Outsider takes leading HR role in public sector

A private sector candidate has been appointed as the new head of HR for the Civil Service, taking the post of director-general, leadership and people strategy in the Cabinet Office.

The move, which was predicted by Personnel Today last year, sees the post taken for the first time by someone who has not been a career civil servant.

Former Accenture senior executive Gill Rider, who takes over from Alice Perkins, will provide leadership for the programmes professionalising the Civil Service, developing leaders and promoting diversity.

Rider will also act as ‘head of profession’ for HR practitioners across government, building up the Civil Service’s HR capability. She will report directly to Gus O’Donnell, cabinet secretary and head of the home Civil Service.

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Rider has been global chief leadership officer at Accenture since 2002, leading the people side of its transition from partnership to public company.

O’Donnell described Rider as “a first-rate performer, with extensive experience of change”. He said: “Her experience of developing leadership throughout her organisation and beyond is highly relevant to the current Civil Service reform programme and I look forward to working closely with her on transforming the way in which HR operates across the service.”