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.
These posts are based in Royal Courts of Justice, London
Salary and Grade
These posts are Grade 7
New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join on the minimum of the pay range.
Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.
Overview
The Senior judiciary have an established leadership role for our justice system. Senior judges take responsibility to find ways of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the justice system. In particular, making good use of technology and ensuring that the approach to leading judges and the people and systems that support them are fit for a modern justice system, and upholding the principles and values central to the respect in which the judiciary and our justice system are held.
The role of the judiciary is frequently in the media and political spotlight. In their leadership of the judiciary, the most senior judges must maintain the independence of the judiciary, fundamental to the rule of law whilst ensuring that the justice system evolves properly in a changing world.
The Private Office Policy and Strategy function is a small but expanding group. These newly created roles will play an integral part in embedding policy expertise across the judicial private offices. Successful applicants will develop key policy and advise the most senior judges on strategic questions of the day. The successful candidates will need to appreciate the big picture and clearly articulate their thinking. They will bring excellent drafting skills and the ability to work across teams, drive projects forward and communicate and influence upwards.
The Organisation
Both posts are within the Judicial Office (JO), an Arms-Length Body of the Ministry of Justice.
Our purpose is to strengthen the rule of law and improve the administration of justice by supporting the leadership and governance of our independent judiciary.
We are a unique branch of the civil service, independent from Government, dedicated to supporting the judiciary and promoting judicial independence, to maintain confidence in the rule of law. We support the Lord Chief Justice, the Senior President of Tribunals and other senior judges to fulfil their responsibilities. Through our specialist teams we support some 22,000 judicial office holders, providing policy, strategy, legal and handling advice and operational support.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/judicial-office/
For more information see www.judiciary.uk. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Job description
There are two vacancies available and further information on each role is specified below. If you have a preference, please clearly specify this. Set out the relevant experience/skills you have in your statement of suitability.
Both roles involve working across the Strategy Team and Private Offices to deliver strategies and policies in support of the senior judiciary’s vision. In each role you will work on varied projects within a multifunctional team and have regular contact with the senior judiciary.
You will be responsible for identifying and designing policies and strategies and working with varied stakeholders to ensure they are deliverable and implemented. You will need to be able to deal with senior judges and officials with confidence with an ability to influence upwards. All three roles will involve working across Judicial Office and Wider Government to establish strong relationships and effect change. You will be responsible for providing oral and written briefings to judges and colleagues and must have excellent communication skills.
Senior Policy and Strategy Advisor to the President of the Family Division
The current President of the Family Division, and Head of Family Justice, is The Rt Hon. Sir Andrew McFarlane. The PFD is the fourth most senior judge in England and Wales.
As well as the PFD – who is an active member of the Court of Appeal – the Family Division consists of 19 High Court Judges. It deals with:
- Divorce, including disputes over children, property or money;
- Adoption, wardship and other matters involving children; and
- Judgments on behalf of those who are unable to make decisions for themselves, such as persistent vegetative state victims.
The Family Division also deals with undisputed matters of probate – the legal recognition of the validity of a will – in the Probate Registry of the Family Division in London, and the 11 probate registries in England and Wales.
The postholder will:
- Develop and deliver strategies to help drive forward the PFD’s priorities, providing high-quality policy, strategy and handling advice.
- Lead or support engagement with the Ministry of Justice and other government departments on policy developments affecting the Family Justice system
- Build strong relationships across the Judicial Office and with senior stakeholders in the justice system, including MoJ, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, other government departments and ALB involved in the Family Justice system.
- Maintain a clear understanding of issues affecting the Family Justice System and the wider environment in which they operate, including the impact of new policy proposals, legislation, and cross-border issues, and opportunities for digital ways of working and online resolution in a modern justice system
- This role will be embedded in the PFD’s Private Office and line managed by the PFD’s Private Secretary. It will provide valuable links between Private Office and the Private Office Strategy Team, ensuring priorities are aligned and strengthening collaborative working between the two teams.
Senior Policy and Strategy Advisor to the Master of the Rolls and Deputy Head of Civil Justice
A truly unique opportunity to define and establish this key role at the heart of the team supporting the Master of the Rolls and Deputy Head of Civil Justice.
Civil Justice is wide-ranging and underpins many areas of people’s lives. The Civil Justice System provides for the vindication of rights, resolve disputes across almost any issue, and enforces regulations and rules. Examples of topics which our system engages include Anti-Social Behaviour, Contract breach, Copyright, Personal Injury, Medical Negligence, the status of Crypto-Assets, Housing, Consumer Confidence, and Trade. This breadth means that a wide range of policy topics from right across Government interact with our work here.
Your work will have real and significant impact at the highest level. You will occupy a prominent and highly visible position alongside judges at the heart of the civil justice system.
This role will be an integral party of the MR and DHCJ’s Private Office and line managed by the MR’s Private Secretary. It will provide an invaluable link between Private Office and the Private Office Strategy and Policy Team. You will help align priorities and strengthen collaborative working between the two teams.
Your responsibilities and tasks will be varied but will include taking a lead in defining and delivering a number of the MR and DHCJ’s priorities. This may include their work improving the collection, use, and analysis of data within the civil justice system, or their work creating a Digital Justice System. You will also support the MR and DHCJ by leading their contribution into areas of work which are a priority for the wider judiciary, such as the ‘one judiciary’ initiative bringing Tribunals and the Courts closer together.
You will lead engagement on a range of programmes and policy areas and will become a recognised point of contact and expertise across Whitehall. You will offer guidance, support and appropriate challenge to ensure delivery.
You will work closely and directly with the Master of the Rolls (Sir Geoffrey Vos) and Deputy Head of Civil Justice (Sir Colin Birss). You should be prepared to represent them at meetings. You will become an essential support to both of them, giving excellent advice, and providing an effective link between their leadership and policy work across Judicial Office and Government.
You will also help the wider team anticipate the impact of new policy proposals, legislation, social and economic development on Civil justice. To be effective you will need to develop and maintain a broad understanding of issues affecting civil justice and the wider political, economic, and social environment it reflects and within which it operates.
As an active part of the Master of the Roll’s Private Office Team, you help tackle the unexpected opportunities and challenges a busy private office can offer. Our high performing team is small, friendly, and social. We prioritise and enjoy supporting each other. It will be important that the job holder is willing and able to be occasionally flexible in the tasks they take on.
This role may present an opportunity for line management.
Skills and Qualifications
The successful candidate will be organised, strategic and be able to prioritise and handle multiple issues concurrently. They will have excellent and concise communication skills. The post holder must be able to perform independently at a high level. Part of the enjoyment and challenge of working in a private office is that work is occasionally fast paced and unpredictable.
The strongest applicants are likely to have proven experience of drafting, committee work, IT skills, communication and influencing skills. Prior experience of working with the judiciary and knowledge of the Civil/Family Justice System are desirable but not essential.
Person specification
The successful candidates must:
- Be able to influence and manage upwards and speak with authority when dealing with senior officials or judiciary
- Have excellent communication and leadership skills
- Have strong organisational skills and the ability to drive work forward
- Have excellent written skills and be able to draft high quality briefing and advice
Desirable knowledge and skills:
- Experience of working closely with the judiciary, and an interest in the workings of the courts and tribunals system more widely
- Experience of delivering strategies/policies from inception to completion
Selection Process details
This vacancy is using Success Profileshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles , and the sift will assess the behaviours outlined below.
We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Changing and Improving
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making effective decisions
- Delivering at Pace
Applicants will also be required to provide a CV and Statement of Suitability.
At interview we will be assessing experience, behaviours and strengths. Successful candidates will be asked to give a short presentation.
Candidates should indicate if they have a preference for either role, and give brief reasons for this.
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