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.
Correspondence Drafter – Policy Correspondence Team
EO
International, Rights and Constitutional Policy Directorate
The Performance and Business Support Team (PBST) is recruiting permanently for a EO Correspondence Drafter in the Policy Correspondence Team. This campaign is being run externally and so is open to all who consider themselves suitable for the roles and meet the eligibility criteria in the wider advert within Civil Service Jobs.
Location:
Successful candidates will have the option to be based at one of the following locations:
- 102 Petty France, London
- 5 Wellington Place, Leeds (occasional travel between Leeds and London may be required post Covid-19)
In order for Policy Group to meet its evolving business needs and for us to continue to progress towards our pre-pandemic levels of attendance, all Policy Group staff are expected to attend their base location (102 Petty France or 5 Wellington Place Leeds) at least 3 days a week. This hybrid working arrangement is not contractual and as a result staff could be asked to attend their base location more frequently.
Ways of Working
At the MoJ we believe and promote alternative ways of working, these roles are available as:
- Full-time, part-time or the option to job share
- Flexible working patterns
- Flexible working arrangements between base locations, MoJ Hubs and home.
If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ)
MOJ is one of the largest government departments, employing over 80,000 people (including those in the Probation Service), with a budget of approximately £9 billion. Each year, millions of people use our services across the UK - including at 500 courts and tribunals, and 133 prisons in England and Wales.
Further information can be found at; https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
The Work of PBST
PBST sits at the heart of the Policy Group and is responsible for a broad range of corporate functions. This includes supporting our Director General and running his Private Office, alongside the drafting of correspondence. In addition, the team, manages our budgets and spend, workforce data and estates. PBST also has a governance function which includes supporting our Group’s Senior Management Team, overseeing information assurance and communications, not to mention developing a first-class learning and development offer.
Correspondence Drafter - The role
The MoJ Policy Correspondence Team is responsible for drafting replies to the majority of letters the department receives from MPs, external organisations and members of the public. It is key to the department’s success in communicating with the outside world.
Members of the team work closely with MoJ policy teams to make sure the policy position is reflected accurately in correspondence, and with ministers’ private offices to make sure responses are drafted in line with ministerial preferences.
We are recruiting for a drafter to work across ministerial portfolios within the MoJ. This is a high-accountability, fast-paced post. The successful candidate will be responsible for drafting high quality responses to both Ministerial and Treat Official correspondence. The successful candidate will manage their own caseloads ensuring they meet deadlines in a timely manner. Additionally, there will be opportunities for line management duties and further leadership development. You will need to be organised and have a high standard of written and oral communication skills.
Skills and Experience
Essential:
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Excellent planning skills
- The ability to manage a varied workload, and to identify priorities proactively
- The ability to form and maintain productive relationships with stakeholders and colleagues.
Key Responsibilities
Roles in the Policy Correspondence Team are challenging and fast-paced. Post holders will need to be adaptable and resilient, ready to undertake a diverse range of tasks including all of the following:
- Quickly grasp the essentials of various policy areas in order to draft challenging letters.
- Maintain close and effective working relationships with policy teams, Executive Agencies, Ministerial private offices and other colleagues to ensure policy briefing is suitable for correspondence purposes.
- Work collaboratively with other team members to meet relevant targets while working to challenging deadlines. At all times support team members to develop and improve practice, including encouraging creativity in drafting where possible.
- Provide support to policy teams to produce new lines for correspondence purposes, ensuring that the message is compelling, persuasive, relevant and accurate.
- Take part in joint work to continually improve processes in the team
- At all times seek to deliver clear, empathetic, respectful and timely responses to queries which address correspondent concerns, clarify policy and contribute to the overall smooth handling of Departmental public communications.
- Leading by example; visibly engaging people in owning business priorities and delivering the right results for our customers and the taxpayer. Deliver excellent customer service, aiming for once and done in all customer contact.
Candidates applying from HMPPS should note that the Ministry of Justice does not have the same conditions of employment as HMPPS. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful.
The MoJ is proud to be Level 3 Disability Confident. Disability Confident is the approach through which we offer guaranteed interviews for all people with disabilities meeting the minimum criteria for the advertised role as set out in the job description.
Application process
You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.
You will be asked to provide a CV during the application process in order to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role.
You will also be asked to upload a Statement of Suitability of no more than 500 words stating what you would bring to the role, with reference to the Skills and Experience listed above.
During the application process you will be asked to provide an example of how you have met the following behaviour (see Annex A for more information):
- Making effective decisions
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
- Changing and Improving
Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf
Should we receive a large number of applications, we will sift primarily on the lead behaviour of making effective decisions. Successful applicants will then be invited to an interview, testing both behaviours and strengths.
Candidates invited to Interview
Please note that interviews will be carried out remotely.
During the interview, we will be assessing you on Behaviours and Strengths from the success Profiles framework.
In addition to the Behaviour(s) listed in the application form, you will be asked by the interview panel to provide examples of how you meet the additional behaviours listed below.
- Making effective decisions
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
You can refer to the CS Strengths dictionary for more details: Success Profiles - Civil Service Strengths Dictionary (publishing.service.gov.uk)
You will also be required to complete a written exercise prior to your interview. Details of this will be sent to those candidates who are invited for interview.
Interviews are expected to take place Sept 2022.
Contact information
Please do get in touch if you would like to know more about the role or what it is like working in our team. Kirsty.driscoll@justice.gov.uk
Annex A - The STAR method
Using the STAR method can help you give examples of relevant experience that you have. It allows you to set the scene, show what you did, and how you did it, and explain the overall outcome.
Situation - Describe the situation you found yourself in. You must describe a specific event or situation. Be sure to give enough detail for the job holder to understand.
- Where are you?
- Who was there with you?
- What had happened?
Task - The job holder will want to understand what you tried to achieve from the situation you found yourself in.
- What was the task that you had to complete and why?
- What did you have to achieve?
Actions - What did you do? The job holder will be looking for information on what you did, how you did it and why. Keep the focus on you. What specific steps did you take and what was your contribution? Remember to include how you did it, and the behaviours you used. Try to use “I” rather than “we” to explain your actions that lead to the result. Be careful not to take credit for something that you did not do.
Results - Don’t be shy about taking credit for your behaviour. Quote specific facts and figures. Explain how the outcome benefitted the organisation or your area. Make the outcomes easily understandable.
- What results did the actions produce?
- What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your goals?
- Was it a successful outcome? If not, what did you learn from the experience?
Keep the situation and task parts brief. Concentrate on the action and the result. If the result was not entirely successful describe what you learned from this and what you would do differently next time. Make sure you focus on your strengths.
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