SCS — Senior Civil Service
Everything you need to know about applying for SCS roles in the Civil Service: what assessors expect, how behaviours are tested, and grade-specific examples.
What SCS level involves
At SCS level, you are expected to provide senior leadership, set organisational strategy, and deliver outcomes that affect the whole Civil Service or public. You should demonstrate evidence of transformative leadership at scale.
The 9 behaviours at SCS level
Below are all nine Civil Service behaviours with typical word counts and links to grade-specific examples. Most departments ask for 750 words per behaviour at this level.
| Behaviour | Typical word count | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Seeing the Big Picture | 750 | Example |
| Changing and Improving | 750 | Example |
| Making Effective Decisions | 750 | Example |
| Leadership | 750 | Example |
| Communicating and Influencing | 750 | Example |
| Working Together | 750 | Example |
| Developing Self and Others | 750 | Example |
| Managing a Quality Service | 750 | Example |
| Delivering at Pace | 750 | Example |
Scoring expectations at SCS
At sift, your behaviour statements are scored on a scale of 1–7 against the Success Profiles framework. To pass, you typically need to score at least 4 ("Achieved") on each behaviour required for the role.
The difference between a score of 4 and a score of 5 is often specificity. A statement that says "I improved the process" scores lower than one that says "I redesigned the filing system, reducing retrieval time by 75%." Use numbers wherever you can.
How to progress from SCS
At SCS level, progression is about breadth of impact and evidence of leading at scale. Focus on delivering outcomes that span multiple departments, building relationships with ministers and permanent secretaries, and developing the next generation of leaders.