22703 - Band B Policy Advisor - Judicial and Legal Services Policy Directorate

£35,895 - £46,424
1
12 Months
London
London
102 PETTY FRANCE (MOJ) LONDON, SW1H 9AJ
SEO
B
Permanent
Full Time
Policy

Overview

The principal role of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is to uphold the rule of law, the cornerstone of the British way of life.  It delivers services that are some of the most fundamental in a democratic society. The MoJ supports the Secretary of State, who is also the Lord Chancellor, and the ministerial team to deliver the government’s programme.  In doing so it has responsibility for a number of key elements of the justice system, including prisons, courts, tribunals, legal services, youth justice and the probation service. Our overarching ambition is to deliver a modern justice system that works for everyone in our society.


Judicial Policy encompasses a range of complex issues relating to judicial pay, pensions, terms and conditions, diversity and wider strategic workforce reform. Our role is integral to support the Department and wider government’s engagement with the judiciary with a key role in supporting the Lord Chancellor’s relationship with the judiciary. The Lord Chancellor will take a close interest in all areas of judicial policy, and has statutory duties to ensure that the judiciary better reflects the society it serves. We are a sociable and motivated team that puts a premium on providing a quality service.

The Judicial Pay and Terms & Conditions team sits within the Judicial and Legal Service Policy Directorate. The team advises the Lord Chancellor on judicial pay and terms & conditions matters, working closely with the senior judiciary, HMCTS and the devolved administrations to ensure that policies support the department’s wider objectives in relation to the judiciary.

Role description


The post-holder will work closely with the judiciary, HMCTS, analysts, policy teams across the MoJ and the Ministers’ private offices to update and maintain policies in relation to judicial terms and conditions (including expenses), identifying and addressing stakeholder and judicial interests and concerns related to new reforms, and new and current policies and procedures. The role involves assisting with the process to reforming judicial terms and conditions with specific initiatives currently ongoing including:

  • New policies arising out of various court judgments;
  • Salaried part time working
  • Mandatory retirement age
  • Return to practice
  • Crown servants

Key elements of the role in the next 12 months will be: leading a fundamental review of magistrates’ expenses; and a review of fees for non-legal members of tribunals. For both of these important projects the post-holder will be required to:

  • Identify, plan out and get agreement to the issues that need to be addressed to provide interim and longer term solutions;
  • Define the issues that need addressing into clear workstreams with owners, deliverables and deadlines to form part of a package of agreed measures that can be implemented;
  • Deliver robust and deliverable policy solutions, actively involving partners (the Judiciary, Judicial Office, HMCTS, MOJ HR and Lawyers) through collaboration that achieves better results and ensuring alignment with other ongoing judicial policy work; and
  • Manage stakeholder communications, building effective relationships with Senior Judiciary, Ministry colleagues and the Lord Chancellor.

The work is fast moving, varied and interesting including frequent contact with Ministers, who take a genuine interest in our work, senior officials, senior judiciary and other stakeholders. The post will provide good developmental opportunities as you will also be expected to contribute to the team’s other priorities (including the Governments formal response to the SSRB’s major review of judicial pay), working with analysts, finance and HMCTS colleagues to ensure that other judicial policy projects are delivered. You will also lead on other key aspects of judicial policy work including briefings to ministers and senior officials, answers to parliamentary questions and correspondence.

Skills and Capabilities

As the work is fast-paced and evolving you will be a confident self-starter who can constantly face new challenges to progress your work, with excellent communication and inter-personal skills to work with internal and external colleagues to develop solutions to problems. In addition, you will have:

  • Excellent written skills and numerical skills, with experience in using data to inform your work.
  • Ability to make sound judgements and provide well-articulated advice.
  • The ability to manage a varied workload, and to identify priorities proactively.
  • Excellent IT skills.

Applications

This opportunity is open to substantive Band Bs, and staff at other grades on promotion.

If you would like to apply for the post, please provide examples of suitability against each of the competencies outlined below, on the application form provided.

Competencies Required

Seeing the Big Picture

  • Be alert to emerging issues and trends which might impact or benefit own and team’s work
  • Develop an understanding of own area’s strategy and how this contributes to Departmental priorities
  • Ensure own area/team activities are aligned to Departmental priorities

Making Effective Decisions

  • Identify a range of relevant and credible information sources and recognise the need to collect new data when necessary from internal and external sources
  • Invite challenge and where appropriate involve others in decision making to help build engagement and present robust recommendations

Delivering at Pace

  • Take responsibility for delivering expected outcomes on time and to standard, giving credit to teams and individuals as appropriate    

Collaborating and Partnering

  • Establish relationships with a range of stakeholders to support delivery of business outcomes
  • Encourage collaborative team working within own team and across the Department

   Leading and Communicating

  • Communicate using appropriate styles, methods and timing, including digital channels, to maximise understanding and impact
  • Convey enthusiasm and energy about their work and encourage others to do the same

Work location: The post will be based at 102 Petty France, London SW1H 9AJ. The department operates a flexible working policy. Whilst this is a policy position based in MoJ HQ London, there are opportunities for flexible and remote working (when agreed in advance with your line manager).

Start date: To be agreed, in consultation with the existing business area.

Before submitting your application, please ensure that you have discussed this with your line manager. The post holder is expected to be able to take up post as soon as possible, by agreement with his/her current line management.

Selection Process: Suitability for the post will be determined by a paper sift followed by interview. Flexible working options will be considered. If there is a high volume of applicants, there will be an initial sift based on the ‘making effective decisions’ competency.

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 salary sacrifice arrangements for childcare vouchers, and voluntary benefits such as retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • 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 the 10th and 11th January 2019

17/12/2018, 23:55 hours.

Closing Date: 17th December 2018 at 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.

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.

Candidate Information

You may be required to provide statements describing your skills and experience relevant to each of the selection criteria. We recommend that you structure any examples as Situation, Task, Action and Result. For more information about the recruitment process and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

In the event of a large number of applications, we reserve the right to undertake the following processes:


  • An automated online test where a benchmark must be passed to progress;
  • A sift on the lead selection criteria. If this happens, the lead criteria will be the first one listed in the advert.

During the selection process, you may be asked to undertake an additional assessment (such as written test). If this is applicable you will be notified of this when you are invited to interview.



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
Seeing the Big Picture
Making Effective Decisions
Delivering at Pace
Collaborating and Partnering
Leading and Communicating

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

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.

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.