We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
Background to the Team
Within the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) for the Leadership, Talent & Capability Team in People Group it is our vision to make a Department where leaders inspire; talent is nurtured; diversity is celebrated; and everyone is enabled to be their best. As a Team we are here to champion leadership excellence, nurture and develop talent to inspire and empower every individual to fulfil their potential. Through the delivery of high quality, high impact programmes and assessments we strengthen individual and organisational capability, create a pipeline of future leaders and promote a culture of continuous improvement and growth.
Role purpose and summary:
The Lead for Assessments is a business-critical and specialist role that will involve shaping, influencing and assisting in setting the strategic direction for the development and delivery of promotional assessments across the MoJ family and the assessment and selection processes across the Leadership, Talent and Capability portfolio.
You will assist the Head of Capability in developing and implementing an engaging and stretching capability strategy that spans the whole of the MoJ family that fully supports and develops Organisational Capability.
This includes:
- Shaping, influencing and setting the strategic direction for the development of competence and confidence across the MoJ family through the development and delivery of high-quality promotional assessments and assessment processes across the MoJ and the assessment processes across the Leadership, Talent and Capability portfolio. With the aim of the MoJ becoming a beacon of learning and continuous professional development.
- Building strong relationships, expertise and creating a more fluid flow of capable people throughout the organisation.
- Negotiating with individual business areas who are likely to be working on their own capability agendas to ensure collaborative working, avoid duplication and promote best practice.
- Demonstrating the positive impact high-quality promotional assessments and assessment processes has across the MoJ family, both for individuals and at an organisational level. This includes providing recommendations and advice on how we will continually update our Leadership, Talent and Capability offer.
- Utilising knowledge of the latest capability theories and thinking and identifying appropriate opportunities to ensure that we are continually investing in new and innovative ways and methods of developing our people.
- Managing the assessments team; consisting of occupational psychologists, trainee occupational psychologists and a psychology assistant and when required, cover for the other leads within the Capability Team and effective at inspiring virtual teams, matrix working through Design & Delivery and Enablement & Evaluation.
- Striving for excellence in a dynamic and creative way, open to working in a collaborative, iterative way that gets the best from the team whilst working at pace.
Key Accountabilities, responsibilities, and deliverables:
Discovery
· Work across various agencies and groups within the MoJ family, collaboratively working with others to deliver a comprehensive, impactful and wide-ranging portfolio including the HMPPS promotional assessments offer and increasing our virtual assessment capability.
· Provide expert advice to support Senior Leaders to guide and define the assessment policy and ensure that assessment services adhere to professional psychological guidelines, testing best practice and the highest ethical standards contributing towards an integrated model for organisational development.
· Regularly review and refresh the promotional assessment strategy, policy and solutions to meet the operational needs of the business.
· Define the policy for dealing with candidates with reasonable adjustments and ensure it is up to date and meets best practice in line with the Equality Act. Also, provide supervision to the Occupational Psychologist in training/psychological assistant in dealing with reasonable adjustment queries for all levels of assessments to ensure that ‘appropriate and realistic’ adjustments are made to create a level playing field for all candidates.
· Contribute to the strategic development of the resourcing needs for MoJ via links with Senior HRBPs, resource planners and data teams.
· Maintain professional relationships with all internal stakeholders and external agencies to ensure the maintenance of best practice and provide MoJ with an informed view of both opportunities and innovation.
· Work closely with the wider OE team to support cultural change and ensure the capability requirements required in the future can be met and are adequately assessed and allowing potential talent to be identified.
Design
· Responsible for all aspects of assessment design and evaluation for HMPPS promotion accreditation processes for both operational and selected non-operational roles to custodial manager, Head of Function, Deputy Governor and Governing Governor, including Incident Management Silver Command assessment with a view to expand across the MoJ family.
· Undertake complex analysis to aid organisational development by identifying key performance and accreditation trends/gaps at all levels and work towards an integrated selection, assessment and leadership development model. This includes implementation, monitoring and maintaining best practice policy for supporting and making reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities through assessments.
· Design complex research and predictive validity projects as required to verify the effectiveness of selection and assessment processes across the MoJ family
· Work closely with key stakeholders, teams and individuals to support and enable delivery targets and HR strategic objectives to be met with practical, legally justifiable and cost-effective assessment solutions.
· Work closely with colleagues where an assessment solution is required to ensure that appropriate assessments are designed and administered such as for leadership development programmes and talent schemes.
· Ensure assessment process/materials are fit for purpose and identify best quality candidates to apply for posts on promotion.
· Provide psychological expertise to support, advise and guide other professionals and senior leaders working in the HR field and wider MoJ to enhance organisational effectiveness. This includes providing psychological expertise in the research, design, implementation, quality assurance and evaluation of occupational assessment solutions for MoJ.
· Enhance development and preparation of candidates through the design and delivery of focused feedback solutions and pre-assessment development interventions, such as workshops, roadshows and portfolios.
· Work closely with the Head of Capability to enhance credibility and operational buy-in of the assessment process.
Test
· Ensure that diversity is explicitly and proactively promoted and supported in assessment design, evaluation and marketing. Direct and oversee evaluation studies and eliminate adverse impact in all assessment campaigns.
Deliver
· Deliver the current Assessment Calendar and continually improve the effectiveness of promotion assessment solutions across the MoJ.
· Provide theoretically founded or evidence-based advice and guidance on how psychological interventions can support MoJ promotional, leadership, selection and assessment needs.
· Carry out and direct relevant research and job analysis activities to ensure that the design of all selection processes are fit for purpose, in line with ‘best practice’ testing standards and remain at the leading edge of assessment and selection.
· Finalise the behavioural assessment criteria for all levels of assessment, reviewing and refining assessments to ensure they are fit for purpose, reliable, valid and elicit the required leadership qualities, skills and behaviours.
· Lead the design and delivery of comprehensive training packages for training of assessors and role players.
· Facilitate and supervise the professional development and practice of occupational psychologist practitioners and trainee occupational psychologists.
· Manage the requirement for using fee paid staff in assessment delivery and accurately cost/budget for bespoke assessments.
· Manage the interface between Shared Service Centre, the Capability Assessment Team and third-party providers for all delegate management requirements and on-line or virtual assessments.
· Collaborate with stakeholders (including HR professionals, Prison Group Directors, Divisional Directors, governors, senior policy leads and trade unions) at a strategic level to ensure assessments have high face validity and legally justifiable.
Review
· Manage the evaluation process directing appropriate complex statistical analysis and interrogation of results data to quality assure all assessment results to ensure quality, reliability and validity. Use professional judgement and have responsibility for setting the appropriate cut off scores for assessment ensuring they are at the relevant level, free from adverse impact and legally justifiable.
· Oversee the production of national summary statistics and metrics for all levels of assessment.
· Continually work to improve the efficiency of assessments, whilst continually improving quality and effectiveness to meet the strategic needs of the business.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to undertake additional tasks commensurate with their grade.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience incl. qualifications
Essential:
Knowledge and experience of:
· Promotional assessments and assessment processes as well as policies and legalisation requirements.
· Conducting recruitment and assessment process audits, including making recommendations for change.
· Leading end-to-end projects within the consultancy cycle.
· Consulting with a wide range of clients in a client-centred and collaborative manner, to diagnose issues and successfully implement strategies for change.
· Conducting job analysis and complex competency framework/Success Profile design, including organisation-wide frameworks, or frameworks across multiple levels.
· Designing and evaluating a wide range of assessment solutions, including interviews, assessment centre exercises and online assessments at all levels from volume recruitment/junior roles to senior leadership/executive assessment.
· Conducting behavioural assessments and interviews at all levels, including volume recruitment, management assessment, and senior leadership/executive assessment and development.
· Using psychometric tools for selection and assessment, including the use of ability tests and personality questionnaires.
Have a robust understanding of recruitment legislation and Occupational Psychology Best Practice and its potential impact on resourcing plans/strategies.
Skills: teamwork and collaboration; leadership, professionalism and strong work ethic and commercial awareness
Excellent drafting, presentation, oral and written communication skills
Desirable:
Experience of navigating often complex political landscapes, recognising issues even when they may be under the surface, exposing and resolving tensions, and sharing best practice and learning.
Qualifications:
Chartered Occupational Psychologist (CPsychol) and registered with Health Professionals Council (HCPC)
Eligible for Associate Fellowship of the BPS
Occupational Testing Certificates Ability & Personality (Level A and B)
Success Profile behaviours
· Leadership
· Seeing the Big Picture
· Changing and Improving
· Communicating and Influencing
· Making Effective Decisions
· Managing a Quality Service
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