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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.

Overview

This is an exciting opportunity for at least 1 Grade 7 to join an exciting new cross-government programme, the Better Outcomes through Linked Data (BOLD) programme.  This post will be part of a wide ranging, multi-disciplinary team responsible for transforming the use of data to drive outcomes and decision-making across government. 

The BOLD programme is a cross-government initiative delivered in partnership between the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC), the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC), Office for Health improvement and Disparities (OHID) and Public Health Wales, meaning this role offers the opportunity to deliver impact across a broad range of public services. 

The posts would suit applicants from a range of sectors who are highly skilled interpersonally and enjoy data and digital change, for example (but not limited to) those with a background in Data Sharing, Business Analysis, Consulting, Data Requirements Analysis, Project & Programme Management, Policy, Strategy or Data Protection. 

The posts are also open on level transfer to existing Civil Servants at Grade 7 (or equivalent) and other eligible Civil Service staff on promotion. 

Applications from individuals working part-time or in job-shares are encouraged. 

Location & Salary

We welcome applications from candidates based across the UK. Candidates will have the option of being based in the Leeds or London HQ office (with flexible working arrangements available) or your nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) on the completion of pre-employment checks. 

Interviews are likely to take place in late February. We will keep a merit list for a year for those who successfully pass the interview board but who are not offered a post immediately as it is highly likely that additional posts will become available during 2022. 

Background

The holder of these posts will be passionate about making a difference for vulnerable service users across government. They will value people highly and strive to understand the views, processes, and frustrations of the people we provide services to. They will harness the best of digital ways of working to bring people together to create new and innovative systems and processes, driven by user need and developed iteratively. 

They will be numerate and enjoy engaging with analytical and technical teams as well as being highly credible with operational and policy colleagues. They will understand the value of the data we hold in the MoJ and be able to confidently and credibly convey this value in data sharing negotiations. 

These people will work as integrators and will be comfortable influencing and delivering in a complex strategic landscape, negotiating individual data shares and also developing broader frameworks to transform how data sharing is delivered across government. They will be highly resilient and will be able to maintain enthusiasm and generate momentum in the face of a shifting landscape and priorities. 

About MoJ

The Ministry of Justice is one of the largest government departments, employing around 76,000 people, with a budget of approximately £7.4 billion. The justice system is a vital public service that changes people’s lives and our work spans criminal, civil, administrative and family justice.  Each year millions of people across the UK use our services - including courts, tribunals, probation and prisons in England and Wales.  We are all likely to come into contact with the justice system at some point in our lives, either because we have been a witness to or victim of a crime, to protect and enforce our rights, or to settle disputes. 

Why work for the Ministry of Justice? 

• Flexible working arrangements – including compressed hours, flexi-time, working from home or commuter hubs outside of London
• Broad and varied opportunities for development and promotion – there are lots of interesting and highly meaningful jobs across the Ministry and great opportunities to expand experience
• Data and Analysis is at the centre of the Department’s decision making – with a ministerial team who are keen for all decisions to be evidence driven
• See the frontline and what your work is influencing – regular opportunities to visit prisons and courts to better understand the areas your work and leadership is affecting 

About the Better Outcomes through Linked Data (BOLD) Programme

Public services collect a large amount of data which is used to improve the quality of services offered to the public, but it is often not shared between organisations, making it difficult to understand whether certain services have been effective. 

The BOLD Programme, backed by £20 million of investment from HM Treasury, will improve the connectedness of government data so that policy-makers and those working on the frontline of UK public services have better quality evidence on what works in supporting victims, reducing homelessness and substance misuse and helping offenders turn their backs on crime. For example, data on prisoners is not connected to data on people in employment, so it is not possible to know who went on to find a job after leaving custody. Understanding what services best help prison leavers into work could help to prevent thousands of people becoming victims each year and save some of the £18 billion annual cost of repeat crimes. 

The BOLD vision is to enable better evidenced, joined-up and more effective cross-govt. services to support and protect vulnerable adults at specific touch points in their interactions with government funded services, supported by timely linked data and evidence. 

The programme is ambitious and sits across 5 government departments. A flagship initiative for collaborative, cross-department working, BOLD intends to conduct data linkage on a scale never seen before in the UK government, aiming to link key datasets to aid policy makers in doing more evidence-based policy design and prioritisation, support management to make performance decisions to better meet needs across services and to provide more targeted support for individuals - driving better outcomes for vulnerable adults. 

Robust evaluation strategies underpin BOLD, aiming to promote the successful facets of the programme into future years of funding and share lessons learned across the rest of government. BOLD aims to help other data initiatives stride forward with the collaborative mindset of BOLD, so we can achieve success together. All BOLD team members are expected to share and implement best practices across the virtual teams they work within. 

Key Responsibilities of the Roles

The successful candidate will play a critical role in delivering the BOLD programme. The post-holder will lead the Data Sharing Team, one of the most important workstreams of the BOLD programme, leading cross-government negotiations to share data between government departments that could unlock evidence and analysis previously unavailable, and drive the evidence base for effective public services. 

Additionally, the post-holder will lead on the development of new and innovative methods to transform the way in which data sharing is conducted across government, and develop strategies and new methodologies for data interoperability. 

The successful candidate will be:

• Leading a small core team of Data Sharing managers, with project management responsibility for a broader network of data sharing and data protection specialists to identify, scope, negotiate and deliver a range of data sharing agreements between BOLD’s partner departments
• Understanding the internal processes of data providing departments
• Establishing mutually agreeable information governance processes and legal/ regulatory frameworks
• Representing BOLD in senior level negotiations between partner departments, credibly selling the vision for how data sharing can unlock tangible outcomes for vulnerable service users
• Overcoming cultural reluctance to share data through sustained stakeholder engagement across a range of technical and non-technical teams to secure buy-in for BOLD’s data sharing ambitions
• Developing Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), Memoranda of Understanding and information sharing agreements
• Leading a longer-term project to scope and develop a reusable and scalable data sharing framework that aggregates and integrates multiple data sharing agreements into a master framework agreement
• Working with other data colleagues across the business such as Data Scientists, Engineers, Analysts and Researchers across sites (including more senior members of these teams) to track, report on and unblock delivery
• Representing and upholding the BOLD strategy and vision, and the needs of this virtual team, at Management level with wider stakeholders (including Digital and Business representatives) and creating a strong community amongst this virtual team
• Acting as a translator across technical and non-technical areas to ensure effective problem definition and benefits realisation
• Sharing learning and best practice across government 

These people will work as integrators between business needs, data science and analytical teams and technology solutions. They will feel comfortable negotiating at senior level and delivering across a complex strategic landscape. They will help define appropriate governance and spot opportunities to leverage the value of our data. 

The ideal candidate:

• Is a strong communicator who works collaboratively to build consensus in a fast-changing strategic and delivery environment
• Has a demonstrated track record of managing complex and diverse stakeholder relationships
• Has a demonstrated track record of creating and managing complex project plans
• Understands how to form, motivate and manage diverse teams and collaborates to achieve shared outcomes
• Understands the value of evidence & analysis in delivering public service outcomes – and therefore the importance of high quality data
• Is comfortable changing their approach to respond to emerging issues and risks, while maintaining a strong focus on strategic goals
• Can influence a range of people without direct control or a managerial relationship outside of the BOLD programme
• Has a track record in working with data and data systems
• Has a track record in successfully negotiating data sharing agreements / memoranda of understanding to share data between public authorities
• Is already highly aware of digital ways of working or are willing to get up to speed quickly in understanding the potential (customer centricity, agile methodology, prototyping, automation, etc.)
• Understands and values public service users, and works hard to deliver quantified value for them
• Is a self-starter: someone who takes a vision and goals and makes them reality 

Behaviour Details

You will be assessed against the Civil Service Behaviours listed below during the selection process.  These competencies are as specified in the Civil Service Behaviours document, available online at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf 

Seeing the Big Picture

• Develop and maintain an understanding of economic, social, political, environmental and technological developments to ensure activity is relevant.
• Ensure plans and activities in your area of work reflect wider strategic priorities and communicate effectively with senior leaders to influence future strategies.
• Adopt a government wide perspective to ensure alignment of activity and policy.
• Bring together views, perspectives and diverse needs of stakeholders to gain a broader understanding of the issues surrounding policies and activities.

Changing and Improving

• Encourage, recognise and share innovative ideas from a diverse range of colleagues and stakeholders.
• Give people space to take initiative and praise them for their creativity.
• Create an environment where people feel safe to challenge and know their voice will be heard.
• Make changes which add value and clearly articulate how changes will benefit the business.
• Understand and identify the role of technology in public service delivery and policy implementation.
• Identify early signs that things are going wrong and respond promptly.
• Provide constructive challenge to senior management on change proposals.

Leadership

• Promote diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity, respecting difference and external experience.
• Welcome and respond to views and challenges from others, despite any conflicting pressures to ignore or give in to them.
• Stand by, promote or defend own and team’s actions and decisions where needed.
• Seek out shared interests beyond own area of responsibility, understanding the extent of the impact actions have on the organisation.
• Inspire and motivate teams to be fully engaged in their work and dedicated to their role.

Communicating and Influencing

• Communicate with others in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way in order to build trust.
• Explain complex issues in a way that is easy to understand.
• Deliver difficult messages with clarity and sensitivity, being persuasive when required. Consider the impact of the language used.
• Remain open-minded and impartial in discussions, whilst respecting the diverse interests and opinions of others.
• Monitor the effectiveness of own and team communications and take action to improve where necessary.

Working Together

• Actively build and maintain a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on shared objectives.
• Challenge assumptions while being willing to compromise if beneficial to progress.
• Build strong interpersonal relationships and show genuine care for colleagues.
• Ensure consideration and support for the wellbeing of yourself and individuals throughout the team.
• Understand the varying needs of the team to ensure they are supported and their experiences are utilised.
• Create an inclusive working environment where all opinions and challenges are taken into account and bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable.
• Remain available and approachable to all colleagues and be receptive to new ideas. 

Details Required In Your Application

To fully complete your online application, in addition to the competency based application form, you must include an up to date CV (this should be a maximum of two sides of A4). Only applicants who submit this document will be considered for an invite to interview. Please remove all personal information and do not save the file with your name. 

Applicants Invited for Interview

You will be required to give a 5-minute presentation at interview. Details of this will be sent to those candidates who are invited for interview. 

For Further Information Please Contact: 

Toby Hayward-Butcher (Head of BOLD Programme)

Toby.Hayward-Butcher@justice.gov.uk

07976 706887