28520 - UK Legal Services Senior Policy Advisor

£36,254 - £46,888
1
12 Months
London
London
102 PETTY FRANCE (MOJ) LONDON, SW1H 9AJ
SEO
B
Permanent
Full Time, Flexible Working
Policy

Background

The Legal Services Policy Division - which is part of the Ministry of Justice’s Policy, Communications & Analysis Group – is looking to recruit a highly motivated band B Senior Policy Advisor into the UK Legal Services Policy Team.

The UK Legal Services Policy Team is responsible for advising Ministers on the domestic legal service policy agenda, supporting the Lord Chancellor in fulfilling his statutory duties under the Legal Services Act 2007, engaging with the legal services profession and leading on the Department’s strategic objective to maintain a flourishing legal sector.

This post offers an excellent opportunity for a high performing policy official to work at the centre of a policy area that has quickly risen up the national and international political agendas. Working with ministers and senior leaders, you will form a detailed understanding of how policy proposals are developed, delivered and managed in government.

The successful candidate will be able to command the confidence of senior officials within the Ministry of Justice, across Whitehall and in the legal profession, and use those relationships to make an impact and deliver at pace.

Job Description

The role will report to a Band A (G7 equivalent), and subject to emerging priorities and changing responsibilities within the Division, will require the following from the successful candidate:

  • quickly master a range of different complex issues and support their team in doing the same.
  • lead on key pieces of work, shaping and delivering key policy agendas in accordance with ministerial and departmental priorities.
  • work with ministers and senior leaders, and engage with key stakeholders within and outside government.
  • be accountable for the provision of authoritative and accurate advice and briefings to ministers.
  • work closely with colleagues in the Stakeholder Relations, Legal Innovation and EU Exit and Trade and Promotions team to understand their priorities and interests and feed them into meetings, briefings and policy development.
  • manage projects from start to finish across multi-disciplinary and diverse teams, bringing together policy, analysts, legal and finance professionals to deliver outcomes in a fast-paced environment
  • support the Lord Chancellor in fulfilling his statutory duties under the Legal Services Act 2007 (including advising the Lord Chancellor on recommendations made to him by the Legal Services Board, and taking forward statutory instruments as required)
  • line manage one/two policy advisors, nurturing their capability and long-term development.

Essential skills and qualifications

You are required to have:

  • excellent written and numerical skills, with experience using data to inform work
  • demonstrable capability for strategic thinking and the ability to make sound judgements
  • ability to provide well-articulated advice
  • experience managing project workload in a fluid environment where priorities may need to change quickly
  • excellent persuasion and influencing skills with the ability to quickly build and then manage relationships with senior stakeholders across a range of organisations (in particular with the judiciary, legal profession, representative and regulatory bodies)
  • the ability to deal with a complex, fast-paced and demanding workload

Further to this it would be desirable, but not essential, for the post holder to have:

  • experience of drafting advice and briefings for ministers
  • an understanding of government and parliamentary processes
  • an understanding of the justice system and legal services sector
  • experience working with the legal or similar professional business and services sector
  • experience developing policy and managing relationships with senior executives, public figures or ministers

Selection process

This vacancy is being advertised using the Success Profiles Framework, and during the selection process we will assess your Behaviours, Experience, and Strengths.

Behaviours

  • Seeing the big picture
  • Communicating and influencing
  • Making effective decisions (lead behaviour)
  • Working together
  • Delivering at pace

Experience

We will assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role.

Strengths

We will assess your Strengths that are relevant to the role, particularly those that map into the key Behaviours applicable to the role.

Selection process details

An initial sift based on the lead Behaviour may be held if a large number of applications are received.

If your application progresses to a full sift, all Behaviours and your Experience will be considered.

Candidates who pass the sift will be invited for interview, during which your Behaviours, Experience and Strengths will be assessed. You may also be asked to give a short presentation during the interview. The nature and content of any presentation will be notified when you are given the time and date for interview.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment, and then upon request. If your application falls just below the threshold, you may be offered a role at a lower grade. Expenses are not available for travel to interview.

Working Arrangements & Further Information

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Generous allowances for paid holiday starting at 25 days per year, and rising as your service increases. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Support

  • A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits,retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.

There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Expected week commencing 9th Sep 2019

30/08/2019, 23:55 hours.

If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk Please quote the job reference - 28520.

To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why. 

For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).

If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:

  • You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
  • You were studying abroad
  • You were living overseas with parents

In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.

Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.

if you feel that your application has not been treated in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance

We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.


Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
Seeing the Big Picture - word limit
Communicating and Influencing - word limit
Making Effective Decisions - word limit
Working Together - word limit
Delivering at Pace - word limit
Experience

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.
Behaviours
Seeing the Big Picture
Communicating and Influencing
Making Effective Decisions
Working Together
Delivering at Pace
Strengths may also be assessed at interview but these are not shared in advance.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

· UK nationals

· nationals of the Republic of Ireland

· nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK

· nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families

· nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

· individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020

· Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

This Vacancy is closed to applications.