Applicant guidance: Government Skills College of Experts
This page provides guidance on how to apply to join the Government Skills College of Experts.
Overview
Government Skills was created in 2020 to improve the coherence and quality of learning and development in government through better training, knowledge and networks. It is part of the Cabinet Office. Government Skills is responsible for equipping ministers and over 500,000 civil servants with the skills, knowledge, and networks needed to deliver effective government. Its remit includes assessing skill requirements, enhancing leadership capabilities, strengthening recruitment pathways, and developing evidence-based learning interventions.
Earlier this year, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones announced plans to establish the National School of Government and Public Services to support our ambitions for a world-class, professional Civil Service. The new school will:
- Align Civil Service training with government priorities, such as artificial intelligence, ensuring civil servants are properly skilled for a more digital approach to government.
- Design and deliver more training in-house, removing duplication and reducing expenditure on external providers over time to provide better value for the taxpayer.
- Introduce a new, streamlined curriculum for civil servants - giving them clarity about what skills they are expected to learn.
- Invest in public sector leadership at the most senior levels, through place-based collaboration and expanding leadership development programmes.
The transformation to the new National School is being delivered by Government Skills. To support the aims of the National School, Government Skills has established a College of Experts to increase the directorate’s access to academic networks, broaden its evidence base, and strengthen knowledge exchange between government and the wider research community.
Job description
Government Skills is seeking to appoint members to its College of Experts. This is an exciting opportunity to help provide comprehensive expertise to support Government Skills in its work. We are looking for experts who will contribute to projects aligned with our six Priority Research Topics (PRTs):
1) leadership, management and collective capability;
2) strategic skills and curriculum design;
3) professional pathways and talent pipeline;
4) transformation and delivery infrastructure;
5) equality, diversity, inclusion and social mobility; and
6) evidence, impact and governance.
Further information on the PRTs.
Members of the College of Experts will play an essential role in ensuring that Government Skills considers the highest-quality research and evidence when informing its work. This will help us effectively monitor and evaluate learning and development within government.
The College of Experts will be composed of voluntary external experts from across academia, research institutes, and industry. There is no day rate or any other payment for work. As a member, you will be asked to contribute up to three to five days per year towards participation in College-related activities. You retain the right to accept or decline the request on whether to participate in a specific project.
Membership benefits
By joining the College of Experts, you will have the chance to be part of an exciting phase of transformation and research at the heart of the government. Your work will have the potential to make a difference to the lives of civil servants nationwide, playing a key role in the government’s mission to deliver a productive and agile state.
Government Skills is very grateful for the significant contribution made by College of Experts members to our work. Upon admission to the College, your name and institutional affiliation will be published on GOV.UK, allowing you to share your membership.
We strive to be a great place to work. Members will access an environment with flexible working options and a culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
Key responsibilities
As a member of the College you will support teams across Government Skills and may be called upon to:
- Provide independent, high-quality advice on evidence gaps and priorities, research methods, and the use of evidence in the design, delivery and evaluation of Government Skills programmes.
- Offer ad hoc advice and support where appropriate, aiding with project development including on scope, design and methodology, relevant academic literature and/or contextual information and other advice and guidance related to research processes.
- Offer evidence-informed challenges and steer to help shape key policy and delivery decisions, ensuring initiatives are grounded in the best available research.
- Support horizon scanning by identifying emerging issues, risks and opportunities relevant to government skills and learning priorities.
- Provide a means of two-way dialogue with the research and scientific communities on topical issues central to Government Skills’ remit.
- Support webinars, workshops, and discussions on specific technical or subject-specific areas.
- Build capability in research literacy and evidence-based practice, enabling ministers and civil servants to confidently access, interpret, and apply evidence in policy and programme design.
The above list of responsibilities is not exclusive or exhaustive. Please note that membership of the College does not guarantee that you will be called upon to undertake work for Government Skills. We have an agile programme of work and will focus on specific areas each year, so the frequency of requests will reflect this.
We will provide regular updates to the College on the work of Government Skills and where advice and challenge has been implemented.
Essential criteria
- A proven track record of research strongly aligned with one or more of the Government Skills Priority Research Topics (PRTs).
- Demonstrable ability to turn academic theory and evidence into government-ready advice, including (but not limited to): government/government-funded research, practice based impact, research with impact on communities, policy or any other real-world impact.
How to apply
Please complete this form. You will need to indicate which of the PRTs your work and expertise is aligned to, provide 350 words of evidence outlining how you meet the first essential criterion, 250 words of evidence outlining how you meet the second essential criterion, and upload a maximum two-page CV.
Responses over the word limit for each criterion and CVs over two pages will not be considered.
You will also be asked to upload a name-blind diversity monitoring form that helps Government Skills to monitor whether the College of Experts is attracting a diverse range of applicants.
As part of our endeavour towards achieving a diverse College of Experts with appropriate expertise, we particularly encourage applications from: early- and mid-career researchers, applicants based in northern England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and applicants based at newer universities/research institutions.
Applications will close at 11:59pm on 7 September 2026.