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.
Policy Advisor, Offender Employment Team, Prisoner Outcomes, Resettlement and Reoffending Division.
Within the Prison Policy Directorate
SEO
The Prison Policy Directorate is recruiting permanently for policy advisor SEO (Band B Equivalent) one role. This campaign is external and also open to current civil servants on level transfer and suitable candidates on promotion.
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)
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
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.
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
Job Description overview
We are recruiting for an SEO policy advisor to work on offender employment in the Ministry of Justice’s Prison Policy Directorate, which advises ministers on all aspects of prison policy. Prison policy is one of the most challenging and interesting areas of public policy, requiring an understanding of what causes criminal behaviour, how individuals can be supported to desist from crime, and how to work with operational colleagues and across government to achieve change in an area of significant public interest.
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.
What we do
Offender Employment is a high government priority as part of our approach to cut crime. We know that having a job helps cut crime and can be life changing for people leaving prison. Ex-offenders with jobs are between 6 and 9 percentage points less likely to reoffend. However, employment levels for prison leavers are much lower than those of the general population - only one in five prison leavers have a job after six months. The Beating Crime Plan published in July 2021 set out our ambition to encourage prison leavers to turn their backs on crime by securing employment and made a series of Government Commitments.
Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
Policy Advisor the role
The role will be in the Offender Employment team, working on both employment policy and financial stability through timely access to Universal Credit. This is a high-profile role with strong ministerial interest and will lead on:
- Scoping and taking forward exciting initiatives and projects from our Spending Review investment in reducing reoffending
- Working with HMPPS and DWP on a new sector-based approach to fill vacancies, particularly those with shortages.
- Improving access to Universal Credit for prison leavers by building excellent working relationships with a range of partners across MoJ and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to ensure we have the infrastructure in place to support claims for UC, and with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), who have overall responsibility for UC.
- Collaborating closely with DWP on the delivery of support and advice for prison leavers on employment and benefits matters that is provided by DWP’s network of Prison Work Coaches.
- Additional time-limited policy projects and strategic issues.
Skills and Experience
We are looking for someone who:
- is interested in criminal justice issues, and ambitious about improving outcomes
- is proactive and confident in scoping & developing work, driving it forward and taking initiative, and take pride in producing high-quality work at pace
- enjoys thinking strategically and taking a solution-focused approach to analysing problems
- understands the broader political context for their work, and works within this context to achieve positive change
- collaborates confidently with a range of stakeholders and influences others to implement solutions
- communicates compellingly, both in writing and orally
Experience of working in policy is helpful but not essential, and 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.
Application process
You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.
Experience
Statement of suitability
You will be asked to set out in 500 words how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the bullet points set out in the overview above.
Behaviours
Please provide examples of how you have met each one of the behaviours listed below (see Annex A for more information):
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade (Level SEO or equivalent):
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 Statement of Suitability, followed by the Seeing the Big Picture behaviour if necessary. 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.
Interviews are expected to take place in December.
The successful candidate will be expected to be able to take up the post early next year but there could be flexibility for the right candidate. If joining from another Civil Service post, we expect this to be with agreement from your current line management. The post is available on promotion as well as level transfer.
At interview stage, if candidates do not score high enough to be appointed to a Band B role, but have passed the minimal requirements, they could be offered a Policy role at the more junior level of Band C/HEO.
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.
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. Please contact Helen Gray – helen.gray@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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