Sourcing Lead - AI Safety Institute

The AI Safety Institute (AISI) is the closest thing to a start up in government. The Talent team is responsible for scaling this start up from the ground up. This is not your normal civil service team – we have built a reputation for getting things done, challenging the status quo and navigating ambiguity.
Nothing is more important than building the best safety team in the world and you’ll be taking the lead on our talent brand, headhunting strategy and market engagement. AI Researchers sit in the most competitive talent field in the world, and we aspire to work with the best.
Once in post you’ll be given freedom to build a team and set out a vision for AISI’s outbound headhunting and brand strategy. The primary goal of this function is to spread awareness of our mission, attract candidates from across the world and guide them to the early stages of a recruiting process.
Your aim will be to build the world’s leading AI safety team, acting as a key pillar in the world’s response to rapidly advancing technology. With direct lines into the highest seats of government we can influence significant change and protection for the citizens it will affect.
The AI Safety Institute
AISI is the first state-backed organisation focused on advanced AI safety for the public interest. Establishing and scaling this organisation is a once-in-a-generation moment and these roles will sit at the heart of the AISI team. Joining the team represents a unique opportunity to deliver the vision for a constantly evolving area of AI policy. We are looking for proactive problem solvers with experience in establishing and scaling organisations that have genuine passion for supporting AISI’s mission., As the Resourcing Lead you will be leading a team responsible for delivering a suite of high priority projects to scale and grow the AI Safety Institute, including but not limited to:
+ Headhunting Strategy: Building the systems, processes and model for headhunting elite candidates for the Research and Engineering technical teams. You’ll also take the lead on our most senior positions in the team.
+ Talent Brand: Taking lead on our talent brand, market messaging and advertising. Working creatively to engage researchers and engineers beyond simply applying to jobs.
+ Event Planning: either running personal events from AISI, attending conferences around the world or working with our team to make sure we have speakers at significant events of interest.
+ Build the team: you will be responsible for line managing a small team and creating a positive and high-performance team, focusing on team development to address any key talent gaps., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Changing and Improving
+ Managing a Quality Service
+ Communicating and Influencing, Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).
DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Who you are – Essential skills and experience
+ Talent: you will be an experienced talent professional with a track record of headhunting senior ML/AI Researchers from the top labs or companies in the world.
+ A solution-oriented self-starter: you will have demonstrable evidence that you are highly inquisitive, astute and innovative in the face of complex problems and talent issues. You will have a track record of finding new ways of getting things done and an ability to do so in with an open and impartial mindset.
+ Excellent written and oral communication skills: you will be extremely comfortable communicating with a range of very senior officials, ministers and both expert and non-expert stakeholders, and have nuanced and sensitive influencing and handling skills to bring them along our journey, and achieve team objectives.
+ Leadership: you will have evidence of leading and developing a diverse, high-performing and resilient team through challenging and fast-paced projects, with a dedication to support colleagues’ wellbeing and to achieve their goals.
+ Tech: you will have an interest AI and the tech industry, and/or the potential ramifications of AI for policy and society.
+ Prioritisation: a proven ability to make decisions confidently in ambiguous circumstances and effectively support a team in navigating competing priorities and remain calm and resilient under pressure.
+ Continuous improvement mindset: to have a proactive approach towards, and a focus on, continuous improvement of yourself, the service you provide and your team.
Desirable:
+ Scaling: experience in building or scaling organisations / start-ups ideally in the tech sector.
+ Executive Search: Ideally you’ve worked in an executive search style environment and are familiar with market mapping & network building.
+ Projects: experience in leading projects from conception to delivery in a fast-moving projects with frequent change and re-prioritisation.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV of no more than 2 pages as part of your application showing your previous work history and a personal statement setting out your motivation to apply for this role and how your skills and experience fits the essential and desirable criteria. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to explain why would you like with work at AISI.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the CV.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
If you are selected for interview, we may ask you to prepare a short presentation. You will be assessed against Experience, Behaviours and Strengths. You may also be asked for a fireside chat with a member of the senior leadership team following your interview.

Alongside your salary of £55,805, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £16,166 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
+ A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
+ Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
+ A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
+ An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
+ Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.