Public Appointments Service Online Recruitment

Government & Crisis Management

Revolutionising public appointments through agile digital delivery

Public Appointments Service – Online Recruitment

The Public Appointments Service is the UK Government’s central platform for promoting and managing appointments across public bodies, government departments, and advisory committees. It provides citizens with a transparent way to search and apply for roles, receive tailored notifications, and engage with third-party recruitment services.

To meet ministerial commitments and expectations from Number 10 Downing Street, the Cabinet Office sought a technology partner to design and deliver a modernised, citizen-facing and internally used recruitment platform.

Challenge

The existing service did not fully meet user needs, lacked consistency across departments, and suffered from fragmented processes. The challenge was to:

Deliver a high-profile solution under significant time pressure.
Balance the needs of both citizens and internal cross-government stakeholders.
Define and implement a scalable technology and data strategy.

Our Approach

Apprilis supported the Cabinet Office Digital team to design, plan, and implement the service. Our work included:

Conducting in-depth user research to capture needs by segment and define prioritised user stories.
Mapping existing user journeys and pain points, then designing a refined, simplified journey.
Benchmarking recruitment solutions across the Civil Service to inform architectural and technology options.
Developing a delivery roadmap aligned with ministerial deadlines.
Providing recommendations for improved data management and interoperability.
Adopting an agile, iterative delivery model to ensure milestones were achieved and signed off in sequence.

Impact

Delivered a modernised Public Appointments Service, balancing citizen usability with government operational requirements.
Ensured the Cabinet Office met public commitments to Number 10, providing confidence in both delivery and scope.
Created a clear technology roadmap and data management strategy for ongoing service evolution.
Enhanced transparency and accessibility for citizens seeking public appointments.

Key Outcomes

A live, citizen-facing service delivered on time and to scope despite high-profile ministerial scrutiny.
Refined end-to-end user journey, improving the experience for applicants and civil service stakeholders alike.
Established a scalable foundation for future enhancements, underpinned by agile ways of working.

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