We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity
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
We are recruiting two HEO policy advisers to work in exciting and challenging areas of prison policy, in the Prisoner Outcomes, Resettlement and Reoffending Division. One role will focus on tailoring our rehabilitative prison services to the needs of a diverse range of prisoner cohorts (starting with transgender offenders), and the other will focus on developing innovative, system-led approaches to improving the social inclusion of people leaving prison. These are complex policy areas which involve collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders across and outside of government, so these roles are a great opportunity to learn about government and a range of social issues while achieving impact.
We are looking for people who can:
- take a positive, proactive approach to analysing problems and identifying solutions
- collaborate with and influence others to develop an impactful shared way forwards
- write in a clear, succinct and engaging manner
- take ownership for their decisions and what they have promised to deliver
We do not require prior civil service experience. Colleagues in MoJ policy teams have a wide range of experiences; some who are new to the MoJ have come from other parts of the public sector, the third sector and private sector.
We are a friendly, enthusiastic and collaborative team with a strong emphasis on ensuring team members feel happy, supported and engaged in their work. We are keen to make a difference, working closely with partners and supporting everyone to play their part to improve prisons and the outcomes for prisoners. We have a strong commitment to personal and career development, helping everyone to grow and fulfil their potential.
We believe in and promote alternative ways of working, so these roles are available as:
- Full-time with flexible working patterns
- Flexible working arrangements between base locations, MoJ Hubs and home.
At the moment the majority of our staff are currently working from home due to Covid-19.
What we do
The Prison Policy Directorate sits within the Ministry of Justice and is responsible for advising ministers on all aspects of prison policy. Our key priorities include reducing the number of prisoners who reoffend on release from prison, ensuring that prisons are safe and secure, developing a comprehensive strategy for the future of the prison estate, and the recruitment and training of the prison workforce. Other important work includes the scrutiny of prison performance and developing policy that supports the effective management of specific cohorts of prisoners.
Reoffending costs society an estimated £18bn annually, and the Prisoner Outcomes, Resettlement and Reoffending Division is at the heart of the government’s efforts to address this, by supporting offenders to rehabilitate and integrate into society. This not only transforms lives, it also reduces reoffending by breaking the cycle of crime and protects the public by preventing the creation of future victims. We work strategically across government to achieve this through our reducing reoffending strategy, and identify and pursue opportunities to improve the social inclusion of people leaving prison. We ensure that prisoners can access a purposeful and rehabilitative regime by improving the quality of prison education and ensuring it meets the varying needs of different cohorts of prisoners, and that they can access employment and accommodation upon release.
Prisoner cohorts
Prisons contain a range of different cohorts of individuals with hugely varying circumstances and needs, including neurodiversity, older prisoners and transgender prisoners. Our aim is to improve our understanding of the needs and characteristics of these cohorts, and use this understanding to ensure we’re providing rehabilitative services which help transform their lives.
This role will focus on our work on transgender prisoners, with the aim of ensuring that transgender prisoners are managed sensitively and treated fairly. The role will focus on addressing the policy issues affecting transgender prisoners, providing succinct evidence-based advice to ministers, and may include opportunities to take legislation through Parliament. The role will also provide support to the broader work of the team, including on the development of the forthcoming older offenders strategy.
We are looking for individuals who are interested in the issues set out above, and welcome applications from those with lived experiences of them. You should be ambitious about improving outcomes for prisoners, pride yourself on producing high-quality work, and enjoy thinking strategically. Previous civil service experience is not necessary and we welcome applications from individuals from a range of backgrounds.
Prison leavers
The Prison Leavers Project aims to improve the outcomes of people leaving prison by testing innovative new approaches to complex challenges which ‘cut across’ multiple organisations. We know that when people leave prison they face a wide range of challenges, such as securing employment and financial security, obtaining safe and stable accommodation, and building positive relationships with family, friends and the wider community. This project focuses on working across the whole system, at both a national and local level, to establish joint ownership of the challenges faced by people leaving prison and the potential solutions.
You will be expected to work flexibly across the team, effectively organise your time to meet deliverables, provide high-quality outputs and be proactive in seeking opportunities to improve your area of work.
Applications
Selection Process:Â application form, CV and interview
In your application form, you will be asked to provide a CV, a statement of suitability, and examples of how you have met selected Civil Service behaviours.
The 250-word statement of suitability should explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role as described in this job description (but you do not need to explicitly reflect the behaviours here).
Your examples demonstrating how you meet the following Civil Service behaviours should set out your situation, action and result:Â
We want someone with the ability to bring together views and perspectives of a range of partners and stakeholders to gain a wider picture of the landscape surrounding their policy area, and an understanding of how their role supports MoJ and wider HMG objectives. Â
- Making effective decisionsÂ
We are looking for candidates who can use evidence and knowledge confidently to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. They will be able to carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions before deciding which to proceed with.Â
We want someone who can establish effective relationships and collaborate with other departments and external stakeholders to support the delivery of cross-departmental objectives, and who will be confident in engaging with senior managers. Â
If a high number of applications are received, we will sift application forms on the ‘seeing the big picture’ behaviour.
At interview, as well as assessing the above behaviours, we will also ask questions to understand your strengths. Â
You can find out more about behaviours and strengths by looking at the Civil Service Success Profiles guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profilesÂ
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.
Interviews will be held via Microsoft Teams and are expected to take place in week commencing February 8.
If you would like further information about the roles, please contact:
Prisoner cohorts: Amy Carmichael – Amy.Carmichael@justice.gov.uk
Prison leavers: Katie Hewitt - Katie.Hewitt@justice.gov.uk
The successful candidates are expected to be able to take up posts as soon as possible, and, if joining from another Civil Service post, with agreement from your current line management. The posts are available on promotion as well as level transfer.
For those candidates who successfully meet the job criteria but are not assigned to the initial posts, a merit/reserve list will be kept open for 12 months.
TOP