependable, with an ability to effectively prioritise and manage your time.

Some of the exciting projects you could be involved in:

• Researching and developing a suite of new leadership assessments for Senior Civil Service recruitment;
• Leading on the research of new and emerging assessment methods and processes;
• Working alongside psychometricians to build, customise and update psychometrics for use in the broader civil service;
• Amending our existing assessments to align with new Civil Service frameworks and standards;
• Conducting different validations and impact assessments to best improve our tests;
• Considering Best Practice guidance and the latest reasonable adjustments research, and implementing this in our suite of psychometric tests and assessments;
• Working across the government with other Occupational Psychologists in the GOPP on a wide range of exciting projects.

You will be joining a high performing multi-disciplinary team of occupational psychologists, psychometricians and digital experts who use evidence-based practice to put the client and user at the heart of what they do. We are a team that embraces innovation to deliver better results, improved efficiency and added value, with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion.

-MSc Occupational Psychology (or equivalent titled course) approved as Stage 1 by the British Psychological Society.

-British Psychological Society Qualification in Occupational Psychology Stage 2 or have completed Part 1 and Part 2 of a professional doctorate in occupational psychology, which confers Chartered Member with the BPS (see Memberships) and Full Member of the Division of Occupational Psychology (see Memberships) and Registered Occupational Psychologist with the HCPC (see Licences).

IMPORTANT - If you are within 6 months of successfully completing either of these qualifications, please discuss with us.

For the QOPS2 ‘within 6 months’ is broadly defined as: having made your final submission on the QOPS2 and you are waiting to hear if it has passed OR you have passed your final submission and are waiting for your viva to take place. Please note, once in role the [department] will not cover the costs incurred for you to complete the QOPS2. For a professional doctorate ‘within 6 months’ is broadly defined as: having submitted your final thesis and are waiting for your viva to take place. Please note, once in role, the Cabinet Office will not cover the costs incurred for you to complete the professional doctorate.

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 Experience and Technical skills.

Application process

As part of the application process, you will be asked to first confirm that you meet the eligibility criteria for Memberships, Licenses and Qualifications.

IMPORTANT - Please answer 'Yes' to these questions if you hold these memberships, licences and qualifications OR are immediately able to do so. If you are within 6 months of successfully completing these qualifications or holding these memberships, please discuss with us.

Personal Statement

You will then be asked to complete a Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement (no more than 1000 words) should explain how your personal skills, qualities, and experience evidence your suitability for the Key Skills and Experience required for the role. The layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You may choose to address the criteria separately; however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several key criteria. You don’t have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used.

A CV covering job history is requested to provide context to your responses throughout the selection process. The CV is not scored and will not contribute to your score in the Personal Statement. Please include all relevant evidence of the Key Skills and Experience within your Personal Statement.

Should a large number of applications be received we reserve the right to include desirable criteria and qualifications in shortlisting if we receive a large number of applications.

Interview Stage

Candidates who are successful at sift will then be invited to an interview.

The interview will have 2 parts:

• You will first be asked to do a pre-prepared presentation, which will take on the format of a work sample assessment. Details of the work sample will be included in the invitation to interview. You will be assessed against the Technical Skills (Consultancy and Research & Evaluation) outlined above.
• Interview questions assessing the Key Skills and Experience outlined under the Person Specification section of the job advert.

We will assess the technical skills (Knowledge Base and Consultancy) listed in the Government Occupational Psychology Skills & Standards at Senior Psychologist level (p16 – 23).

• Professional Skill: Consultancy
• Professional Skill: Research & Evaluation

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – w/c 19th October 2026

Expected interview date/s – w/c 26th October 2026 & w/c 2nd November 2026

Interview location - Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

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 menurecruitment.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.

Further Information

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

Any move to Cabinet Office 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.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

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.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

Please note that this role requires CTC clearance, which would normally need 3 years’ UK residency in the past 3 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

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

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

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

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.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

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