Unlocking G7 talent: What it takes to make the grade

Tuesday 10 December| In partnership with FDA

Advancing from Senior Executive Officer or Higher Executive Officer to Grade 7 is one of the biggest steps you will take in your civil service career, offering you incredible opportunities for growth and development. However, the G7 recruitment process is highly competitive, with a large pool of applicants competing for an ever-decreasing number of positions. 

The selection criteria have become more rigorous with Success Profiles, focusing on relevant experience and personal qualities such as leadership, decision-making, and communication skills.  

Unlocking G7 Talent is a unique event that provides practical guidance to those who wish to get into G7 roles. It is specifically designed to give you the answer to two vital questions: 

•  How can I improve my chances of obtaining a G7 role? 
•  How do I navigate through the challenges of this role when I get there? 

Why attend? 

The benefits of attending this conference include the opportunity to: 

• Resolve the questions in your mind about whether or not G7 is right for you 
• Learn from trainers who have prepared civil servants to get into G7 and higher roles in the Civil Service, as well as executive coaches about what you can do to improve your chances of making the grade 
• Gain a deeper understanding of the skills, qualities and competencies required to be successful as a G7 
• Examine the barriers and enablers affecting your progression 
• Hear from recent G7 entrants about how they made the move and what life is like now they are there 
• Network with peers and counterparts from across government to find out what is happening on the ground in other departments and the civil service ecosystem  

09:30

Welcome & Introductions to the Conference

SPEAKER: Margaret Haig, President, FDA

09:40

Dissecting Grade 7 Roles and Responsibilities

• Breaking down operational to strategic G7 roles – what are the key differences between SEO and G7 

SPEAKER: Sandra Johnson​, Founder, Success Navigator; Former Whitehall Civil Servant

10:15

Comfort Break

10:30

Managing and Advancing Your Professional Growth  

• Leveraging strengths and tapping into the right resources 

• Defining your career goals and visualising success 

• Negotiating for what you need to progress your career 

• Seeking out mentorship and sponsorship opportunities

 

11:10

Comfort Break

11:30

Writing a Standout CV & Personal Statement 

• Understanding the Success Profile process 
• Application writing techniques of persuasion and memorability

SPEAKER: Richard Hillsdon, Civil Service Selection Consultant; Former Senior Civil Servant

12:30

Lunch

13:30

Preparing for Your G7 Role: Are you Application and Interview Ready? 

• Getting through the sift and the interview: understanding what influences the selectors 

SPEAKER: Richard Hillsdon, Civil Service Selection Consultant; Former Senior Civil Servant

14:30

Comfort Break

14:45

Leading from the middle: A Toolkit for Positioning Yourself as a Leader 

• Fostering an inclusive management style to bring the best out in your staff 
• Developing and retaining a growth mindset in the face of challenge or adversity 
• Overcoming self-limiting beliefs and seizing the opportunity to explore your role in enacting change 

SPEAKER: Katie Driver, Founding Director, Thinking Alliance

15:15

Personal Perspectives - My Route into G7

• A G7 panel share their career journey and answer questions about their experience of gaining entry to G7, discuss what life is like now they are there & the demands of the grade 

SPEAKERS:
Sandra Johnson​, Founder, Success Navigator; Former Whitehall Civil Servant
Rhiana Dennis-Small, Economic Advisor, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Bonita Brookes, CCUS Strategic Risk Manager, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Junaed Khan, Deputy Head of Business Management, Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs; Co-Chair of the Civil Service Race Forum

16:00

Chair's Closing Remarks & Conference Close
SPEAKER: Margaret Haig, President, FDA