Guidance

Senior Talent Committee - Terms of Reference

Updated 13 August 2026

Role

The role of the Senior Talent Committee is to strengthen the capability of the Civil Service to deliver current and future priorities of Government by setting the strategic direction for, and providing robust oversight of, how senior talent is identified, attracted, nurtured, and deployed across the Senior Civil Service. It is responsible for ensuring the Civil Service has robust strategies in place to develop the capabilities and expertise needed for individual progression; to build a coaching culture; and ultimately accelerate the careers of the Senior Leadership Group to deliver future Civil Service requirements.

Additionally, the Senior Talent Committee is responsible for setting and assuring high standards of leadership for the Senior Leadership Group so that the Civil Service maintains an inspiring and dynamic environment where great people want to work, developing the energy and creativity required to deliver current and future priorities of Government. 

It also provides advice to the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service on strategic people matters relating to the Senior Leadership Group, serving as the principal decision-making body for SCS talent management and performance management. For the purpose of this terms of reference the Senior Leadership Group refers to the Director and Director General (DG) workforce.

Objectives

The Senior Talent Committee’s primary objectives are to: 

• Strengthen the capability of the overall Senior Leadership Group through active and robust talent management and leadership development across the Civil Service, informed by departmental, professional and functional perspectives;
• Set the strategy and principles for recruitment, performance management and reward relating to the DG workforce; 
• Provide stewardship of the DG workforce, ensuring its development, composition and leadership capability meet the evolving needs and innovation required of the Civil Service, by ensuring our senior leaders possess the skills to drive innovation and improved productivity, including the adoption of AI and emerging technologies;
• Set expectations and high standards for senior talent management, including oversight of the DG and Permanent Secretary Indicators of Potential and assurance of departmental talent processes;
• Grow strong and diverse leadership pipelines for DG and Permanent Secretary roles, including improving the visibility, development and mobility of high potential Directors and DGs to accelerate their careers. Collaborate with the People Board to ensure cohesive and seamless talent and development programmes, from early career schemes through to Permanent Secretary;
• Oversee the Civil Service’s core senior leadership development architecture in collaboration with the National School of Government and Public Services (NSGPS), including the Directors Leadership Programme (DLP), Individual Development Programme (IDP) and the wider development of the DG workforce.

The Senior Talent Committee’s key deliverables include:

• Developing and overseeing the Civil Service’s Senior Talent Strategy, setting the strategic direction for strengthening senior leadership capability and pipelines across government;
• Working closely with Professions to find, attract, and grow senior leadership pipelines, cultivating succession from Director to DG, DG to Permanent Secretary, and identifying risks;
• Providing oversight of the size and shape of the DG workforce, including making recommendations to the Cabinet Secretary on proposals to create new DG posts and advice on DG pay exceptions and exits;
• Setting high standards in the development of the DG workforce, including the DG induction offer; 
• Overseeing core senior leadership development activity, providing the right experiences to develop the capabilities and expertise needed for individual progression under the Directors Leadership Programme (DLP) and Individual Development Programme (IDP);
• Overseeing the coordination of DG Honours
• Setting expectations and providing assurance on the standards for senior talent across departments and functions, including effective use of the DG and Permanent Secretary Indicators of Potential;
• Overseeing DG performance management standards and assessments to ensure consistency and rigour;
• Sponsoring the annual pay data collection from Departments and (as appropriate) Functions, conducting regular reviews of DG pay data, so that talent is recognised and rewarded and providing guidance to departments on the landscape and principles for DG pay exceptions; and,
• Establishing and sponsoring focused delivery groups where required to support delivery of the Board’s priorities.

Relationship with other groups or boards

In carrying out its responsibilities, the Senior Talent Committee will:

• Provide relevant qualitative and quantitative management information to the HoDs priority area on Culture Talent and Management of the Civil Service;  work alongside HoDs and any other relevant Boards to continue developing areas of common interest; and,
• Provide oversight of any focused delivery groups established to carry out specific work on behalf of the Senior Talent Committee. The membership and remit of these delivery groups is at the discretion of the Chair of the Committee. 

Decision Making 

The Senior Talent Committee makes decisions on matters within the scope of these Terms of Reference. Where a matter falls outside its delegated authority, or where a decision is reserved for the Cabinet Secretary, Heads of Department or another governance body, the committee will provide recommendations or advice.

The committee operates by consensus wherever possible. Decisions are recorded transparently, and where necessary, may be taken by correspondence between meetings. 

Meetings

The Senior Talent Committee will meet bi-monthly. Papers will be distributed prior to the meeting. Any particular issues or matters of concern relating to the Senior Talent Committee’s business that require further discussion should be raised with the Chair prior to the meeting. Senior Talent and Resourcing will provide the Secretariat function for all meetings. 

Sharing of Information

Based on these terms of reference, the Senior Talent Committee’s members will have access to confidential papers which will be distributed purely for:

• the advancement of talent related knowledge and goals;
• pay strategy development;
• the identification of future moves within the Civil Service; and,
• the making of recommendations for the development of talent within the Civil Service. 

The data should not be:

• circulated outside the remit of the Senior Talent Committee, unless expressly permitted to do so by the Chair; and,
• used for individual or departmental interests. 

Membership

Committee membership includes executive and non-executive members, and should reflect the spread of departments. Permanent membership will include the chair(s) of the senior sub-committees to Heads of Department and the Government Lead NED (or another senior Lead NED as their designate). The First Civil Service Commissioner is a standing invitee. 

Additional members may be appointed by the STC Chair in consultation with the Cabinet Secretary.

Member as at 23 July 2026

Chair - Sarah Healey - Permanent Secretary, DWP

James Bowler - Permanent Secretary, HMT and Chair of the People Board

Susan Acland-Hood - Permanent Secretary, DfE 

Gareth Davies  - Permanent Secretary, HO

Cat Little - Permanent Secretary, CO

John-Paul Marks - Permanent Secretary, HMRC

Ken McCallum - Permanent Secretary, MI5

Jeremy Pocklington - Permanent Secretary, MoD

Jo Shanmugalingam - Permanent Secretary, DfT 

Baroness Louise Casey or Jayne-Anne Gadhia - Government Lead NED or Delegate Lead NED, HMRC

Baroness Gisela Stuart - First Civil Service Commissioner

James Norton - Director, Senior Talent & Resourcing, CO