Job summary
We are running an outreach session on 26th February to provide more information about the Neo Centre Office (NCO). You can sign up here -
At DSIT we're all about improving people's lives by maximising the potential of science & technology.
We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.
We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared.
We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back.
We do all this to enable the Government's 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future.
Above all, we focus on improving people's lives. Whether it's researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do.
Our Inclusive Environment
We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.
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 and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
Find Out More
We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application and interview process. You can sign up for upcoming events here:
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Job description
The Matrix Programme is a transformation initiative involving 7 Government Departments (listed at the end). It is a unique cross-government collaboration that will unlock simpler, better, and more joined up working by bringing together the systems, processes, and ways of working for key government functions.
Over the coming months we'll be preparing to roll out Neo, our powerful new HR and Finance technology and service for the Matrix cluster - driving a more modern, digital government. The first Departments will go live in June 2026. Neo is a cloud-based system, powered by Workday that will replace legacy HR and finance technology and offline processes across multiple Government Departments and associated Arm's-Length Bodies. Designed to streamline administrative activities and promote intuitive self-service, Neo is enabling time back to focus on what we value the most – serving the public. Moreover, Neo's adoption means we are harnessing the power of shared technology at scale. This unified way of working delivers better, more accurate data - eliminating errors, creating one trusted source of truth and accurate reporting. Neo is more than just a new system; it's enabling us to be data-led, to work smarter, respond faster and deliver services that truly meet the needs of the public.
The Neo Centre Office (NCO) is the strategic service management function for the Neo Service. Hosted within Integrated Corporate Services (ICS), its purpose is to monitor, direct, and advise on the delivery of the Neo service, ensuring it operates efficiently and meets performance expectations. It provides central oversight, enabling consistent service quality, timely issue resolution, and continuous improvement. By acting as a governance and coordination hub, the function ensures alignment with strategic objectives, fosters stakeholder confidence, and supports the seamless delivery of Neo across all relevant departments.
Whilst the NCO will be hosted within ICS, some roles are temporarily aligned to the programme (hosted within Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)) until all departments are fully onboarded. Whilst the NCO will have employees hosted across both ICS and DSIT, it operates as one unified team and plays a vital role within the ICS organisation.
The Departments forming the Matrix Programme include Cabinet Office (CO), Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT), Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), Department for Business and Trade (DBT), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Department for Education (DfE) and His Majesty's Treasury (HMT).
The Role
Responsible for the overall ownership and accountability of a specific service or set of services, ensuring they meet the agreed-upon business requirements and deliver value to customers. In addition to service ownership, the Global Process Owner (GPO) is accountable for process convergence and integrity across the Neo/ICS model including the underpinning enabling services capabilities, as well as the efficiency roadmap. They act as a critical bridge between departments, the NCO, and suppliers—driving efficiency, protecting standardisation and scalability while ensuring departmental needs are met. The GPO works closely with departments, technology teams, and shared service providers to ensure services are delivered on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards, while maintaining alignment with the broader process architecture and strategic goals.
This GPO role will have a specialism in Compensation and Benefits (Payroll, Reward, Manage time).
Please note, this role is being recruited to in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). During 2027, it is expected that this role will move department into Integrated Corporate Services (ICS), which is hosted by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ). The move between departments will be managed via the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice (COSoP) for staff transfers in the public sector
Key Responsibilities
Programme Implementation:
Set the vision and drive the strategic direction for the processes in the service team during the implementation lifecycle, providing expertise across the operating model, including data and technology.
Custodian of the business processes agreed by departments within the service catalogue, which includes but is not limited to:
- Sets design principles, standards, key performance indicator (KPIs) and escalation rules.
- Leads the design authority for the process area (final sign off on charges, ensuring consistency across department).
- Ensure that Workday configuration, knowledge assets, and data standards are aligned to the process model
- Define how self-service and automation should evolve in the process area
- Maintain a benefits case for the process pillar, showing value delivered (efficiency, compliance, user experience in line with design principles)
- Act as a senior escalation point for cross department conflicts on process vs. departmental variations
- Own the implementation of process standardisation, harmonisation and continuous improvement programmes / initiatives within the process area.
In conjunction with Service Design, understand departmental needs and translate them into clear service requirements enabling the suppliers to design the optimal service and deliver to departments. Define, maintain and act upon the service vision, roadmap, and backlog for the service team, working with other GPOs to have a consolidated service vision and roadmap across all service families for the cluster.
Drive improvements to all aspects of the operating model, including how self-service, data and technology can be used to optimise performance.
Business as Usual:
Strategic process leadership: set the process strategy and vision and lead the delivery of it.
Understand the total demand for the service across the customer base and work with suppliers to ensure the right volume of services is available on a timely basis. Ensure service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) are robust in measuring supplier performance, department compliance and user satisfaction. Participate in the governance of the service, including acting as point of escalation for the delivery teams.
Monitor the performance of the service being delivered by the suppliers including user satisfaction, identifying and addressing any issues that arise. Actively work with the suppliers on continuous improvement and innovation opportunities. Set out clear reporting requirement for the suppliers to help enable more detailed analysis at the cluster level.
Ensure that the suppliers have robust change and release management, issue and incident management, and business continuity planning in place.
Ensure that suppliers have effective availability and capacity management processes in place to meet current and future service demands. Monitor service uptime and resource utilisation, proactively identifying risks to availability and ensuring capacity planning aligns with business growth and seasonal demand fluctuations.
Ensure suppliers maintain comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge bases that support efficient service delivery and user self-service. Promote the use of structured knowledge management practices to capture lessons learned, reduce repeat incidents, and improve onboarding and training across delivery teams.
Act as a key escalation point for service-related issues across the lifecycle and drive continuous service improvement through proactive analysis and collaboration.
Act as a point of contact for external/internal audits relating to the service families.