Guidance

Government Property Profession Career Framework - Overview (HTML)

Updated 6 October 2026

Welcome

The Civil Service is committed to continuous professionalism and diversity, so that we reflect the population we serve and deliver for the public. 

This is exceptionally important for Government Property. 

We are central to transformative delivery of public services and faced with an evolving business and workforce skills requirement.

The framework is a key enabler to help us get to where we want to be as a profession for the future; to build and attract the right skills and acting as an anchor behind wider capability initiatives. 

We aim to showcase our diverse and varied profession yet have a simple, common understanding of roles, skills and experience required for each level in our framework. 

The framework provides the essential building blocks to deliver in your job role and map career progression.

This Career Framework aims to deliver three objectives for the Government Property Profession:

1. Driving up professionalism
2. Facilitating career development
3. Supporting high quality selection into Government Property roles

How to use the Career Framework

Senior Leaders

• Use the framework to support the capability and capacity of their property teams
• Build professional skills to bridge capability gaps and develop career routes inside and across professions

Line Managers

• Inform development conversations with your people and teams
• Use the skills and behaviours we’ve outlined to help upskill your team and identify areas for your people to develop
• Use the framework to help you design personalised development plans and goals

Individuals

• Identify what you’re good at, what you enjoy, your strengths, and what you can develop
• Find out what skills and behaviours you use every day and see where these can take you
• Start to consider your next role within the Property Profession

Recruiters

• Have a good base and a means to consider the best possible recruitment method for your available role
• Ensure consistency in role descriptions across the profession at all levels, including Technical Skills for each role
• Sets the professional accreditation requirement for property roles

Behaviours

The Career Framework highlights behaviours that are common across typical property roles to aid development and recruitment.

Guidelines

Behaviours are meant to be used as a guide rather than as a rigid framework, and not all behaviours will be relevant for every role.

Why work in Government Property

Modern working

New, modern offices

Embrace modern and flexible ways of working. 

As a property professional, you’ll often be on site – overseeing developments, improvements, and the transformation of the public estate. 

Benefit from outstanding modern workplaces, and develop a flexible, tailored working pattern which suits you.

Exciting Careers

Innovative projects

Far more than just a job. 

When you join the Government Property Profession, you’re embarking on a career.

Dedicated support, bespoke training, quality learning and development programmes to help you hit the next goal in your career – whether you’re an experienced property professional or just starting out.

Unrivalled Scale

Diverse portfolio

We manage the largest and most diverse property portfolio in the UK, with hundreds of thousands of assets: from prisons and courts, to schools and museums, hospitals, job centres, military bases, administrative offices and many more.

Our people lead property projects which are unrivalled in their scale, impact, and variety.

Important Work

Make a difference

Scale, complexity, and impact: from building new prisons and schools to creating outstanding public service workplaces, and making the UK’s largest estate more sustainable.

This vital work offers an opportunity to significantly improve people’s lives.

Supportive Culture

One community

Our 8000+ property experts work in every property discipline, across every Government Department and agency. 

Our network of property professionals have a shared culture of learning and support. 

We are diverse – and becoming ever more so – and we work in a welcoming, inclusive culture.

Career Framework

Role Type	Job Families	Foundation Practitioner	Practitioner	Senior Practitioner	Senior Leader
Property Leadership	Property Leadership			●	●
Strategic Asset Management	Estate Strategy		●	●	●
Strategic Asset Management	Property Portfolio Management	●	●	●
Strategic Asset Management	Property Data Management	●	●	●	●
Workplace & FM	Facilities Management	●	●	●	●
Workplace & FM	Workplace Management	●	●	●
Property & Construction Projects	Property & Construction Project Management	●	●	●	●
Technical Specialisms & Assurance	Acquisitions and Disposals		●	●
Technical Specialisms & Assurance	Cost Management	●	●	●
Technical Specialisms & Assurance	Design	●	●	●	●
Technical Specialisms & Assurance	Engineering		●	●
Technical Specialisms & Assurance	Environmental Sustainability	●	●	●	●
Technical Specialisms & Assurance	Fire, Health & Safety	●	●	●	●
Technical Specialisms & Assurance	Maintenance Management	●	●	●
Technical Specialisms & Assurance	Planning & Development	●	●	●
Technical Specialisms & Assurance	Residential Management	●	●	●
Technical Specialisms & Assurance	Rural Management		●	●
Technical Specialisms & Assurance	Valuation	●	●	●	●

Career Framework explained

Role Type

Role Types are groupings of roles related by common purpose. They group roles on the framework that require similar skills, or are similar in nature. 

Property is a diverse profession with many professional bodies representing different parts of the profession. 

Role types bring this variety together and focuses on the nature of the work delivered by different disciplines in order to deliver expertise property services.

Job Families

Job families contain all roles within a discipline across all grades. 

Most job families require some specialised education, training, knowledge or experience, especially at more senior levels.

Foundation Practitioner

Typically someone who is gaining the necessary experience over time, both in terms of professional/technical skills and in managerial/ leadership skills, to advance to practitioner status.

Practitioner

Typically someone who has a high level of sector-specific knowledge and skills and for this reason may work independently or be the manager of a small team. 

Their line manager will normally be at senior practitioner level.

Senior Practitioner

Typically will be in a leadership role and may have management of substantial resources, both financial and people. 

They will have the requisite sector knowledge, skills, qualifications and experience to provide guidance and advice to the senior management of the organisation on major decisions.

Senior Leader

A senior leader will typically be in a director or deputy director role with significant budgetary responsibility for property assets and/or associated staff and is recognised by the organisation for their professional authority as part of strategic decision making.

Operating models in Property

There are many different operating models in Property teams across government. 

Two models are featured here, as they have a substantial impact on the nature of the work of Property Professionals in these teams. 

Some organisations will have an element of both models, for example largely managing the delivery of property services internally, but acting as the intelligent client for some supplier-delivered work. 

Use the information on the next slide in interpreting how different roles on the Career Framework may look in different operating models.

Intelligent Client Function (ICF)

Roles in an ICF are more hands-off. You will take an advisory role, interpreting your organisation’s requirement for a supplier or partner organisation to deliver. 

You will assure the quality of delivery through effective supplier management. Individuals suited to these roles will enjoy taking a broad strategic view, looking across an estate or portfolio and engaging with a range of stakeholders to ensure really effective delivery.

Delivery Team / Organisation

The responsibilities of most roles on the Career Framework are described as if they are in a Delivery Organisation or team. Individuals working in these roles are delivering operations; getting involved in the detail of the work, tackling the problems themselves and ultimately owning and delivering excellent property services. 

Individuals suits to these roles will enjoy the tangible nature of work in property, and want to get stuck into tricky problems.

Government Property Profession Job role catalogue

In addition to the 22 job families, job roles by grade are provided to increase consistency across government, allowing people data to be captured and analysed across the Civil Service.

The job roles support the Shared Service Strategy for Government. 

There is no expectation that an individual’s job title will change to match the job title listed in this framework. Decisions regarding an individual’s job title are solely owned by the Department. 

The Shared Service Strategy for Government only affects central government departments. Arms length bodies and other public sector organisations may use this document to guide and information role title changes, but there is no expectation that they do so.

Job roles

Job Families	Foundation Practitioner - AA	Foundation Practitioner - AO	Foundation Practitioner - EO	Practitioner - HEO	Practitioner - SEO	Senior Practitioner - G7	Senior Practitioner - G6	Senior Leader - SCS1	Senior Leader - SCS2
Property Leadership							Head of Property	DD, Property	Property Director
Estate Strategy				Estate Strategy Manager	Senior Estate Strategy Manager	Estate Strategy Lead	Head of Estate Strategy	DD, Strategy and Portfolio	Director, Strategy and Portfolio
Property Portfolio Management	Property Portfolio Administrator	Property Portfolio Assistant	Property Portfolio Officer	Property Portfolio Manager	Senior Property Portfolio Manager	Property Portfolio Lead	Head of Property Portfolio Management
Property Data Management			Property Data Officer	Property Data Manager	Senior Property Data Manager	Property Data Lead	Head of Property Data Management	DD, Property Data Management
Facilities Management	Facilities Administrator	Facilities Assistant	Facilities Officer	Facilities Manager	Senior Facilities Manager	Facilities Management Lead	Head of Facilities Management	DD, Facilities and Workplace Management	Director, Facilities and Workplace Management
Workplace Management		Workplace Assistant	Workplace Officer	Workplace Manager	Senior Workplace Manager	Workplace Management Lead	Head of Workplace Management
Property & Construction Project Management			Property and Construction Project Officer	Property and Construction Assistant Project Manager	Property and Construction Project Manager	Property and Construction Senior Project Manager	Property & Construction Lead Project Manager Head of Property Programme	DD, Property Programmes	Property Programmes Director

Job Families	Foundation Practitioner - AA	Foundation Practitioner - AO	Foundation Practitioner - EO	Practitioner - HEO	Practitioner - SEO	Senior Practitioner - G7	Senior Practitioner - G6	Senior Leader - SCS1	Senior Leader - SCS2
Acquisitions and Disposals				Acquisitions and/or Disposals Manager	Snr Acquisitions and/or Disposals Manager	Acquisitions and/or Disposals Lead	Head of Acquisitions and/or Disposals
Cost Management		Cost Management Assistant	Cost Management Officer	Cost Manager	Senior Cost Manager	Cost Management Lead	Head of Cost Management
Design			Design Officer	Design Manager	Senior Design Manager	Design Lead	Head of Design	DD, Design
Engineering					Senior Engineer	Lead Engineer	Head of Engineering
Environmental Sustainability		Environmental Sustainability Assistant	Environmental Sustainability Officer	Environmental Sustainability Manager	Snr Environmental Sustainability Manager	Environmental Sustainability Lead	Head of Environmental Sustainability	DD, Environmental Sustainability
Fire, Health & Safety			Health and Safety Officer Fire Safety Officer	Health and Safety Advisor Fire Safety Advisor	Health and Safety Manager Fire Safety Manager	Health and Safety Lead Fire Safety Lead	Head of Health and Safety Head of Fire Safety	DD, Health and Safety	Health and Safety Director
Maintenance Management		Maintenance Assistant	Maintenance Officer	Maintenance Manager	Senior Maintenance Manager	Maintenance Lead	Head of Maintenance Management
Planning & Development			Planning and Development Officer	Planning and Development Manager	Senior Planning and Development Manager	Planning and Development Lead	Head of Planning and Development
Residential Management			Residential Property Officer	Residential Property Manager	Senior Residential Property Manager	Residential Management Lead	Head of Residential Management
Rural Management				Rural Land and Property Manager	Senior Rural Land and Property Manager	Rural Management Lead	Head of Rural Management
Valuation		Valuation Surveying Assistant	Valuation Surveying Technician	Valuation Surveyor	Chartered Valuation Surveyor Chartered Specialist Valuation Surveyor	Lead Chartered Valuation Surveyor Lead Chartered Specialist Valuation Surveyor Valuation Surveying Technical Lead	Head of Valuation Surveying	DD, Valuation	Valuation Director

Technical Skills and Accreditation

Property Professional Accreditation

We develop and assure the skills of the property workforce, principally through external accreditation

There are seven approved Core Professional Accreditations, recognised across multiple roles on the Career Framework and shown in the table. In addition, specialist accreditations are recognised and aligned to particular technical specialist roles. 

For senior practitioners and above, accreditation is required. A department may set more stringent accreditation requirements depending on the exact nature of the work. 

If you hold an accreditation that is not mentioned in this Career Framework, your role may align to another profession. Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) members may align to the Commercial Profession, and Associate of Project Management (APM) members may align to the Project Delivery Profession, although the role sits in the Property Function. 

Check out the relevant profession’s career framework for further guidance.

For support in pursuing a professional accreditation, please visit the Accreditation Hub on the Government Property Community.

Property Technical Skills

What they are

Skills are the ability to do something well, resulting in effective performance in a role.

In Property, we look for professional accreditation as the key demonstration of technical competence.

There are also Property Technical Skills in the Civil Service Universal Skills Taxonomy.

Why we need them

Technical skills help employees acquire and demonstrate new levels of proficiency and expertise.

This expertise supports progression both laterally and vertically across roles, either in their current specialist area or the wider profession.

When to use them

Colleagues should regularly review their technical skills, particularly prior to any development discussion or performance review.

Line managers should use them to define requirements when recruiting for any new or vacant roles.

Government Property Profession Technical Skills

33 Technical Skills

The GPP Technical Skills forms part of the Civil Service Skills Taxonomy.

Universal skills, such as Relationship Management and Managing Contract Delivery, are as important as property-specific technical skills in some roles.

5 Skill groups

• Common Skills
• Senior Leadership
• Construction and Development
• Real Estate and FM
• Sustainability

Common Skills

Skill Name	Skill Description
Property data	The ability to collect, analyse, interpret and manage data to provide business insight into property assets or projects.
Property inspection	The ability to inspect a property, built-environment asset or site - recording asset data safely, in accordance with Health and Safety regulations.
Property sector knowledge	The ability to apply deep and current knowledge of the built-environment or property sector relevant to role remit.

Sustainability

Skill Name	Skill Description
Sustainable Construction and Design	The ability to use sustainable practices in the design of developments or adaptations of premises - including methods that limit environmental impact.
Sustainable strategy and delivery	The ability to deliver and develop policies or initiatives that address major sustainability issues such as energy, adaptation and biodiversity.
Utilities management	The ability to consider best practice sustainability, compliance, targets and public benefit in all decisions affecting the running of building utilities

Senior Leadership

Skill Name	Skill Description
Commercial property acumen	The ability to plan and manage commercial activity throughout the lifespan of property assets, handling challenging commercial relationships and complex property supply chains.
Delivery of large scale property projects and programmes	The ability to deliver large scale property or infrastructure programmes - leading and taking responsibility for all phases of the project lifecycle.
Estate strategy	The ability to lead strategy planning for a property portfolio - and use the estate to turn business strategies into real-life success.
Property service delivery	The ability to deliver property services across the estate or for government - in accordance with service or functional standards
PropTech solutions	The ability to implement PropTech solutions that increase the efficiency of estate transactions or performance monitoring

Construction and Development

Skill Name	Skill Description
BIM	The ability to use or interpret BIM, to enable good building, clash detection and/or workplace design.
Construction Contract Management	The ability to embed contract management standards and construction playbooks in the Department, to transform delivery of public work projects.
Construction design oversight	The ability to control the design and planning stage of new build, alteration and refurbishment projects (pre-construction phase), in line with the ‘RIBA Plan of Work’.
Construction project oversight	The ability to deliver construction methods to large-scale, new build, retrofit, refurbishment and installation projects, in line with the ‘RIBA Plan of Work’.
Development feasibility analysis	The ability to conduct or interpret a feasibility study, to allow the right decisions to be made on developing or altering a site.
Government Soft Landings	The ability to use Government Soft Landings methodology, to ensure a smooth onboarding of property, space or people.
Property engineering assurance	The ability to make sure property engineering systems and solutions comply with all statutory elements, Departmental guidance, and Government policy.
Quantification and costing	The ability to define and measure construction work pricing, to assess value and control costs throughout a project.
Site appraisal	The ability to contribute to the decision making process on site/asset potential at design and planning stages - making sure those decisions are in harmony with all stakeholders and the wider government agenda

Real Estate and FM

Skill Name	Skill Description
Acquisitions and disposals	The ability to lead, support or manage land or property acquisition and disposal.
Acting as a property expert	The ability to act as an Advocate or Expert to a Tribunal or Expert Panel.
Building management	The ability to conduct whole life building management - making good decisions about when to replace or repair.
Building defects and repair	The ability to identify the cause of defects in a built environment asset - and advise on the responsibilities for repair or removal.
Compulsory purchase	The ability to use compulsory purchase mechanisms, to support projects that are in the public interest.
Hard and soft Facilities Management	The ability to manage building services and contractors - making sure facilities are clean and safe to occupy.
Inclusive design	The ability to embed inclusion best practices in design and building policy or service design - making sure property is as accessible as possible to a wide range of people, and in accordance with the Equality Act
Landlord and tenant	The ability to advise on or carry out property transactions - using deep knowledge of landlord and tenant law, and valuation methods - enabling good decisions to be made.
Land Management	The ability to manage land, habitats and natural resources - advising on land use, management practices and legislative matters.
Lease Management	The ability to manage a built environment asset in line with lease terms - making sure payments are made, legal requirements are adhered to and value is maintained.
Property portfolio management	The ability to manage a large property portfolio, ensuring alignment with an organisation’s priorities and strategy.
Valuation	The ability to accurately value built environment assets, in line with the Red Book and/or other regulatory guidance.
Workplace management	The ability to work collaboratively to create workplaces that meet organisational objectives and the needs of users.

Skill Proficiency Levels

Level	Knowledge and experience	Application	Learning required or undertaken
1. Novice	No knowledge and experience of the skill- interest in developing some.	Unable to demonstrate the skill-needs support to do so.	- Requires either formal/informal learning to understand the skill and demonstrate it in any way
2. Awareness	Limited knowledge and experience of the skill- narrow understanding of its importance, needs help to describe it to others.	Not able to demonstrate consistently- needs further support to do so.	- Requires either formal/informal learning to consistently demonstrate.
3. Working	Has competent knowledge and experience of the skill, a widened understanding of its importance- Is able to articulate the benefits of it to others.	Demonstrates skill confidently and consistently, requiring minimal support, understands when/how to adapt to different scenarios	- Undertaken informal or formal learning that may include working towards accreditation with a relevant professional body. - Willing to complete further learning to increase competence and build capability for the role.
4. Practitioner	Has detailed knowledge and experience of the skill, has a developed understanding and takes the opportunity to share it with others	Demonstrates skill independently, including when completing complex tasks. Can mentor/coach others, can provide guidance, instruction and advice.	- Undertaken informal or formal learning that may include accreditation with a relevant professional body (where appropriate). - Willing to undertake more advanced learning to increase overall capability.
5. Expert	Has extensive knowledge and experience of the skill,has a deep understanding Can articulate it in detail and can see its use from many different perspectives.  Has significant lived experience inside and outside of their work area.		Demonstrates how skill can be applied beyond its current use including creating opportunities Widely recognised as an authority both by others in the work area and beyond.

Case Studies and Career Paths

Property Leadership

Lynda Rawsthorne FRICS FAPM FCIOB FIWFM ChPP 

Director Capability and Strategy and Head of the Government Property Profession, Cabinet Office.

Leads the Property Profession, representing the 8,000+ property professionals from across all Departments. Overseas Government Property Strategy and Functional Assurance.

The role

It’s a real privilege and I have brilliant profession, assurance and strategy teams which means that advice can be given when it requires expertise or convening. If the central team doesn’t know, we always know someone who does! I liaise closely with the professional bodies and have become a member of Governing Council of the RICS since being in the role.

The journey

I joined the Valuation Office as a graduate and, with the support and encouragement of great leaders, managed to continue my career while being main carer for my three children and being a military wife. I had a 7 year career break and moved regularly. Later I moved to infrastructure delivery, leading the Priority School Building Programme in DfE and then moving level to be Director of New Prisons in MoJ. On promotion I moved to DfT as a Director on HS2 and then moved level onto my current role.

The highlights

I love the mission; the difference that we can make to lives. If we do our job then hospitals are more efficient, schools will be open for learning, and offices will be modern and suited to the way we work. Every person I meet in the Property Profession has their own story of how they got here and what they do, but the passion is consistent – we work together throughout the property cycle.

Career advice

Never to turn down an opportunity if there is some way of making it work. I have taken roles where it would have been so much easier to stay where I was and no financial benefit, enrolled on courses which took up my weekends and entered mentoring relationships and action learning sets of varying success. But all of them had benefits of some kind and together they have helped get me where I am which is (possibly) the best job in Government Property.

Louis Roberts FIWFM 

Director of Estates and Locations, HMRC

Leads Estates and Locations Directorate, the SRO for the HMRC Locations Programme and Head of Property Profession in HMRC

The journey

I spent over two decades in the private sector working in various global and regional senior leadership roles. In these roles I was responsible for driving transformation, strategy and operational delivery. I then joined the civil service in 2021 as a Deputy Director in the GPA, after a few years I was temporarily promoted to a Director role and joined their Exco before accepting my current position in HMRC which I have been in since November 2024.

The highlights

The diversity of our estate, the scale and complexity of working in property in Government and probably most of all the people. The sense of purpose from both operational day to day and strategic change and transformation, particularly in spaces where we are enabling wider corporate outcomes is something you can’t find in most jobs. Having great people who are equally as passionate about the vision, and who work relentlessly to deliver is something that I find highly motivating and enjoyable.

Career advice

Focus on personal purpose sooner and align your personal values to an organisation that shares them and values them. Also, you don’t have to have it all planned out, try to enjoy phase of your career growth and not to focus so much on what is next.

Meredith May MRICS CIWFM

Head of Strategy, Portfolio and Leasehold Management, DWP

Responsible for developing and delivering the Estate Strategy to meet the ever changing demands of a large operating department.

The journey

I was unsure what I wanted to do. In my 2nd year at uni, I read an article about the Estate Manager at Silverstone. The qualities and skills really resonated with me; a driven team player, strong communicator etc. I did a PgDip in Property Valuation and Management to start me on my path to become a Chartered Surveyor. Joining a large property firm wasn’t for me so I started my APC at Tameside Borough Council looking after the garage and garden estate. From here I moved to Rochdale Borough Council as an Estates Surveyor before transitioning to the private sector at The Co-Op Group. Here I managed a large regional and eventually national portfolio, a significant change as I was no longer able to drive to all my buildings in under 30 minutes! When Co-Op Pharmacy was sold, I set up a new property team for the renamed Well Pharmacy. I managed the separation and then stabilised the portfolio, before joining the Civil Service in January 2020. 

At DWP I lead on Strategy Portfolio and Leasehold, ensuring the alignment of estate strategy and business need, leading my team to maximise value for money opportunities and deliver the government property ‘Smaller, Better, Greener’ strategy. I recently spent a year on secondment to the Office of Government Property, Cabinet Office, leading on strategic asset management and policy development for the UK government estate. 

The highlights

I’m proud to be a Civil Servant and of the contribution the team make. There is large variety in the work and there are different challenges every day. People talk about the Civil Service being slow paced, but this has not been my experience working in DWP and the Cabinet Office. 

In addition, the opportunities for training and development are like nothing you will see in the private sector.

Career advice

Surround yourself with good people.

Carly Hansen CIWFM

Deputy Director Workplace Services and Projects, Home Office

Leads the delivery of FM, workplace services and property projects to various parts of the Home Office estate.

The journey

My civil service and property career started in 2003 after I responded to a newspaper job advert for Admin Officers. I was looking for office experience and was assigned as a Building Officer for the Home Office. I got a lot more than office experience as I developed a passion for facilities management and have enjoyed working in various property roles since then, working my way up to my current role as Deputy Director for Workplace Services and Projects. I have also taken fantastic development opportunities along the way to become qualified in the profession, including a Level 7 Exec FM MBA with Sheffield Hallam University through an apprenticeship with the Ministry of Justice.

The highlights

I really enjoy the variety of the government property estate and the opportunities to work on exciting and interesting projects and service delivery activities. During my career I have been able to work in FM at airports, dog kennels, data centres, high profile Westminster offices, approved premises and prisons. It is a fantastic property portfolio to be able to work on. I also get a lot of satisfaction from knowing that the work I am doing is making a difference, either through the properties used by the public or the workplaces used by our staff. I must also mention people, because I work with some fantastic property professionals who are incredibly talented, supportive and committed. They really do make it a great place to work.

Career advice

Be yourself, believe in yourself and take as many of the opportunities as you can to learn, try something new and progress.

Workplace and FM

Keith Finnigan CIWFM

Head of FM, Crown Commercial Services 

Leads the strategic FM category with Government Commercial Agency. Responsible for setting strategy, commercial agreement management and procurement activity.

The journey

I was recruited from the private sector, previously working for Amey and Vinci. There was a gap in knowledge and experience in FM within the team. The drive was to provide support to Government departments and Wider Public Sector for procurement activity and developing commercial agreements with knowledge of the market and service delivery.

The highlights

The diversity and opportunity to get involved in different aspects of property and estate functions. To enable the development of safe, efficient and happy working environments is key to productivity and has an important role in the wellbeing of all building users. Strategy development and contract management are at the heart of ensuring we have the right environment to work in and I enjoy being involved in all aspects.

Career advice

Take more time to think about what you want to do and not just dive in all the time. Put more value on what you can bring and not just what someone wants from you and ask yourself how can I make this work for me? You don’t need to have a career goal but you do need to keep developing and moving forward to give yourself the best chance of progression.

Property and Construction Project Management

Emily Pope MCIOB

Project Director, Department for Education

Leads multi-disciplinary team to deliver new educational buildings through new construction and refurbishment. Oversees the full project lifecycle, from site identification and acquisition through to planning, procurement, construction, and handover. Portfolio of c. £150 million worth of capital projects across multiple regions.

The journey

It’s been a long and varied journey! With an undergraduate degree in languages, my career began in a French language education provider. However, I had an absolute passion for sport and found a role in the public sector with Sport England, supporting, and in time leading, community-based funding programmes and capital projects to increase participation in sport and activity. I delivered major capital investment programmes and high-profile projects linked to the Commonwealth and Olympic Games, representing clients and ensuring sound investment of public exchequer and National Lottery funding. In 2016, I joined the Department for Education, leveraging my experience in the public sector from managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects, and building on my knowledge of planning and delivery challenges in construction.

The highlights

I enjoy the impact and purpose behind the work – delivering projects that directly benefit communities and improve educational outcomes. Working in the DfE allows me to combine strategic thinking with hands-on delivery, ensuring that public funds are used effectively to create high-quality learning environments. No two days are ever the same, and I work with some fantastic colleagues and construction professionals who I continue to learn so much from. The professional development opportunities within Government Property are amazing, and I have a good work/life balance which provides me with a real sense of satisfaction.

Career advice

I never really knew what I wanted to do when I grew up – I still don’t think I do! Do things that you  enjoy and keep an open mind. Embrace opportunities outside your comfort zone earlier and don’t be afraid to change sectors. Moving from Sport England was a big change, but it opened up new challenges and growth opportunities. 

I’d also stress the importance of building strong networks and investing in professional development, as these have been key to my progression.

Technical Specialism and Assurance

Allan Jones MCIOB

Senior Property Sustainability Advisor, Cabinet Office

Provides strategic direction, expert guidance, and centralised assurance to help drive the transformation of the government estate. Working as part of a small, central team, Allan focuses on embedding sustainability and resilience across an extensive and highly varied public property portfolio. He drives estate performance against critical national targets for resilience and compliance in areas such as decarbonisation, climate adaptation, resource efficiency and biodiversity.

The journey

A geography graduate, I started work as a Land Surveyor, then trained in Building Surveying through a part time masters. I was made redundant in the 2008 financial crash, and retrained in commercial building energy modelling. I worked as a Commercial EPC assessor doing national surveys of pubs. This led on to a role with a national building warranty provider working on sustainability and energy compliance assessments for new build and refurbishment projects. Following a move to South Yorkshire, I worked as a freelance Senior Assessor, while studying an English Language MSc. I was fortunate to spent a year living in Barcelona, working as a part time English Teacher alongside freelancing as a sustainability consultant. I returned to the UK as a Senior Consultant and then Technical Manager, before making the move out of the private sector to work in Cabinet Office at OGP.

The highlights

Two things I really value working here in the Property Function are the sheer variety (of both buildings and tasks), and the people. To gain access and insight to a wealth of public assets, from globally iconic landmarks to innovative new generation eco designs, and to have a hand in shaping policy and the public estate is highly rewarding. To do so working with so many warm, supportive, and professional colleagues makes me glad I made the move.

Career advice

Listen to your instincts but not your fears, embrace change. I’d encourage myself to lean into the stuff that felt a bit daunting at the time. It’s easy to stick to what you’re comfortable with, but the most growth usually comes from taking on the projects that push you outside your usual routine. Don’t be afraid to say yes to the things that challenge you, and embrace change, opportunity and people.

Dr Arianna Sdei ARB, RIBA, MCIBSE

Sustainability Design Advisor, Department for Education

Leads the research and development on retrofit and adaption of the School Estate. Provides strategic design advice on sustainability for schools at both building and estate scales, shaping policy and delivery across the national education estate.

The journey

I joined the DfE around four years ago, following five years in private practice as a Senior Sustainability Consultant and Architect. Prior to that, I spent five years in academia as a Research Fellow at the University of Brighton. Here I led Innovation for Renewal - a £6m pioneering large-scale retrofit project delivering improvements to 200 social housing units in England and France. Prior to this, I worked as an Architect while also carrying out independent research.

The highlights

It is great to know that our work with the school estate has such a big impact on the life of children and young people

Career advice

Try to stick to roles a little longer, as I’ve moved around quite a lot. Take the time you need to decide on your next step, and trust in yourself.

Carl Abbott CEng, FIMechE

Chief Engineer, Deputy Director Technical Service, Defra Group Property

Leads the Building Services Engineering Team. Drives Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) related change and improvement. Technical and practical problem solving; identify problems and coming up with innovative, cost effective solutions.

The journey

My engineering career started as an apprentice at British Rail Engineering Ltd building rolling stock. I then progressed to being an Engineering Technician working in most of the different departments across the site gaining a good technical grounding in all areas from production to design from quality to HR. Upon completion of my degree I joined BAE Systems as a Research and Development Engineer developing robots and automated facilities for the manufacture of fast jets from where I joined the MoD as a Support Solutions Specialist developing support solutions for various defence platforms. My first real step into maintenance was with the MoD looking after the Facilities Control Centre and engineering support to a large communications base outside Harrogate. My final role there was as the Deputy Base Engineer where I dealt with managing a large team to undertake the day to day mechanical and electrical maintenance and support issues. My last role prior to joining DEFRA was the Head of Hard and Soft Facilities Management for the Ministry of Justice Estates Directorate.

The highlights

No two days are the same so variety really does prove to be the spice of life. I greatly enjoy the different challenges and working as part of a diverse team. There is also good opportunity to develop new skills; I completed an Apprenticeship MBA in Facilities Management.

Career advice

Keep plugging away take every opportunity to exploit what training and development opportunities arise. Realise that it’s not going to be easy or quick but that in the end it’s 

worth the effort. Above all spend the time to listen to others who may have a wealth of knowledge that you can tap into.

Other Civil Service professions and their Career Frameworks

If you are interested in finding out more about some related Civil Service Professions and their career pathways we recommend you have a look at their Career Frameworks and information pages.

Analysis- Career Framework

Commercial- Career Framework

Digital and Data- Profession Capability Framework

Finance- Career Framework

Project Delivery- Capability Framework

Security- Career Framework

People / HR - HR Career Framework

Science and Engineering- Career Framework

Glossary of Professional Bodies

ARB- Architects Registration Board

CAAV- Central Association of Agricultural Valuers

CIAT- Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists

CIBSE- Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers

CIEEM- Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management

CIH- Chartered Institute of Housing

CIOB- Chartered Institute of Building

CIWM- Chartered Institution of Wastes Management

CIWEM- Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management

CSD- Chartered Society of Designers

EI- Energy Institute

ICE- Institution of Civil Engineers

ISEP- Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals

IES- Institute of Environmental Sciences

IET- Institution of Engineering and Technology

IFE- Institute of Fire Engineers

IFSM- Institute of Fire Safety Managers

IMechE- Institution of Mechanical Engineers

IOSH- Institution of Occupational Safety and Health

IRRV- Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation

IWFM- Institute for Workplace and Facilities Management

RIBA- Royal Institute of British Architects

RICS- Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

RTPI- Royal Town Planning Institute

Thank you

You can contact us at gpp@cabinetoffice.gov.uk