Delivering at Pace Example at SEO Grade
A worked SEO STAR example for Delivering at Pace showing team-level delivery under pressure with cross-team dependencies.
**TL;DR.** At SEO, Delivering at Pace is about leading team-level delivery against a hard deadline, managing cross-team dependencies, and being personally accountable for the outcome.
Worked SEO example (250 words)
*As an SEO leading a four-person policy team, I was given a six-week deadline to deliver a ministerial options paper on a politically sensitive regulatory reform. I drafted a delivery plan with the Grade 7 on day one, negotiated release of two staff from other team leads, and established a weekly steering group with the Grade 7 and two linked SEOs in adjacent teams. In week three a key dependency — analytical modelling from a separate analysis team — slipped by ten days due to staff illness. I escalated immediately to the Grade 7 and proposed two mitigations: substituting a simpler analytical approach, or compressing the drafting phase from two weeks to one. The Grade 7 approved compression. I personally took on the drafting of two critical sections to relieve my team, worked an extended week, and the options paper was delivered to the Minister's private office on day 42. The paper was accepted and two of its three options were implemented over the following year.*
Try SpecMatch — free.
Skip the manual work — let SpecMatch do it for you
Everything in this guide is built into SpecMatch. Import your CV, paste the job, and get a tailored application in minutes.
Try it free — no credit card neededNot ready to sign up? Get free tips instead.
One email a week with application advice that actually works — criteria coverage, STAR examples, and what panels look for. Written for NHS, Civil Service, and local government applicants.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently asked questions
Should SEO Delivering at Pace evidence direct personal delivery?
Yes. Even at SEO with direct reports, assessors value evidence that the candidate personally stepped in when delivery was at risk. Pure delegation is weaker evidence than visible personal accountability.