Quality Standards and Assurance (QSA) Principal - HO - G6

As a Quality Standards and Assurance (QSA) Principal, you will be responsible for the 2nd line DDaT QSA assurance function, leading and influencing the build, implementation, and ongoing delivery of a consistent “3 lines of defence” assurance model across DDaT. 

You will own and oversee the QSA framework, including three lines of defence, and advise on the application of appropriate quality management techniques and standards. You will engage and coach 1st line Heads of Role/ Sponsors to ensure the model is embedded and appropriately utilised across DDaT. 

You will provide management and oversight of the Spend and Standards Assurance team for the department.  Working to mature the function and how Spend Controls and Service Standard are applied within the department, including engaging regularly with GDS around the policy landscape. 

You will provide independent and constructive assurance across the broad and varied scope of DDaT. QSA is an established capability within DDaT, with a mission to improve the overall control environment, that supports HO DDaT in making risk-based decisions to achieve DDaT's objective, to build quality and resilient services for the Home Office.

Your goal is to build on the best-in-class assurance approach, and you will be playing a vital role in ultimately supporting the successful delivery of critical Home Office services to the public. 

This role is not suitable for part-time working due to the nature of the role.  

What you will do 

Your main day to day responsibilities will be: 

• Setting the strategy on independent assurance across the 3 lines of defence in DDaT.
• Management and oversight of the Spend and Standards Assurance team and the Accessibility Assurance function.
• Management of the DDaT Risk maturity and DDaT Strategic Risk lead to provide effective management, mitigation and escalation of risk.
• Provide leadership for the QSA function, including senior stakeholder management with key policy owners within the department and the leadership of the relevant DDaT Delivery functions.
• Directing and setting the strategic direction to ensure the formation of effective internal assurance teams in the 2nd line of defence, complimenting 1st line governance, assurance and risk processes.
• Delivering the reporting and tracking of recommendations resulting from 2nd and 3rd line reviews.
• Managing the relationship with all 3rd line assurance agencies by being the SPOC and independent assurance between agencies and DDaT.
• Overseeing a culture of quality management around ‘what' is built and ‘how' things are built and maintained, providing insight and challenge to the department, up to and including ARAC and ExCo.
  Person specification

  Essential Skills  

  You'll have a demonstrable passion for Governance, Risk and Assurance with the following skills or experience in: 

  • Using recognised quality management processes and the principles of quality controls, quality assurance and assurance audits.
  • Experience of working to technology strategies, with senior key stakeholders within a complex IT product or technical delivery environment.
  • Experience of embedding and assessing technology maturity frameworks across a large estate with diverse stakeholder needs.
  • Using a range of common technology patterns, development approaches and ways of working within a control environment.
  • Communicating confidently with senior stakeholders including business and technical leaders, external audit teams and subject matter experts.
  • Presenting clear strategies, utilising analysis and demonstrating data led decision making with excellent writing and communication skills.

    Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession Career Framework

    The technical skills listed below are reflective of the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession Career Framework. Please refer to the attached Home Office Skills QAT Library pack, which includes detailed descriptors of the listed skills at each level of capability to assist with your application. We use these technical skills to form our interview questions and we will assess you against these technical skills during the selection process.

    Technical skills

    We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

    • Quality Assurance (QUAS) - Level 5
    • Quality Management (QUMG) - Level 5
    • Audit (AUDT) - Level 4
    • Risk Management (BURM) - Level 4
    • Specialist Advice (Tech) - Level 5
    • Domain Experience - Level 3