Service Owner

Service Owner – Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is recruiting a Service Owner to lead its Registration Service and help shape the future of digital voter registration in the UK.

This is a Grade 6 digital role with responsibility for the end-to-end delivery, performance and continuous improvement of major electoral registration services, including the flagship Register to Vote service.

Job Details

• Job title: Service Owner
• Employer: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)
• Reference: 483102
• Salary: £72,686 – £78,269 per year
• London salary: £78,269
• National salary: £72,686
• Grade: Grade 6
• Contract: Fixed term
• Duration: 23 months
• Working pattern: Full-time, part-time, flexible working and job share
• Role type: Digital
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Locations: Bristol, Darlington, London, Manchester and Wolverhampton
• Closing date: 25 October 2026 at 11:55pm

About the Role

As Service Owner for the Registration Service, you will lead one of the Government’s most visible digital services and help deliver improvements that enable millions of citizens to engage with democracy.

The role sits within the Elections Directorate and covers a portfolio of digital services, including:

• Register to Vote
• A service for overseas electors
• A service supporting local authorities with their annual review of the electoral register

The successful candidate will lead planned changes to registration services while ensuring existing services continue to perform effectively for users.

The programme includes work around increasing voter registration, enfranchising 16- and 17-year-olds, improving voter identification accessibility and exploring more automated approaches to electoral registration.

Key Responsibilities

As Service Owner, you will:

• Own the vision, strategy and roadmap for the Registration Service.
• Prioritise development based on user needs, policy objectives and business requirements.
• Own service success and quality metrics.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams across product, user-centred design, delivery, operations and data.
• Work with internal teams and third-party suppliers to deliver positive service outcomes.
• Champion accessibility, user-centred design and data integrity.
• Build relationships with policy, strategy, engagement, analytical and digital teams.
• Ensure services comply with governance, programme management, spending and assurance requirements.
• Work with Elections Operations to oversee risks, including cyber security and IT Health Check requirements.

Person Specification

Candidates should have:

• A strong track record of leadership in complex digital service design and delivery, ideally within government or a regulated environment.
• Experience developing and implementing long-term service visions and strategies using evidence and metrics.
• Experience building strong stakeholder relationships and achieving agreement around strategy and delivery.
• Experience building and managing high-performing teams.
• A strong understanding of service design and user-centred design principles.
• Experience assessing risks, managing resources and budgets, and working through governance and assurance processes.
• Experience with agile methodologies and the ability to bridge traditional project management approaches with agile delivery.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders and demonstrating the benefits of agile working.

Salary and Benefits

The salary is £72,686 per year nationally or £78,269 in London.

MHCLG also contributes towards membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.

Other benefits include flexible working, tailored career development opportunities and access to schemes such as Cycle to Work.

Visa Sponsorship

MHCLG does not offer visa sponsorship for this role.

Applicants must already have a valid visa/right to work in the UK for the duration of the employment.

This is therefore not a suitable vacancy for applicants who require new UK visa sponsorship from MHCLG.

Security Clearance

Successful candidates will need to meet the required security standards before appointment.

The advert states that the required clearance is:

• National offices: BPSS + SC
• London office: BPSS + SC

A basic or equivalent criminal record check is also required.

Application and Selection Process

The recruitment process will assess:

• Behaviours
• Experience
• Technical skills

Stage 1 – Sift

Candidates will be assessed using their CV and covering letter. The covering letter should be no more than one page and should explain how the applicant meets the criteria in the job description.

The CV and covering letter must be merged into a single document before uploading.

Stage 2 – Interview

The interview will assess:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Leadership
• Experience against the essential criteria

Candidates will also be asked to prepare a 5–10 minute presentation, with further details provided if invited to interview.

Interviews are currently expected to take place remotely by videocall.

Important Application Information

Applicants should ensure their CV does not contain personally identifiable information.

MHCLG does not accept direct CV applications. Applications must be submitted through the official application link.

The closing date is 11:55pm on Sunday 25 October 2026.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the official Civil Service Jobs vacancy.

Reference number: 483102

Source: Civil Service Jobs / Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government