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 to fill one SEO vacancy. 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:
- 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, 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:
- Provide support establishing the new Prisons Policy Performance Framework;
- Lead Research and Engagement Hub projects;
- Lead the development and implementation of the new Independent Scrutiny Dashboard project;
- Provide support and facilitate the development of outcome-based performance measures to ensure coherence and alignment of the measures to meet departmental commitments;
- Support the delivery of existing tools such as our scrutiny intelligence forward look;
- Contribute to the progression of wider policy initiatives geared towards strengthening prisons policy.
- Draft clear and concise briefings, in response to PQs and correspondence, to meet deadlines; ensuring that they meet the end-users’ need and to standard;
- Provide high quality advice and briefing to Ministers and senior officials;
- Work collaboratively with stakeholders to develop good working relationships.
- Analyse data from stakeholders, working collaboratively to seek improvements to data and produce and present reports on commissioning activity and expenditure.
- Line manage and task manage Band C team members.
- Contribute positively to an ambitious and forward-thinking team.
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
This role offers an exciting opportunity to support the Directorate work towards establishing the new Prison Policy Performance Framework and be a project lead for the newly formed Research and Engagement Hub. Both new initiatives help to facilitate the Directorate to achieve better outcomes and help raise performance standards in prisons.
We want to appoint a high calibre and self-motivated SEO who can help take forward and establish high profile work such as the Performance Framework and develop our approach on how we use and analyse independent scrutiny intelligence, including the development of new dashboards and performance tools.
The ideal candidate will be able to think strategically across a range of issues to strengthen the performance view of the golden thread that runs from policy projects to the Department’s Outcome Delivery Plan system outcomes in a time of change and reform.
You will need to work in close collaboration with a wide range of colleagues across MoJ, HMPPS and external stakeholders to support your work portfolio.
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.
- Make 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.
- Communicate and influence
- 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: Carl Melia, Head of Scrutiny Intelligence and Performance (Grade 6, Prison Policy)
Application process
You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.
Experience
During the application process 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; and
- A Statement of Suitability of no more than 500 words stating what you would bring to the role, with reference to the Skills and Experience listed above.
Behaviours
During the application process you will be asked to provide an example of how you have met the following behaviour (see Annex A for more information):
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
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.
In addition to the Behaviour listed in the application form, you will be asked by the interview panel to provide examples of how you meet the additional behaviours listed below.
- Making effective decisions
- Communicating and influencing
- Delivering at pace
You will also be asked about Strengths which are not notified in advance. You can refer to the CS Strengths dictionary for more details: Success Profiles - Civil Service Strengths Dictionary (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Interviews are expected to take place in March 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.
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.
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.
Carl Melia, Carl.Melia@justice@gov.uk
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