Civil Service behaviours by grade

Pick the grade and behaviour from the job advert. See what it looks like at that level, then draft your example.

Grade in the job advertBehaviour

Delivering at pace · HEO and SEO

Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.

At HEO and SEO level, examples are when you:

show a positive approach to keeping the whole team’s efforts focused on the top priorities
promote a culture of following the appropriate procedures to ensure results are achieved on time whilst still enabling innovation
ensure the most appropriate resources are available for colleagues to use to do their job effectively
regularly monitor your own and team’s work against milestones ensuring individual needs are considered when setting tasks
act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance
allow individuals the space and authority to meet objectives, providing additional support where necessary, whilst keeping overall responsibility

You do not need to show every point.

Draft your example

Situation and task in two sentences, most words on what you did, then the result.

0 of 250 words

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The nine behaviours

Seeing the big picture	Understand how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives. Recognise the wider Civil Service priorities and ensure work is in the national interest.
Changing and improving	Seek out opportunities to create effective change and suggest innovative ideas for improvement. Review ways of working, including seeking and providing feedback.
Making effective decisions	Use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. Carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions.
Leadership	Show pride and passion for public service. Create and engage others in delivering a shared vision. Value difference, diversity and inclusion, ensuring fairness and opportunity for all.
Communicating and influencing	Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.
Working together	Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources and support.
Developing self and others	Focus on continuous learning and development for self, others and the organisation as a whole.
Managing a quality service	Deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.
Delivering at pace	Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.

Grades covered: AA and AO, EO, HEO and SEO, Grade 7 and 6, Deputy Director, Director and DG.

Questions people ask

What are the Civil Service behaviours?

Nine behaviours: seeing the big picture, changing and improving, making effective decisions, leadership, communicating and influencing, working together, developing self and others, managing a quality service, delivering at pace. Each job advert picks the few it will assess.

How many behaviours will I be assessed on?

Only those named in the job advert, usually a handful. You will never be asked for all nine for one role.

How long should a behaviour example be?

The advert sets the limit, often 250 words. Spend most of it on what you did and the result.

What is the STAR method?

Situation, task, action, result. GOV.UK suggests it: set the scene, show what you did and how, then the outcome.

Which grade should I pick?

The grade in the job advert. Some departments use their own band names; the advert usually gives the Civil Service equivalent.

Definitions and examples: Cabinet Office (GOV.UK), Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours, updated 29 January 2025, checked 4 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.