Senior Occupational Psychologist

The job is in the Occupational Psychology Service (OPS), which sits within the Government People Group (GPG) in Cabinet Office. The job is part of the wider Government Occupational Psychology Profession (a recognised government specialist profession).

GPG

GPG exists to work with departments, professions, and functions to build a modern, effective Civil Service.

We support the government workforce with the right skills and capability. We are working with leaders to get the right people in the right jobs, with the right skills and continuous learning to excel in their roles.

We provide leadership, and in turn, create leaders with exceptional line management capability across departments, influencing partners in the wider public sector and beyond. This involves getting our retention and reward strategy right, to nurture specific skills, and create pride and resilience in our workforce.

As Senior Occupational Psychologist you will work closely with the Head of the Occupational Psychology Service to provide thought leadership in the areas of selection and assessment for the Civil Service.

You will play a critical role in supporting the design, development, trialling and evaluation of a suite of online tests used for recruitment and talent selection in the Civil Service. You will also provide support and advice for clients to ensure best practice use of assessments and create guidance to support candidates through their testing journey.

You will have the opportunity to lead on psychological and insight-led research projects using both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the wider recruitment context and better enable the Occupational Psychology Service to make evidence-based decisions. Examples of such work could include:

evaluating the impact, and potential, of artificial intelligence methods for selection and assessment.

working with digital specialists to research and develop transformative ways of defining job requirements, assessing people and ensuring automated recruitment processes are fit for purpose from a people measurement perspective.

You will act as a subject matter expert and represent the Occupational Psychology Service professionally with a wide range of customers and stakeholders. You will also be expected to contribute to the development of professional practice and work collaboratively with colleagues on a wider portfolio of activities when the need arises.

Key responsibilities include:

Psychological Assessment at Work

Scoping and designing bespoke assessment solutions including: psychometric tests, situational judgement questionnaires and other evidence-based sifting tools, behavioural work sample simulations, assessment centres and interviews.

Using online assessment platforms to implement and support delivery of assessment solutions; working with digital, data assurance and diversity colleagues to ensure new assessments are compliant, fair, and meet customer and user needs.

Managing multiple assessment projects at all stages of the consultancy cycle.

Working with customers to ensure best practice use of assessments to support client decision making including pass-mark setting, moderation processes, and reducing risk of adverse impact.

Evaluating the effectiveness of assessment solutions by identifying appropriate statistical methods/techniques and interrogation of data to ensure they are robust, fair, reliable and valid (e.g. predictive validity, adverse impact analysis).

Leadership, Engagement and Motivation

Act as a subject matter expert providing expert advice on recruitment, use of assessments and wider Occupational Psychology areas.

Keep up-to-date with the latest innovations in assessments, psychometrics, modern testing methods and in particular recruitment testing.

Line management of one trainee psychologist may be required.

Providing expert advice and research

Providing professional occupational psychology advice and guidance to clients and senior leaders to ensure adherence to industry best practice and the highest ethical standards.

Providing occupational psychologist support for information gathering exercises such as surveys and focus groups, and providing activities to support organisational development.

Representing the Occupational Psychology profession at working groups, committees and other forums across government to inform policy and operations.

Researching new and emerging assessment methods/processes; setting up and conducting detailed studies to explore their impact and efficacy.

Chartered Psychologists and Registered Occupational Psychologists are required to supervise Trainee Occupational Psychologists on the qualification to achieve Registered Occupational Psychologist status. If not already registered on the Register of Applied Practice Psychology Supervisors (RAPPS), work towards RAPPS eligibility within a reasonable timescale.

Memberships - Essential

Full Member of the Division of Occupational Psychology, British Psychological Society.

Licences - Essential

Qualifications - Essential

MSc Occupational Psychology (or equivalent titled course) approved as Stage 1 by the British Psychological Society.

British Psychological Society Qualification in Occupational Psychology Stage 2 or have completed Part 1 and Part 2 of a professional doctorate in occupational psychology, which confers Chartered Member with the BPS (see Memberships) and Registered Occupational Psychologist with the HCPC (see Licences).