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.
The Policy and Strategy Group is recruiting permanently for up to three Band B (SEO Equivalent) roles. This is an external campaign and open to all, including current civil servants on level transfer and on promotion.
Location:
Successful candidates will be based at Wellington Place, Leeds.
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.
At the moment the majority of our staff are currently working from home due to Covid-19 though there is the opportunity to attend the office at present.
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.
Job Description overview
The Priority Projects Team (PPT) is a high-profile, friendly and supportive team working at the heart of the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ’s) strategy function. We act as an in-house consultancy, working across the whole of MoJ’s policy agenda, helping the department to deliver its highest priorities.
You will be part of a team within PPT working on specific and urgent policy issues. Recently our projects have included working on the 2020 Spending Review, supporting legislation, such as the Judicial Review and Courts Bill, the Domestic Abuse Bill, drafting and supporting the Rape Review, developing the department’s approach to court fees and prison reform, and the response to COVID-19. You will also have the opportunity to scope out and propose strategic projects.
We are looking for motivated, resilient and adaptable individuals who are able to get to grips with new subject areas quickly, have strong analytical and problem-solving skills and are able to communicate complex ideas clearly. You will need to be confident working independently and comfortable working with ambiguity, leading the delivery of complex and challenging policy projects across the Ministry of Justice’s policy responsibilities.
The role will give you the opportunity to work with senior stakeholders across MoJ as well as other government departments, and will usually involve engagement with the ministerial team and private offices.
In return, we are committed to providing you with a positive team culture where you can thrive. People are our most valuable resource and through flexible working, our commitment to learning and development, network events and mentoring, we ensure our directorate is a positive environment to work in.
The team is made up of a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values that diversity and helps us to be our best by reflecting different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds. Some colleagues are new to the Civil Service from the private or third sector. Others have worked in different parts of MoJ and in other central government departments. We want to maintain a diversity of background and experience, and particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented in the organisation. We are a friendly team and you will have a comprehensive induction, with many training opportunities to enable your personal development.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ)
MOJ is one of the largest government departments, employing around 70,000 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
Senior Policy Advisor in the Priority Projects Team – the role
As a Senior Policy Advisor in the Priority Projects Team you will:
- Lead or support the delivery of a range of projects in priority areas of the department.
- Work collaboratively with other policy professionals, analysts, lawyers and operational colleagues to understand complex issues quickly and develop robust and evidence-based solutions. This will include working with quantitative and qualitative data to develop a strong evidence base.
- Establish collaborative relationships with key stakeholders from across the MoJ and wider government to understand complex issues quickly and ensure that links are made with the relevant policy and operational teams.
- Produce high-quality written and oral briefings for senior officials and Ministers, distilling complex ideas into clear and concise advice.
- Some posts will involve line management responsibility for one Band C/HEO.
Alongside your core role, you will have the opportunity to get involved in corporate projects across the wider team such as Wellbeing, Diversity & Inclusion, Mentoring and Recruitment. These Corporate responsibilities underpin how we work as a team and contribute to the MoJ as a whole.
In return, you will have access to many training opportunities on a range of topics, for example: leadership and coaching, effective writing, stakeholder engagement and partnership working.
Skills and Experience
- Previous experience in government is not essential, but you will need to have a good political awareness, the ability to communicate effectively to a wide range of audiences and the ability to solve problems using structured problem-solving techniques.
- Experience of working in a project environment and/or strategy consulting experience would be an advantage.
Application process
You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.
Experience
To apply, you will be asked to submit a CV alongside a statement of suitability (no more than 800 words). This statement should explain your relevant experience and why you believe you are a suitable candidate for this role, providing evidence against the key skills listed below:
- Adaptable – You will be a self-starter, able to pick up new subject areas and master detail quickly.
- Working collaboratively – the ability to build strong relationships within and outside government to ensure you take an open approach to policymaking, using collaborative approaches and ensuring the recommendations you make are informed by a broad range of input and expertise and meet user needs.
- Making effective decisions - experience of working with large amounts of sometimes conflicting or incomplete information to make clear recommendations which take account of the broader context, ensuring policy development is data driven and evidence-based.
- Project delivery – You will be highly organised, ideally with experience of working in a project environment, with the proven ability to effectively manage project delivery.
- Communicating complex ideas clearly – understanding and articulating complex issues, ensuring your communications are clear, effective and relevant.
Behaviours
Please provide examples of how you have met each one of the behaviours listed below (see Annex A for more information):
- Leadership
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade (Level 3 – HEO or SEO or equivalent):
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf
Candidates invited to Interview
You will be required to give a short presentation at interview. Details of this will be sent to those candidates who are invited for interview.
Please note that interviews will be carried out remotely.
During the interview, we will also be assessing you on Behaviours and Strengths from the success Profiles framework.
Interviews are expected to take place on the week beginning 6 September and 13 September.
Information Session
We are keen to introduce the role and the team to prospective candidates. We will be having information sessions for candidates on the 9th and 10th of August, where you will have the opportunity to hear from team members and learn about the application process.
Please email Kieran.mcnulty@justice.gov.uk if you would like to attend the session and we will send on the invite. At least one session will be scheduled out of working day hours.
If you are unable to attend the event but would like additional information about the role, previous projects, what it is like working in our team or the applications process we encourage you to contact Kieran at the email address above.
If you are applying from outside the civil service, you might find this blog-post useful. It gives some useful tips for how to approach a civil service application: https://openinnovation.blog.gov.uk/2020/03/02/how-to-get-a-job-in-the-civil-service/
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.
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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