Helen Stephenson is leaving her post as director of the Office for Civil Society and being replaced by Mark Fisher, currently social justice director at the Department for Work and Pensions.
After seven years in the Cabinet Office, the last two and a half as director of the OCS and joint head of the Government Innovation Group, Stephenson has landed a new job as director of early years and childcare at the Department for Education.
She finishes at the OCS this week and starts at the DfE early next month.
Her successor, Mark Fisher, will take up the role of director of the OCS and Government Innovation Group, on Monday 6 October.
As social justice director at DWP, a job he has held since September 2011, Fisher was responsible for delivering on the government’s agenda for social justice, helping prevent long-term worklessness.
Prior to this appointment he was jobseekers and skills director in DWP, responsible for the DWP’s unemployment schemes, including the design and delivery of the Work Programme.
He has worked previously in the Benefits Agency and as a board director of Jobcentre Plus. More recently he has been chief executive of the Sector Skills Development Agency.
Series of high-level departures from OCS
Stephenson’s departure is the latest in a string of senior personnel changes at the OCS. Nick Hurd, the long-standing minister for civil society, was moved from his post in July, to be replaced by Brooks Newmark who was forced to quit on Saturday after a tabloid sexting sting. Rob Wilson is the new minister.
Michael O’Toole, the Crown representative for the voluntary sector since 2012, announced his resignation earlier this month to move to a new job as chief executive of the charity Mentor.
The post of head of OCS public services team, whose role is to open up public services to more diverse suppliers, including those from civil society, is also currently vacant.
Mark Fisher’s new role will involve ultimate responsibility for the OCS’ five policy teams: the social action team, social investment team, sector support team; National Citizen Service, and youth policy and strategy.
On Stephenson’s watch, the sector has seen the expansion of National Citizen Service, the launch of Big Social Capital, the establishment of the Centre for Social Action which has given birth to the Dementia Friends initiative and the King’s College Hospital Volunteers Scheme, and the introduction of several social impact bonds. It’s also seen the Social Value Act and the Lobbying Act, and the Big Society Network funding debacle.
Helen Stephenson told Civil Society News: “I have had a wonderful time at the Cabinet Office working on a wide range of important issues from charity law through to social investment. In particular, I have been very grateful for the support and genuine partnerships with such a wide group of colleagues from across the whole sector.
“I’m looking forward to my new role as director of early years and childcare at the Department of Education where I'll be overseeing the rollout of some really exciting policies which help millions of children and their parents. I can't wait to get started.”
