Can you negotiate public sector pay?

[Pamcakey]

I am completely presuming no but I am just pondering.

I have two interviews this week and wondering if, by some miracle I were offered both jobs, would I have any hope in hell negotiating salary or would I look like a fool?

Job A is a dream job. Job B is less interesting but about 8% more pay.

Both jobs pay less than my current career will when I’m at the top of my pay scale next year. (However significant factors relating to working patterns and flexibility are pushing my leave - both these jobs are fully remote and normal working hours opposed to office based shifts)

Both jobs are public sector and stated a specific salary (not a range). No suggestion of any pay bands.

I’m mid level, not senior. However, I do have a fairly specific skillset which is very relevant to the job and can only be obtained coming from the job I am currently doing.

Neither job are civil service, although advertised through the CS and follow their recruitment structure.

Any thoughts please? I’m fully expecting to be told there is no flexibility and I don’t want to look like a fool for trying if that’s the case.

If there's a range you can negotiate within the range. But not above it. Good luck!

This.

It’s odd there is no salary range. I have never seen that before in the public sector. You could ask about that and use that as the starting basis for negotiations if there is a salary range they have mysteriously not stated.

Nope, no range.
That doesn’t seem unusual to me? I understand that’s the norm in CS as different departments within there pay differently for different level staff but these aren’t strictly CS.

My current career has a pay scale but only in the sense that you move up a scale per year so everyone with say 5 years service earns exactly the same.

I mean I would take either job on the advertised salary without question 🤣 but obviously would always want more salary.

no range
no chance

No that's not the way it works. Pay is set for specific grades and increases each year. If you want more you need to get a job at the next grade up

Much as I suspected!
Thanks all, I will not head down that path should I be offered a position!

Entirely depends what version of public sector you are. Where I am - an arms length - yes you absolutely can

I think it is worth asking if you get offered the job. I work in a public sector job and people usually start at the bottom of the pay scale but it is possible to start higher up.

Really depends on what sort of CS job. I work in a public service job but not CS. We have our own salary budget and if someone made a good case we could look at being flexible, I.e. move up a grade. Or offer more holidays etc. If there's a pension factor that in, our pension scheme is worth about 8%.

Talk to them.

You should definitely ask. I work in public sector HR. While we say the salary for jobs is the bottom of the pay scale we do have some flexibility.

I got the job and decided to ask as I found a range on the data.gov website.

The answer was no, everyone starts on the same but there is a range as it increases each year in line with funding increases.

It was the answer I expected but I’m glad I put my neck out and asked.
Very excited to start, it’s pretty much my dream job and the t&c will be life changing for me which more then makes up for the salary.

It's always worth asking. Most women don't, so they don't get. And a lot of women work in the public sector...

Came on here to say there won’t be any negotiation on a set salary - but see you got it op. Good luck with the new role.