62907 - MoJ Specialist (Lawyer) - Legal and Information Assurance Directorate
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 Organisation
The OPG
The OPG is an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), set up in 2007 following the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) of 2005.
The OPG has a range of statutory functions under the MCA – including maintaining registers of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA), Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) and orders appointing deputies; supervising deputies; and dealing with representations about the way in which a donee of an LPA or a deputy is exercising their powers.
The OPG registers approximately 900,000 LPAs and EPAs and supervises around 60,000 deputies per year. It has a staffing compliment of around 1800 employees.
The OPG is a fantastic, supportive and happy place to work offering a range of development opportunities. The OPG has signed up to the ‘Time to Change’ pledge which supports mental health in the workplace, as well as recently receiving a health and wellbeing charter accreditation as we are committed to developing a supportive and inclusive environment that reflects the diverse community we serve.
The OPG is currently going through an extensive period of organisational change. This will be delivered by our transformation programme – “OPG 2025”. The ambitious plan is about changing the way we provide services – including modernising the LPA processes to make them fully digital. It will help us meet the growing needs of our users, partners and our stakeholders. It will make sure our users experience a better level of support. Overall, it will help us to respond to the changing needs of society. This is so we can better support adults at risk and create high-quality services that are accessible and affordable.
The Legal and Information Assurance Directorate
OPG’s Legal & Information Assurance Directorate is based in both Birmingham and Nottingham and provides legal and information assurance (IA) services to all business areas in OPG. The principal legal work of the team comprises advice and litigation support. The IA team deals with requests for information under freedom of information and data protection legislation and seeks to ensure that the OPG meets all of its statutory obligations under this legislation.
The Directorate comprises 78 employees, and the successful candidate would be part of a team of 9 lawyers and would work in a mini team of three lawyers led by a Grade 7 lawyer.
The Role
The role is full time and permanent and can be based at either of OPG’s offices in Birmingham and Nottingham. There may be a requirement for travel between our offices and regional courts throughout England and Wales.
The range of work will include advising all areas of the business on matters relating to the discharge of the OPG’s statutory functions; reviewing reports produced following investigations and advising on possible legal proceedings; overseeing the drafting of applications to court and supporting evidence; and conducting litigation on behalf of the OPG. There may be a requirement to advise on other issues on occasion, including freedom of information requests and data protection matters.
Skills and Professional Qualifications
Essential
- Applicants must be qualified to practise as a Solicitor or Barrister in England and Wales (or expect to be qualified by 30 September 2022).
- Excellent technical legal skills, commensurate with post-qualification experience.
- Ability to work at pace and meet challenging deadlines, which requires you to be flexible/adaptable, setting priorities as the workload and focus of the teams within your area change.
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to work with a variety of internal and external customers and stakeholders at all levels.
Desirable
- Experience of dealing with issues under the Mental Capacity Act.
Application process
This vacancy is being advertised using the Civil Service Success Profiles process, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Technical Experience. Your application should emphasise what you feel you would bring to the role and we actively encourage you to describe the personal strengths and experience that you believe would make you a success.
You are invited to provide a CV (2 pages of A4 maximum) plus a supporting personal statement of no more than 1000 words capturing your suitability for the role based on the job description, essential and desirable skills and qualifications, and demonstrating evidence of the following criteria:
Technical Legal Skills
- Sound understanding of public law and/or mental capacity law and/or civil litigation.
- Reliable legal judgment and appreciation of legal risk.
- The ability to think strategically and creatively, see legal issues in their wider context and advise accordingly.
- Sound analysis, using legal research to produce timely and fit for purpose advice.
Motivational Fit
- Your motivation for wishing to work with the OPG and what you might contribute effectively to the role within the OPG.
Applications will be sifted on your evidence of relevant skills and experience and motivational fit.
Interview Process
If successful at sift, you will be invited to an interview which will follow the Civil Service Success Profiles process. This will consist of a blended assessment and candidates should expect to complete a written exercise on the day of interview as well as a presentation (further details will follow if you are invited to interview), you will be expected to: provide further evidence of Technical legal skills and Motivational Fit; evidence of three Civil Service Behaviours - Delivering at Pace, Working Together and Making Effective Decisions (all Level 3); and to answer strength-based questions.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.
For further information about Civil Service recruitment processes and Success Profiles, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.
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
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
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.
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.
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 moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on UKor Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
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
- To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.
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.
24/08/2022, 23:55 hours.
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.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.
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.