Civil Service Leadership Example at Grade 6
A worked STAR example for Leadership at Grade 6 scope, showing leadership of a function with multiple teams and Director-level accountability.
**TL;DR.** At Grade 6, Leadership is about leading a function of 20–80 staff across multiple teams, engaging with Directors and Permanent Secretaries, and contributing to departmental strategy.
Worked Grade 6 Leadership example (250 words)
*As Grade 6 head of operations I led a function of 60 staff across three teams that received a critical internal audit finding for inconsistent decision-making. Similar cases were being decided differently across teams, creating fairness risks. I established a programme to redesign our operating model. I personally chaired a weekly leadership meeting with the three SEO team leads, commissioned a peer-review process where each team reviewed a sample of the others' decisions monthly, and introduced a quarterly calibration session where I led case discussion to surface and resolve interpretation differences. I revised the line management structure so the three SEO leads reported into a single principal officer post accountable to me for cross-team consistency. After six months internal audit re-tested a sample of cases and consistency had risen from 71% to 94%. The function was cited in the department's annual report as an example of effective response to internal audit recommendations. This evidences Grade 6 Leadership: structural change across multiple teams, personal accountability to the Director, and outcomes at function scale.*
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
What is the difference between Leadership at Grade 7 and Grade 6?
Grade 7 is strategic ownership of a function with SEO team leads; typical scope 15–50 staff. Grade 6 is leadership of a larger function, often 60+ staff through team leaders, with direct Director and Permanent Secretary accountability and contribution to departmental strategy.
Does Grade 6 Leadership require a cross-government dimension?
Not always, but strong examples often reference cross-government impact or external profile. Directorate-level leadership with measurable outcomes is sufficient for Grade 6 applications; cross-government leadership becomes essential at SCS.