The principal role of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is to uphold the rule of law, the cornerstone of the British way of life. The MoJ has a significant role to play in the Government’s work to leave the European Union (EU) and has embarked on an ambitious programme to:

• secure the best outcome for the UK in leaving the EU, in relation to civil, criminal and family law and the legal profession;
• put legal services (which contribute £24bn to the economy, with a trade surplus of over £4bn) at the heart of the Government’s plans for enhancing the UK’s competitive position;
• secure the effective functioning of the UK’s human rights framework; and
• prepare for the country’s future relationships with the EU and the wider world.

In addition to leading these areas of international negotiations, the MoJ is responsible for making sure the justice system is ready to respond to changes and opportunities as we leave the EU and start trading independently.

The Europe Unit in the MoJ sits at the centre of the Department’s work to secure our priorities in relation to the UK’s negotiations with the EU, as well as overseeing our ongoing engagement with the EU on non-exit related work. The unit is responsible for defining and delivering our objectives and strategies for negotiations in response to developments within Government and the EU; overseeing engagement with the EU; and leading two of the MoJ’s priority negotiating workstreams on civil justice cooperation and criminal justice cooperation.

Are you an outstanding organiser with good writing and presentational skills? Are you good at managing a wide range of tasks at one time and not letting anything slip? Are you able to build productive relationships with stakeholders? Do you enjoy working collaboratively across different disciplines? Do you enjoy working flexibly in a fast-paced environment and collaborating with your colleagues to meet challenges together? Can you present proposals and advice clearly and concisely to different audiences?

If you answered yes to these questions, then you should consider these roles in the Ministry of Justice. We are looking to recruit three self-motivated, enthusiastic and flexible individuals to work at the centre of our team on issues related to EU exit.

Overview of the Roles

We are looking for three enthusiastic people who are keen to take key roles in the team and develop a strong understanding of MoJ negotiation interests and play their part in delivery of effective justice cooperation after exit. The ability to work effectively across team and Departmental boundaries, and strong written communication skills, are essential.

1)    EU Engagement

The post-holder will support work to engage EU member states and EU institutions: the European Commission and European Parliament, as well as EU agencies such as the Fundamental Rights Agency. The post-holder will work closely with the Band Bs leading on engagement and with policy teams to understand and deliver the engagement and negotiations strategies. The post holder will also be expected to work effectively with counterparts in other government departments and with the UK Permanent Representation to the EU (UKRep) and British Embassies across the EU.

On a typical day you could be:

• Working to deliver international visits on EU exit matters
• Recording and analysing visit outcomes to inform the MoJ’s approach to EU exit engagement
• Working closely with other teams to respond to ministerial or Cabinet Office requests.  
• Compiling information to send to DExEU to keep them informed of MoJ engagement activity
• Providing briefing for Ministers or senior officials on the Department’s interests

2)    EU Exit Strategy

The post-holder will support work to develop and deliver the Department’s strategy for securing our interests in negotiations with the EU on the future relationship. The post-holder will work closely with policy teams to understand and monitor objectives and progress, and to provide briefing and assurance to ministers, senior officials and boards on progress and the Department’s capability and capacity to deliver. The post-holder will also work closely with DExEU and other government departments to ensure MoJ interests are recognised and promoted across Government, and plan and deliver engagement with key stakeholders.

On a typical day you could be:

• Providing briefing and advice to ministers on progress in negotiations with the EU
• Developing plans for engaging with key stakeholders on aspects of negotiations
• Working with policy teams to map and plan how we are resourcing negotiations work and ensuring staff have the right skills
• Working with DExEU to provide information on MoJ views in other areas of exit negotiations
• Supporting the work of the Global Britain Programme sub-board on negotiations

Contact for both roles: Jonathan Childs, jonathan.childs@justice.gov.uk

3)    Civil judicial cooperation

The post-holder will work on developing and delivering policy to support the Government’s EU exit related work on civil judicial cooperation and international agreements. This includes contributing to the strategy for negotiations on the future relationship between the EU and the UK in this area. Working closely with the Band As leading on negotiations and with policy teams, you will engage across Whitehall on our preferred negotiation strategies and ensure that our plans align with wider Government negotiation priorities. The role will also require work to support the Government’s ‘no deal’ preparedness across a range of civil and family justice related issues, including supporting the team’s ‘no deal’ legislative programme.

On a typical day you could be:

• Working with other policy teams, MoJ Legal Advisers and analytical colleagues to understand the impact of policy options;
• Providing briefing and advice to ministers on our progress in negotiations with the EU;
• Preparing briefing for Ministers and supporting them in Parliament during debates on ‘no deal’ legislation;
• Representing MoJ or supporting senior officials at cross-Whitehall meetings
• Co-ordinating with other policy leads, managing and reporting on risks and issues in relation to current civil justice negotiating strategies and interests

We are looking for an enthusiastic person who is comfortable working with senior colleagues and keen to take responsibility for developing a strong understanding of MoJ civil justice and international agreement negotiation interests and able to develop engagement strategies to support these negotiations. The ability to work effectively across team and Departmental boundaries, and strong written communication skills, are essential. The role will provide exposure to Parliamentary business (debates, oral questions etc.), EU and international negotiations, legislation and Ministers. Therefore, previous experience of policy, knowledge and/or working on EU and international issues is highly desirable.

You may be expected to line manage a band D member of staff.

Contact for this role: Paul Norris, Paul.Norris2@justice.gov.uk

Essential skills and qualifications

• Ability to make judgements and articulate that to senior colleagues
• Good communication, interpersonal and numerical skills
• Demonstrate confidence and skill to act independently
• Excellent IT and organisational skills
• The ability to prioritise and work effectively at pace

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

• Be qualified to graduate level
• Have an understanding of government and parliamentary processes
• Have an understanding of policy-making in an EU or international context -   Have an understanding of the justice system

You will be required to provide evidence of the following competencies:

Making Effective Decisions

• Invite challenge and where appropriate involve others in decision making to help build engagement and present robust recommendations
• Make decisions when they are needed, even if they prove difficult or unpopular
• Explore different options outlining costs, benefits, risks and potential responses to each

Delivering at Pace

• Successfully manage, support and stretch self and team to deliver agreed goals and objectives
• Plan ahead but reassess workloads and priorities if situations change or people are facing conflicting demands
• Regularly monitor own and team’s work against milestones or targets and act promptly to keep work on track and maintain performance

Seeing the Big Picture

• Being alert to emerging issues and trends that have an impact or benefit own and team’s work
• Actively seek out and share experience to develop understanding and knowledge of own work and team’s business area
• Understanding own area’s strategy and how this contributes to Departmental priorities

Leading and Communicating

• Communicate in a succinct, engaging manner and stand ground when needed
• 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

Selection process details:

A sift based on the competency examples provided will be followed by a competency-based interview process. Successful candidates may also be asked to sit a written test before their interview and/or give a short presentation. The nature and content of this will be provided to candidates who are offered an interview. 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment, and upon request.

If your application falls just below the threshold, you may be offered roles at a lower grade. Expenses are not available for travel to interview.

Location:

London Region.

Roles may involve some travel within the UK or EU.

Closing Date: 16th January 2019 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.