The UK Civil Service welcomes talented professionals from other organisations to join us on temporary secondments. A secondment allows you to gain valuable experience working within the Civil Service while maintaining your permanent employment with your organisation.
We are looking to bring in critical capabilities, external expertise and innovative thinking to support delivery of the Plan for Change.
Our roles are diverse and all contribute to delivering vital services to the public. On a Civil Service secondment, you can make a real difference to people’s lives in the UK.
There is no typical secondee. Whatever your background, age, location or professional experience, a secondment can offer great development opportunities.
There are secondment opportunities across the Civil Service in a wide variety of areas, find an opportunity that suits your skills and interests.
Our secondments offer a unique career development route to develop and share your skills, knowledge and experience within government.
There are opportunities to work on high-profile and exciting projects that cannot be found elsewhere.
Be at the heart of what is happening in government and drive change.
Embarking on a Civil Service secondment is an opportunity to unlock your potential and broaden your horizons.
Here are a few benefits:
capability development: enhance your expertise by developing new skills and experience for example in policymaking, project management, digital or delivering critical public services
exposure to new thinking: implement innovative practices and discover fresh perspectives from a different sector
professional growth: build your professional network across the public sector through shared knowledge and collaboration
valuable career development: experience leading, managing and delivering a different operating environment
working in government: enhance your CV with experience of unique aspects of working in government including public accountability, collaboration across a vast network of departments and sectors, working with world-leading experts and long-term strategic planning.
Speak with your line manager: discuss your interest in a secondment and create a development plan outlining your career goals; including specific skills you are looking to gain through a secondment.
Look at existing opportunities: use our department and professions profile to understand more about what we do across the government, which might be of interest to you and what secondment opportunities are available. Find secondment opportunities on CS Jobs and register your interest to receive email alerts. Apply through one of the secondment schemes.
Network and build relationships: utilise your professional network, attend networking events, relevant industry forums and research online to find areas of the Civil Service which may have roles to meet your development needs.
Be proactive and prepared: update and tailor your CV to highlight relevant skills and experience that align with the secondment role you are pursuing. Be persistent, finding the right secondment can take time, remain proactive in your search and keep exploring new opportunities as they arise.
A secondment case study
What did you learn from your secondment?
I learnt about how science policy decisions are made within the government, and the key role the evidence from scientific data or research plays in helping these decisions.
Geospatial data is fundamental for numerous applications in remote sensing, yet its strength is often overlooked. I have a greater awareness of the diverse methods to collect geospatial data, as well as innovative applications.
Would you recommend a secondment to others?
Yes by doing a secondment you achieve a deeper understanding of how different organisations or teams operate, and learn best practices.
What will you take back to your home organisation?
My secondment to central government has given me valuable insights into cultivating high-performing and happy teams. I intend to incorporate elements of their working culture and leadership practices at my home organisation.
“I see a secondment as an ideal opportunity to take a step back from my lab-based research to better understand how my work fits into a wide science and innovation landing in the UK.”
Elin, Academic Researcher at RAL Space
Seconded to: Geospatial Commission, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Current government secondment schemes
Digital secondment programme
An exciting inward secondment programme offering a range of interesting opportunities in a variety of Digital roles across government.
STEM futures
A partnership of organisations across industry, academia and public sector which provides opportunities to exchange and promote STEM knowledge.
FAQs
How do I get paid?
The standard arrangement is that you will remain on the contractual terms and conditions of your home organisation while on secondment. This means that in most cases, if you were to be seconded into the Civil Service, the Civil Service would typically pay your salary, subject to agreement.
In practical terms, you will typically stay on the payroll of your home organisation and the organisation hosting the secondment reimburses the pay costs (including basic pay, national insurance, pension contribution and any other contractual entitlements).
In most cases, secondees also remain in the pension scheme of their home organisation and will typically receive any pay awards from their organisation while on secondment.
Arrangements will be negotiated and agreed between your organisation and the Civil Service department, and will be detailed in a secondment agreement.
What level of pre-employment or security checks are required for secondees joining a government department?
As you will be working within the Civil Service, you must undergo pre-appointment checks in the same way as any new joiner. Any security checks required will be undertaken as part of the on-boarding process upon confirmation of your secondment into the Civil Service. Right to work requirements must also be met.
Some additional approvals may be required, but these would be role dependent and would be advised by the departmental HR teams.
How long could I be on secondment for?
Duration can vary from anything from several months up to two years. This should be appropriate to the nature of the opportunity and not exceed two years unless there is a specific business justification for doing so.
Are there any restrictions on the areas of government I can work in?
Your organisation and the Civil Service will want to feel confident that your secondment avoids any conflicts of interest, whether due to your current organisation or any outside interests. We are experienced in assessing and providing advice in this area and will work with you to ensure all parties are assured.
About the Civil Service
Our departments
The Civil Service is divided into departments. Whatever your passion, there’s a department to match
Our professions
Every Civil Service role is part of a profession. Government professions develop specialist skills and knowledge in people, set standards and define career pathways. Find the one that matches your talents and look for secondment opportunities.
Our locations
The Civil Service has locations all across the UK.