71750 - Senior Head of PMO
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 Ministry of Justice (MoJ) priorities include improving public safety and reducing reoffending by reforming prisons, probation and youth justice, and building a justice system which makes access to justice swifter and more certain for all citizens whatever their background. Project professionals in the MoJ help to improve the government’s ability to protect the public and reduce reoffending, and to provide a more effective, transparent and responsive criminal justice system for victims and the public.
This role provides you with the unique opportunity to being central to the delivery of the Secretary of State’s priorities by being a member of the Ministry of Justice Project Delivery Function. The MoJ Project Delivery Function sees the centralisation and coordination of all project delivery within the Ministry. By joining the MoJ Project Delivery Function, you will be able to access professional development opportunities including an enhanced and tailored development plan, access world leading guidance, tools and support across and access to the unique Government Project Delivery Professional Network, not to mention your participation in some of the Countries most ambitious projects.
As part of this role you will lead the implementation and management of portfolio, programme and project governance frameworks and development of appropriate reporting tools which deliver value. To promote the Ministry of Justice Project Delivery Function approach to project/programme management including resource planning and management, preparing resource plans and the monitoring and reporting of project/programme outcomes.
As a Grade 7 Senior Head of PMO you will establish project/programme reporting with a focus on value added advise and early identification and resolution of risk and issues, whilst ensuring full benefit realisation. You will coach and mentor project sponsors and managers. You will have effective leadership, interpersonal and communication skills. Successful candidates are expected to commit to the role for a minimum of 18 months.
MoJ expects its leaders to show openness, honesty and commitment, and, of course, to deliver results.
Key responsibilities of the role
These may be further shaped and adjusted dependent on business needs and team resources / skills.
- Delivery & Leadership – Lead the PMO to support the project in the delivery of Business Case benefits and outcomes. Champion the use of best practice project management standards and processes.
- Business Case – Support the Project Manager in the development of Business Case with input from specialists as necessary.
- Budget – Develop and agree budgets for projects and/or programmes and forecast actual costs against them.
- Resources – Manage the PMO team and support the Project Manager in the identification, recruitment, development, deployment and reassignment of resources throughout the project lifecycle.
- Stakeholder Management – Advise the project team on appropriate tools and techniques for managing stakeholder relationships. Provide assurance to the project manager on the effectiveness of stakeholder management arrangements.
- Risks & Issues – Establish the project processes and standards for managing risks and issues. Provide assurance to the project manager on the effectiveness of Risk and Issue management arrangements.
- Governance & Assurance – Ensure appropriate governance is in place and arrange external reviews e.g. Gateway Reviews at appropriate points in the project lifecycle. Monitor the effectiveness of controls and ensure that recommendations from external reviews are acted upon.
- Change Management – Establish and implement protocols to change the scope of projects and/or programmes and update configuration documents as required.
- Project Performance & Controls – Establish and operate project controls on behalf of the project manager, reporting on project progress and status to appropriate bodies. Identify common capabilities and opportunities for linking up, re-using and sharing of methods and resources between projects and programmes. Ensure learning from experience is disseminated across the organisation.
- Guidance & Support – Identify, develop and share best practice project management processes, tools and templates and benchmarks against industry standard. Provides direction and guidance to the project team.
- Line Management – There will be line management of Project Delivery Professional(s) within the Professional Delivery Group as part of this role, including the management of direct report’s HR and well-being, development with a focus on coaching and mentoring, ensuring quality and standards of PPM are upheld.
This is a permanent position with frequent weekly travel to other sites.
Location & Terms of appointment
This post is advertised nationally but frequent travel will be required to locations where our Major Projects are based.
Your base office location at an MoJ HQ site, Justice Collaboration Centre, or Justice Satellite Office will be discussed if successful, as we do not offer home working contracts. All available sites can be found on this link.
Find Out More - Webinar
We will be holding a find out more webinar sessions for all potential candidates to come and ask questions regarding the role. This will be held on
- Tuesday 6th June @ 12:00 – Register Here
- Tuesday 18th July @ 12:00 – Register Here
- Wednesday 30th August @ 12:00 – Register Here
Salary & Grade
Grade 7
New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join on the minimum of the pay range and this is non-negotiable.
Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.
Selection and Recruitment Process
As this is a 4-month rolling recruitment campaign, various sift/interview dates will be scheduled across the 4 months.
Where high volumes of applications are received the initial sift will be completed against the lead competency. If your application progresses to a full sift, all competencies will then be considered. Feedback is not available for those not invited to interview.
Merit List of successful candidates based on location will be retained after this campaign for 12 months.
Application Process
You will be required to complete an application form providing evidence of how you meet the Project Delivery Competencies as per the Project Delivery Capability Framework (PDCF) and provide a current CV.
Details on the PDCF can be found on the Infrastructure and Projects Authority pages
Successful candidates will then be invited for interview and the interviews will take place virtually via MS Teams, until current guidance for COVID 19 restrictions change.
The interview will consist of a variety Project Delivery technical and strength-based questions.
Travel
Frequent travel to other sites is required for this post.
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 GOV.UK or 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.
07/09/2023, 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.
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.