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Candidate Information Pack
Deputy Director, Judicial College
DEPARTMENT
SCS Pay Band 1
Closing Date: 23:55 Sunday 5th October 2025
Introduction 4
Welcome to the Ministry of Justice 4
“Thank you for your interest in this role" 4
About the Ministry of Justice 5
About the role 7
Job Title 7
Location 7
Salary 7
Contract Type 7
The Role 7
Key Responsibilities 8
Person Specification 10
The Recruitment Process 2
Civil Service Behaviours 5
Expected Timeline 6
Advert Closing Date 7
Working for the Ministry of Justice 8
Disability Support 9
FAQs 11
Data Sharing 13
Diversity & Inclusion 14
Contact us 15
I am recruiting for a critical senior leadership role in the Judicial Office focusing on working closely with the judiciary to deliver high quality training to 24,000 judicial office holders across all courts and tribunals in England and Wales.
This is a critical role at any time but even more so at an exciting time when the justice system is responding to significant changes in legislation across many areas (crime, employment, property, immigration amongst others). The quality and timeliness of judicial training is a key factor in the success of implementing those changes. The successful candidate will bring a blend of skills including strong operational delivery experience with working in partnership with experts (the judiciary and the civil service teams). They will be an individual who thrives in a busy operational and problem-solving environment. They will have a service delivery mindset and customer focused mindset alongside an inclusive and empowering leadership approach. There is a strong financial management element to the role, with the College amounting to approximately one third of the overall Judicial Office headcount and budget.
The successful candidate will also be a key member of my senior leadership team responsible for running the entire Judicial Office. Judicial Office has 480 staff who provide specialist services and advice directly to the judiciary including: communications; conduct; HR advice, data and strategy; relations with HMCTS, Government and Parliament; and strategy.
The role provides a unique opportunity to join a workforce and senior team with a shared sense of purpose in supporting the judiciary to deliver their critical role of impartially delivering justice in the interests of a democratic society. If you have the skills and commitment to make a positive contribution to that purpose, I look forward to receiving your application.
Best wishes,
Michelle Crotty, Chief Executive of Judicial Office
The Ministry of Justice is a major government department at the heart of the justice system. We deliver some of the most fundamental public services including courts, tribunals, prisons, legal services, youth justice, probation services, and attendance centres.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) works to protect and advance the principles of justice. Our vision is to deliver a world-class justice system that works for everyone in society.
The justice system plays a crucial role in our success as a nation - keeping people safe, emphasising fairness, guaranteeing individual rights and giving businesses confidence to flourish.
The delivery of our three strategic outcomes are central to doing this:
Punishment that cuts crime: to rebuild confidence in the criminal justice system by protecting the public and reducing reoffending with a sustainable and effective prison and probation service.
Swifter justice for victims: to rebuild confidence in the criminal justice system by ensuring timely, just outcomes for victims and defendants through a modern and efficient criminal courts system.
A beacon for justice and the rule of law: to uphold the rule of law at home and abroad; promote our world-leading legal services, which contribute to economic growth; and deliver accessible and timely civil, family and administrative justice.
For more information on who we are and what we do, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
About the Judicial Office
The Judicial Office is an Arm’s Length Body of the Ministry of Justice. We are dedicated to supporting the judiciary as the third arm of the state, and answer to the Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales and the Senior President of Tribunals as we help them to fulfil their responsibilities.
We promote and safeguard judicial independence to maintain confidence in the rule of law. We are proud that our work serves to reinforce the pre-eminence of our judiciary and maintain the UK’s position as a leader in legal services, a position which allows the UK to thrive and benefits every part of society. Our specialist teams support 23,000 judicial office holders in an evolving justice system.
and Scotland, the Judicial Office is an dynamic organisation which is constantly evolving to meet new demands.
Comprising of just under 500 staff based in 30 offices, the Judicial Office delivers a wide range of functions in relation to more than 24,000 judicial officeholders:
Facilitating judicial leadership of reform
Providing legal and policy advice
Supporting governance structures
Advising on relationships with the Government
and Parliament
Supporting communication with the public
including through the media,
Providing human resources services
Developing and delivering training
Investigating disciplinary matters
With over 500 members of staff, based in over 30 locations across England, Wales Providing legal information services
Promoting the courts and tribunals and supporting the rule of law internationally.
In all areas, Judicial Office staff work closely with judges, including those in the most senior leadership roles, as well as with counterparts in the MoJ, HMCTS and Judicial Appointments Commission.
Deputy Director, Judicial College
5 Wellington Place, Leeds
Royal Courts of Justice, London
Loughborough Magistrates Court, 60 Pinfold Gate, Loughborough
Please note the requirements for travel and level of flexibility available as set out in the FAQs section.
The salary for this role is set within the MoJ SCS PB1 range
External candidates should expect their salary upon appointment to be £81,000 per annum.
Existing Civil Servants will be appointed in line with the Civil Service pay rules in place on the date of their appointment.
This role is being offered on a temporary basis for 2 years from appointment.
For external candidates, this will be a fixed-term appointment. For existing civil servants this will be via a loan or detached duty. If appointed on promotion, on returning to the home department/team the employee will revert to the substantive grade on which they were employed before the loan began unless otherwise agreed.
The Judicial College is one of the largest areas of the Judicial Office, with one third of our staff employed there and with the largest portion of our budget. Its purpose is to strengthen the rule of law and improve the administration of justice, through the delivery of essential training for the judiciary in courts and tribunals, including a framework of training for volunteer magistrates.
The principal role of the Judicial College is to support the Lady Chief Justice, the Senior President of Tribunals and the Chief Coroner in fulfilling their responsibilities for training judicial office holders in an ever-evolving justice system. Working through the College Board, Judicial College officials support these senior members of the judiciary in setting the direction for training. Our teams also ensure the right support is in place to provide advice on the design, delivery and evaluation of training, increasingly develop innovative digital systems to support delivery and ensure the smooth running of all training around the country whether delivered digitally or at a variety of face-to-face venues. This will be an exciting time to lead the College as it will form a critical part of the reform of the courts arising from the recent Gauke and Leveson reviews as well as ensuring that essential and timely training is provided to judges as a result of the government’s legislative programme, policy changes.
The role holder will be a member of the Judicial Office Management Board led by the Chief Executive. The other four DDs in the organisation are also members of the Board and it is responsible for setting the strategic direction, leading all of its people as well as managing the organisation’s overall financial position.
The role holder will also be a member of the College Board, chaired by a Court of Appeal Judge and including senior judicial representatives from across jurisdictions
Oversee the effective delivery of a large-scale training programme of around 2,000 courses per year to approximately 24,000 full- and part-time judicial office holders (across courts and tribunals judges, tribunal members, magistrates, legal advisers, coroners and coroners’ officers).
Working in partnership with the College Judiciary, support the enhancement of existing training and the development of new training resources, employing innovative training delivery methods through working closely with education and digital experts (both within the College and externally) to ensure the continuing relevance, quality, fitness for purpose and accessibility of judicial training.
Work closely with three Directors of Training (Judicial Office Holders), the Chair of the College Board and (as appropriate) the Judicial Executive Board to assist in setting the direction of training for all judicial office holders and fostering an inclusive training environment for all.
Work collaboratively with the rest of the Judicial Office to ensure high quality financial management of a budget around £15m, with an ability to negotiate with MOJ as our sponsor dept and other departments for sufficient funding for the College.
Lead around 150 staff across three main locations, as well as regionally based staff - direct line management of four Grade 6s.
Support the effective governance of the Judicial College, through the Board, advising on the strategy for training the judiciary. This will include anticipating and timely planning for changes in the demand profile (through active collaboration with the JAC and wider departments and bodies to anticipate legislative, policy and/or societal changes having an impact on judicial training).
Oversee College strategies and advise the lead international training judge on the Judicial College’s international activities to promote the rule of law, to actively participate and learn from the College’s international judicial training network and support the aims of the LCJ’s International Strategy
Act as a collaborative and constructive member of JOMB the judicial Office leadership team role modelling creating trust and working in partnership across the organisation
It is important through the recruitment process that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential and desirable criteria.
Later on in the pack you will be told what is being assessed at which stage of the process.
Essential Experience:
Strong candidates will be able to demonstrate they meet the following criteria:
Strong, visible leadership with the ability to inspire, motivate, engage, champion expertise and develop diverse, high performing teams.
Management of large budgets, overseeing a proportionate and collaborative approach with the sponsor department to the monthly forecasting and reporting that comes with that.
Possess excellent stakeholder engagement skills including the ability to translate technical and policy concepts in two directions between judges and civil servants. Promote and role model a mindset of shared problem solving between judges and officials.
Ability to build strong stakeholder relationships and navigate a complex stakeholder environment where multiple external stakeholders influence the content and timing of the training programme, including senior judicial priorities, Government initiatives and legislation, and judicial recruitment led by the Judicial Appointments Commission.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills demonstrated by listening, influencing and constructively challenging to gain the confidence of senior judges and other expert
The ability to identify and communicate priorities in ambiguous or unclear contexts; for example, a lack of clarity about the timing of the legislative progress of a Bill that impacts on judicial training
Desirable Experience:
Knowledge of commercial and procurement processes to ensure contracts are adhered to and project procedures followed.
Experience of working or communicating effectively with the judiciary or other experts in comparable roles.
Experience of leading organisations at senior management team level, balancing leadership of own team with leadership of the entire organisation.
A strong focus on proportionate delivery of business plans and wider strategies.
MoJ SCS Pay Band 1 Behaviours:
You will also be assessed against the following Behaviours during the Recruitment Process:
Communicating and Influencing
Leadership
Managing a Quality Service
Working Together
Read more in the Civil Service Success Profiles Section.
Strengths:
We are looking to understand what motivates and energises you. We want to see what your natural strengths are and what interests you.
Civil Service Leadership Statement:
All leaders within the Civil Service are expected to demonstrate the qualities within the Civil Service Leadership Statement during their Staff Engagement Exercise.
Recruitment Process
The selection process will be chaired by Michelle Crotty, Chief Executive of the Judicial Office. The other panel members TBC.
Support during the selection process
If you need any support or have any questions during any stage of the selection process, please contact the SCS Recruitment Team scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.
Stages of the selection process
Internal Stakeholder Conversations
You are invited to arrange an informal discussion with Michelle Crotty via this email address Michelle.Crotty@judiciary.uk to learn more about the role and the organisation before applying. This is not part of the assessed elements of the selection process.
Stages of the process
SCS Stage 1: Application and CV and Success Profile Statement Assessment
To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process accessed via the advertisement listed for this role.
This should be completed no later than 23:55 on Sunday 5th October 2025. As part of the application process, you will initially be asked to complete:
Responses to the eligibility questions. These questions are asked to check you are eligible to apply for the role.
A response to whether you would like to request reasonable adjustments. If you feel you require any kind of support and/or would like to discuss this with someone in confidence, please indicate ‘yes’ to requesting reasonable adjustments. The Disability Support section shares more information about requesting reasonable adjustments.
You will also need to complete a CV and a 1000-word Success Profile Statement. Please note you must complete your CV and Success Profile Statement before the closing date. It is important that your CV and Success Profile Statements give evidence and examples of how you meet the essential experience skills required for the role:
Your CV should set out your career history, including key responsibilities, activities and achievements.
Your Success Profile Statements are a series of short written statements demonstrating how you meet the essential experience skills outlined in the essential criteria section above.
Please find more information about the Civil Service Success Profiles here.
What is being assessed?
Essential experience (as listed on page 9 &10)
Please ensure your Statements do not exceed the word count listed as additional text will not be assessed.
should try to complete the assessment in one sitting.
During the assessment you will be asked to choose between a series of statements to help us understand the behaviours you demonstrate in the workplace.
Your application will be progressed to the next stage if you are successful in the Behavioural Assessment. All candidates will be notified of the outcome of their Behavioural Assessment.
Staff Engagement Exercise
The SEE is an opportunity to engage in a two-way discussion on a set topic area with a group of staff from the organisation. The topic area will be shared with you in advance. The assessment is conducted via a video conferencing service.
An Occupational Psychologist will brief you before the assessment, observe the assessment and debrief you. They will facilitate a discussion to seek feedback from the staff, which will be considered alongside their own observations.
What is being assessed?
The Civil Service Leadership Statement.
This assessment does not affect your progression to the next stage. Rather, it is designed to provide you with greater insight into the role and organisation, and to highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.
approach and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.
Panel Interview and Presentation
You will be invited to attend an interview and presentation with the selection panel. You will be asked to prepare a verbal 5-minute presentation based on a topic that will be provided in advance. The interview and presentation will last for approximately 45 minutes.
What is being assessed?
Behaviours:
Communicating and Influencing
Leadership
Managing a Quality Service
Working Together
Strengths
You will be informed at interview which strengths you are being assessed against.
Essential experience (as listed on page 9 & 10)
After the Panel Interview and Presentation
Following the interview, the performance of all candidates will be reviewed, and the successful candidate identified. All candidates will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible after the conclusion of all interviews. If you are not the successful candidate but you meet the standard required, you may be invited to have your details retained on a merit list to be considered for future SCS roles.
What are Behaviours?
The Civil Service recruits using Success Profiles and Behaviours are an element of Success Profiles used to see whether candidates are able demonstrate specific Behaviours associated with the role they are applying for during the selection process.
In this process the below Behaviours are most relevant to this role and will be assessed during the interview stage of the process. The definitions of Behaviours are set out below:
Communicating and Influencing
You communicate clearly and with confidence, both verbally and in writing. You are open, honest and transparent in your communications. You communicate effectively with internal and external senior stakeholders to present information in a convincing and influential manner. You tailor your communication methods and content to the audience, simplifying strategic messages.
Leadership
You visibly demonstrate the organisation’s values in all your activity, leading authentically. You seek to engage staff in the aims of the organisation and communicate the organisation’s strategy in an inspiring way. You create an inclusive and fair culture which creates a sense of belonging by treating staff as individuals and actively valuing diversity within the organisation. You empower teams and individuals to excel by creating a shared vision and objectives and demonstrate trust in staff by giving autonomy.
Managing a Quality Service
You understand the requirements of service users and are focussed on providing a service that offers the best outcomes for the public. You foster an environment where opportunities to improve service delivery are identified and adjust processes accordingly. You create plans and consider the resources needed to support implementation. You identify risks and barriers to service delivery and ensure they are removed.
Working Together
You work collaboratively to achieve outcomes both within your area of responsibility and across the organisation. You create a supportive working environment where all opinions are considered, and individuals are valued for their expertise and unique contribution.
You proactively maintain relationships with peers and external senior stakeholders and utilise these to achieve positive outcomes.
Please click here or more information on Behaviours and Success Profiles
Guidance for writing your Statement and CV
As part of the application process you need to submit a Statement and CV. Both your Statement and CV should demonstrate how you meet the essential experience skills outlined in the Person Specification section.
Ensure you read through the role information thoroughly and identify the essential criteria for each area. You should ensure you provide evidence for each of the essential experience skills which are required for the role in your Statement and CV. You may not be progressed to the next stage of the assessment process if you do not provide this evidence.
When structuring your Statements try to:
Group evidence of the same experience skills together by using subheadings and paragraphs. This will help to ensure you are writing about the experience that is directly relevant for the role you are applying for.
You should ensure that you detail recent and relevant examples of the essential experience skills required for the role and describe the outcome that came from this.
Providing a name-blind CV and Success Profile Statements
In both your CV and Success Profile Statements please remove references to any personal information that could identify you. For example:
Name and title
Educational institution names
Age and gender
Email address
Postal address and telephone number
Nationality and immigration status.
This will help us to recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not on your background, gender or ethnicity. Recruiting this way is called name-blind recruitment.
For more information on how to write your Statement and CV please visit the Civil Service Careers Website
We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for assessments or interviews. You are therefore asked to note the below timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process, in order to meet the dates given. Please note that these dates may be subject to change.
The anticipated timetable is as follows:
23:55 on Sunday 5th October 2025
Outcome of CV and Statement of Suitability
Week commencing 20th October 2025
Assessments
Week commencing 3rd November 2025
Panel Interview and Presentation
24th/25th November 2025
Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing
Our departmental values - purpose, humanity, openness and together - are at the heart of our commitment to create a culture where all our people are able to thrive and flourish in the workplace.
We want to attract and retain the best talent from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. We want everyone to be the best of themselves, to feel supported and have a strong sense of belonging in the workplace. Our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce is reflected in all of our people policies and strategies.
Benefits
As a Ministry of Justice employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits which include but are not limited to:
Pension
The Civil Service Pension Scheme is one of the best workplace pension schemes in the UK public sector. Visit www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk for more details.
Generous Annual Leave and Bank Holiday Allowance
25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to 8 public holidays. This will be complemented by one further day paid privilege entitlement to mark the King’s Birthday.
Flexible Working
While not every type of flexible working will be suitable for every role and business area, flexible working can take many forms and The Ministry of Justice is committed to delivering its business effectively and sustainably by creating modern and inclusive workplaces that enable smart, flexible and hybrid working.
For more information on our amazing benefits including our Civil Service Pension Scheme, annual and special leave, and our Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing schemes please visit our Senior Civil Service website
What reasonable adjustments can be made if I have a disability?
We are committed to supporting all candidates to take part in the recruitment process. This includes supporting individuals who have a disability by making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process.
If you feel you require any kind of support and/or would like to discuss this with someone, please indicate 'yes' to requesting reasonable adjustments in your application form and ensure that you respond to the Reasonable Adjustments Scheme team by email.
How we can support you
There are many types of reasonable adjustments that can be made during assessment processes.
Examples of some types of adjustments include:
Extra time to complete assessments;
Providing a break within an assessment;
Providing interview questions in a written format at the interview as well as orally;
An interview at a certain time of day;
This is not an exhaustive list but rather some examples of how we can support you during the SCS Recruitment Process.
Whilst we aim to confirm all adjustments requested, there may be occasions where this isn't possible. If an adjustment cannot be provided, the reasons for this will be explained to you.
Help with your application
It is important you contact us as early as possible by email if you would like to request reasonable adjustments so that the recruitment process runs smoothly for you.
If you do decide during the process that you do require adjustments and you have not completed all your assessments, please contact the SCS recruitment team in advance of your next assessment.
If you have any questions in advance of making your application regarding reasonable adjustments please contact the SCS recruitment team at scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.
Do you offer a Disability Confident Scheme for Disabled Persons?
As a Disability Confident employer, the MoJ offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. This could be in terms of the advertised essential skills and/or application form sift criteria. Within the application form, you will be asked if you would like to be considered for an interview under this scheme, so please make us aware of this when prompted.
Yes.
This role is available for full-time or flexible working arrangements (including job share partnerships). If you wish to discuss your needs in more detail, please get in touch with the named point of contact in this pack.
Some travel between the London, Leeds and Loughborough sites will be required.
If successful you will be based in one of these sites.
Am I eligible to apply for this role?
For information on whether you are eligible to apply, please visit Gov.UK.
Is security clearance required?
Yes. If successful you must hold, or be willing to obtain, security clearance to SC/ level. More information about the vetting process can be found here.
Will this role be overseen by the Civil Service Commission?
No. However, the recruitment process will still be governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.
What do I do if I want to make a complaint?
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on 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 and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk in the first instance.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order.
To Shared Service-Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 08.00 - 18.00) or e-mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com)
To Ministry of Justice Resourcing (resourcing-services@justice.gov.uk)
To the Civil Service Commission (https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/)
What should I do if I think that I have a conflict of interest?
If you believe that you may have a conflict of interest you must declare it by contacting SCS Recruitment on scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk before submitting your application
We will ensure that we will treat all personal information in accordance with data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018.
Data Sharing
To process your application your personal data will be shared with the Ministry of Justice SCS Recruitment Team, campaign Panel Members and anyone else necessary as part of the recruitment process.
The legal basis for processing your personal data is:
Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest. Personal data are processed in the public interest because understanding civil servant experiences and feelings about working in the Civil Service can inform decision taken to improve these experiences, and ultimately organisation performance.
Sensitive personal data is personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person's sex life or sexual orientation.
The legal basis for processing your sensitive personal data is:
Processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest for the exercise of a function of the Crown, a Minister of the Crown, or a government department: it is important to know if groups of staff with specific demographic characteristics have a better or worse experience of working for the Civil Service, so that appropriate action can be taken to level this experience;
Processing is of a specific category of personal data and it is necessary for the purposes of identifying or keeping under review the existence or absence of equality of opportunity or treatment between groups of people with a view to enabling such equality to be promoted or maintained.
Please note if you are successful in your application your sensitive personal data will be used as part of the on-boarding process to build your employee record.
For further information please see the GDPR Privacy Notice
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent where it is found. To learn more, please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy
Should candidates like to discuss the role in more detail before submitting an application, please contact SCS Recruitment on scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.
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