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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.

The Prison Policy Directorate is recruiting permanently for one Grade 7 role. This campaign is being run externally and so is open to all who consider themselves suitable for the roles and meet the eligibility criteria in the wider advert within Civil Service Jobs. 

Location:

Successful candidates will have the option to be based at one of the following locations:

1. 102 Petty France, London
2. 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, this role is available as:

• Full-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

The successful applicant will:

• Co-lead the Research and Engagement Hub, by scoping a pipeline of future projects, balancing resource demands, and supporting team members to independently lead projects.
• Provide support to wider stakeholders in exceptional case handling; for example, the tragic deaths of two babies within women’s prisons in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
• Lead ministerial pre-briefs, and ensure the team are supported to deliver high-quality briefing and advice for Ministers and senior stakeholders.
• Maintain excellent relationships with senior stakeholders in the Arm’s Length Bodies and more widely with a proactive approach to emerging risks.
• Contribute to the progression of wider policy initiatives geared towards strengthening prisons policy and independent scrutiny.
• Line manage two high performing Senior Executive Officers, and task manage other high-performing Higher Executive Officer team members.
• Lead an ambitious, high-performing, and future-focused team with a clear focus on transparent leadership and team wellbeing. 

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. 

MoJ is the major funder of the Criminal Justice scrutiny bodies to a total of circa £19 million each year. They operate independently of Government and some are part of the UK’s National Preventive Mechanism, under the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, OPCAT.

They report to the Secretary of State on how well prisons, probation and courts custody have met the standards and requirements placed on them and what impact these have on those in its custody, or under community supervision.

Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice 

What we do

The Arm’s Length Bodies scrutiny sponsorship team manages the relationship with 5 Arm’s Length Bodies – HM Inspectorate of Prisons, HM Inspectorate of Probation, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, the Independent Monitoring Boards and the Lay Observers.  The team sponsors the bodies (funding, partnering/championing them across MoJ and beyond and holding them to account), provides support to exceptional investigations, and maintains excellent stakeholder engagement. 

The Scrutiny Sponsorship team is the principal Departmental interface for the Prison, Probation, and Courts Scrutiny bodies. The team establishes and maintains relationships across these bodies and connects them to relevant policy teams, our operational partners, and Other Government Departments. We ensure Ministers and Departmental stakeholders are accurately informed about the work of the scrutiny bodies and add value by leading on briefing for Ministers and Senior Civil Servants. Moreover, we seek out all opportunities to use the work of the Scrutiny bodies to influence policy development particularly by facilitating and leading strategic engagement between the bodies and policy teams.  The role provides an opportunity to lean in and help resolve high profile policy and delivery issues.  The team also forms one half of the Prison Policy Research & Engagement Hub, which connects the Prison Policy directorate with wider evidence and engagement opportunities by leading agile, short-term projects in key priority areas for the Department, and delivering valuable evidence, insight and policy proposals as a result. Successful projects to date include: an environmental sustainability action plan, a review of the Scrutiny landscape, and a report on the impact of video calling on family contact for those in custody. 

The role

We’re looking for someone who can:

• See the Bigger Picture

Bring together views and perspectives of a range of partners and stakeholders to gain a wider picture of the landscape surrounding the policy area and an understanding of how their role supports MoJ and wider HMG objectives. 

• Making Effective Decisions

Confidently use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. They should be able to carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions. 

• Communicating and Influencing

Lead cross-departmental teams from the front and take opportunities to communicate priorities with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm, helping to clarify goals and activities and the links between these and other departmental priorities. 

• Deliver at pace

Take responsibility for the delegated work areas to deliver the expected outcomes on time and to a high standard; to be able to plan ahead as well as reprioritise at short notice. 

You will report to: Sally Grocott (Grade 6, Prison Policy) 

Application process

You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework. 

Experience

You will be asked to provide a CV (during the application process in order to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role) as well as a statement of suitability of no more than 500 words outlining examples of how you see the bigger picture and a time when you have made an effective decision. 

Behaviours

Please provide examples of how you have met each one of the behaviours listed below (see Annex A for more information): 

• See the bigger picture
• Make effective decisions
• Communicating and influencing
• Delivering at pace 

Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade (Grade 7):

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 lead behaviour of seeing the big picture. 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 February 2022 

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.

Sally Grocott,

Sally.grocott@justice@gov.uk