33851 - Head of Cross-Cutting Strategy
Overview
This is an exciting opportunity to join a high-performing, close-knit team that sits at the centre of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). The Strategy Unit is a small team based in MoJ HQ. It is our role to develop the department’s strategy and work closely with the department to make sure we are providing the best possible advice to ministers on a range of important policy and delivery issues. The Strategy Unit has two broad responsibilities:
- Prioritisation. We are responsible for setting strategic direction for the department in line with the Lord Chancellor’s priorities and ensuring our resources and policies are aligned with the Government’s agenda. Over the next six months a key focus in this area will be on the Spending Review.
- Long-term planning (particularly on supply and demand issues): We are responsible for looking further ahead and considering the challenges the justice system may face in the long term, and working with the department to develop plans for how we can best respond to those challenges. A key element of this work is to coordinate the department’s work on the growth in justice system demand over the next decade and our approach to addressing this.
Alongside both these areas we coordinate cross-government work and engagement: We are responsible for MoJ’s strategic relationship with other government departments. We maintain MoJ’s relationships across Whitehall and with external organisations; and bring fresh thinking and research into the department.
The Strategy Unit is part of the wider Strategy, Implementation and Priority Projects Team which sits within the Ministers, Parliament, Strategy and Implementation Directorate. We work closely with the other teams in the directorate.
The Role
The team is split into two branches, each of which leads on one of the areas outlined above. The successful candidate will lead one of these branches and manage a small team of colleagues working on the relevant issues.
You will need to be flexible in picking up new tasks and supporting your peers, as well as delivering at pace and managing your (and your branch’s) workload effectively. You will need to role model behaviours to the wider team – championing continuous improvement, team working, and a drive to find innovative, positive, solutions to difficult issues. You will need to be comfortable working in an ambiguous environment where priorities can change at short notice, and confident in creating processes to bring clarity to that ambiguity. You will also need to demonstrate leadership across the wider team and contribute to the management of the team and the directorate as a whole.
We anticipate that the post-holder will:
- Work with teams across the department and balance competing interests to define a ‘MoJ view’ on issues.
- Lead workshops with policy and operational teams across the department to agree future priorities for their work.
- Build relationships with a range of external stakeholders and use these to further MoJ interests, or bring in fresh thinking.
- Work closely with the Corporate Finance, Analytical Services and Performance and Planning teams to ensure that the work of the ‘centre’ of the department is coordinated effectively.
- Build strong relationships across the department and use these to ensure that advice to Ministers reflects the department’s agreed strategic direction.
- Play a leading role in developing and communicating the strategy for the department in line with ministers’ priorities.
- Lead your team effectively, demonstrating best practice in line management and matrix management, and oversee and provide strategic input into their work.
- Act as an advocate for the MoJ, and build effective relationships with critical partners across the department and externally.
Why come and work for the Strategy Unit?
This challenging, high-profile and fast-moving role will be ideal for high performing individuals. Your role will involve:
- The opportunity to work at the heart of the department and with the centre of government. There will be a high degree of independent work and close engagement with senior stakeholders across the MoJ and interaction with Ministers and Special Advisers.
- Work that brings together many different types of people and expertise across the department to understand different perspectives and create the best solutions
- Variety and flexibility as we will be covering the whole remit of the Department, with the chance to work with colleagues and get experience on a number of areas from operational prison capacity to conceptual issues about the future of the justice system
- An excellent team culture with colleagues who are passionate about their work justice and always willing to help each other out.
Skills and Application
We’ll assess your application against the behaviours below.
Seeing the big picture: you’re able to develop an understanding of how your work fits into the department’s priorities and provide strategic insight, and creative but practical solutions.
Making effective decisions: you have the quantitative and qualitative analytical skills needed to produce precise but creative solutions to complex problems that are rooted in sound evidence and will be comfortable in understanding and challenging numbers and analysis.
Delivering at pace: you will be comfortable juggling competing priorities, delivering high quality work to tight deadlines and striking the right balance between good process and flexibility. You will need to be a self-starter who is comfortable working with ambiguity and working with others to shape and mould work.
Working Together: you will be able to build and maintain a diverse network of contacts and have experience of coaching and challenging others to achieve their goals. You will be adept at management and able to constructively question and challenge the views and assumptions of those more senior than you when appropriate.
Desirable Skills
- Experience of policy and strategy development.
- Good analytical and problem-solving ability.
- Confidence in working with and influencing senior stakeholders.
- Confidence in communicating complicated information clearly orally and in writing.
- Experience of project management and performance management.
The Interview
The interview process will be in two parts:
- Presentation: candidates will be asked to prepare a short presentation of 5 minutes setting out what they view as the biggest strategic challenges facing the Ministry of Justice over the next 5 years.
- Interview: candidates will complete a behaviours based interview. In addition to the four behaviours required in the written application, we will also test the Leadership and Changing & Improving behaviours at interview.
Location of Post
102 Petty France London is our main office. However, there are opportunities for flexible working, such as working from home and condensed working hours.
Contact
Please do get in touch if you would like to know more about the role, previous projects or what it is like working in our team. Contact Veronica Trotman veronica.trotman@justice.gov.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.
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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
1- To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
2- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing (resourcing-services@justice.gov.uk);
3- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
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.
Grading Structure Review
The Ministry of Justice is currently undergoing a review of posts which are currently graded at Band A to realign our grading structure with the majority of the wider Civil Service.
Posts advertised at Band A may be graded at either Grade 6 or Grade 7 once the review has taken place.
14/04/2020, 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@gov.sscl.com
Please quote the job reference 33851.
Please do get in touch if you would like to know more about the role, previous projects or what it is like working in our team. Contact Veronica Trotman veronica.trotman@justice.gov.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.
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.
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
Interview stage assessments
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.