Thank you for your interest in the Ministry of Justice’s Director for Security and Information role.

This is a pivotal leadership position at the heart of one of the largest and most complex departments in government, where security, resilience and public trust are central to the delivery of justice.

The Ministry of Justice delivers some of the most fundamental public services in the country, spanning prisons, courts, probation and legal services. We operate a large and evolving technology estate, an extensive physical estate, and hold highly sensitive personal and operational data. Ensuring that our people feel safe, our services are resilient, and our information is protected is essential to maintaining confidence in the justice system. This role will play a critical part in making that happen.

As Chief Security Officer you will lead a function bringing together cyber, physical, personnel and information security, data protection, information management and counter fraud. You will work closely with senior leaders across the Department and its agencies to provide clear assurance, manage complex and emerging risks, and enable the secure delivery of our digital and service transformation ambitions.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of security in the Ministry of Justice and across the services of its Executive Agencies. I look forward to receiving your application.

Best wishes,

Megan Lee-Devlin

Director General, Service Transformation

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 Government Security Function

Do you want to make a real difference to the security of the UK, access high quality training, and build an exciting, challenging and varied career?

The Chief Government Security Officer, Vincent Devine, is head of the Security Function in the Cabinet Office. Working in Government Security has a wide scope, so careers in Government Security are diverse, unique, and rewarding. No matter which department or agency you’re based in, each plays an important role in ensuring security across government so you will also have the opportunity to work alongside colleagues from a variety of departments, professions and agencies.

Our diversity also enriches our perspectives- informing our responses. So we work to nurture an inclusive workplace where diversity is respected, differences are valued and everyone has equal opportunity to achieve their full potential. We want our people to feel confident that they aren’t being discriminated against, including those who wish to agree working arrangements that match their lifestyle needs.

You can find out about the breadth of roles in government security in the Security Profession Career Framework.

About the Public Sector Fraud Authority

The Public Sector Fraud Authority is based in the Cabinet Office and works with officials and fraud experts across government and is the centre of the Counter Fraud Function. The Counter Fraud Function has 16,000 staff working in public bodies across government. It also works closely with policing and other sectors dealing with fraud. This role will directly impact on these staff, who work in a variety of departments, arm’s length bodies and local government.

The activities led from the Public Sector Fraud Authority includes developing policy, delivering operational units and programmes of work, setting standards to prevent, deter, disrupt and discover fraud. It covers all types of fraud - including all Government payments, services and income.

About the role

Job Title

Chief Security officer and Director of Security and Information.

Location

National.

Please note the requirements for travel and level of flexibility available as set out in the FAQs section. 

Salary

The salary for this post is set within the Senior Civil Service Pay Band 2 range (£100,000 - £162,500).

Please note: For existing Civil Servants salary will be in line with the Civil Service pay rules in place on the date of their appointment.

Contract Type

This role is being offered as a 12 month Expression of Interest.

The Role

The Ministry of Justice is a large and complex organisation which spends over £8bn a year delivering crucial public services to a wide range of users, often with complex needs, protecting and advancing the principles of justice.

You will be responsible for leading the development of appropriate security culture and ensuring security considerations are built into our business as usual processes, from our complex technology networks, numerous physical locations in our varied estate, over 88,000 personnel and a wealth of data that requires protecting.

Ensuring the delivery of our services is done in a way that is secure and upholds people’s rights, is fundamental for maintaining trust and confidence in our services. Equally, providing an environment and creating a culture where our people feel safe to operate and deliver their best is paramount.

These challenges demand a high calibre security function, with the right people in the right roles providing insight and support to the business, supported by secure, effective systems, processes and technologies that protect the operation of the Department.

As Director of the function, you will be responsible for leading on all elements of security (cyber, physical, personnel, information); data protection, information services and counter fraud, supporting MoJ HQ and four executive agencies (HM Prison & Probation Service, Legal Aid Agency, Office of the Public Guardian and the Criminal Injury Compensation Authority).

Your challenge will be to develop and lead a unified function following a centre of excellence model that will allow us to do things once and well, making effective use of technology where possible; along with the creation of the right security standards, controls, outcomes and culture for the successful delivery of departmental business, ensuring the services you deliver are first class.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of, and coordinate execution of, MoJ's security transformation strategy, ensuring that information assets and associated technology, applications, systems, infrastructure and processes are adequately protected.

• Ensure MoJ and its Executive Agencies uphold high standards of security, privacy and information, including appropriate risk management and robust controls, to support Accounting Officers and the Senior Information Risk Owners (SIROs) in fulfilling their responsibilities.

• Leading a team of c300 security and information experts, motivating the team to deliver and creating a culture where people can thrive.

• Ensure that the department's security, information and fraud risks are identified, managed and mitigated.

• Drive the implementation and monitoring of compliance to relevant regulatory and government requirements. Oversee the identification, evaluation and reporting of legal and regulatory, IT, and cyber security risk to information assets and fraud risks, while supporting and advancing business objectives.

• Lead MoJ's departmental security governance, providing regular reporting on the delivery of the security and data protection strategy senior leaders including the Executive Committee, Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, Departmental Board and Non-Executive Directors.

• Build strong external networks and liaise with external agencies, such as law enforcement and other advisory bodies, including National Technical Authorities, the Public Sector Fraud Authority as necessary, to ensure that the organisation maintains a strong security posture and is kept abreast of relevant threats.

• Represent MoJ on relevant cross government Boards and engage with the Government Security Group, DSIT and the public sector fraud authority to influence and support the cyber, physical and personnel security and counter fraud agenda across government.

• Lead the delivery of advice, guidance and proactive communications to build and reinforce a strong security, privacy and information culture.

• Provide operational oversight to managing high-volume and often complex Subject Access Requests.

Organogram

It is important through your CV and Statement of Suitability that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the below essential criteria:

Essential criteria:

• Excellent technical credibility in security and compliance, and a proven ability to use sound judgement on decisions relating to security matters.

• Demonstrable ability to build trusted partnerships with senior stakeholders, communicate with impact across different types of audiences, and experience utilising sophisticated influencing skills to effect change.

• Proven experience leading a diverse team of senior security experts in a complex operating environment.

• Deep experience leading transformation efforts, and a track record of achieving substantial improvements to operations and processes.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of working within the justice system.

Civil Service Success Profiles:

The Selection Criteria uses the Civil Service Success Profile Framework. 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.

You will be assessed against the following four Behaviours (at Director-level) at interview:

• Leadership

• Changing and Improving

• Making Effective Decisions

• Communicating and Influencing

Further information about the Civil Service Behaviours Framework can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles/success-profiles-civil-service-behaviours

The Recruitment Process

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process no later than 23:55 on 22^nd February and will involve uploading the two documents outlined below:

Document details:

1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.

2. A Statement of Suitability (no more than 500 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.

3. As part of the application process, you will be required to complete your diversity information. All monitoring data will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be provided to the selection panel. We capture this information to monitor our internal vacancy filling processes with a view to ensuring that we continue to build a talented workforce with diverse perspectives and backgrounds.

4. In addition to diversity information, you will be asked whether you wish to apply for the role as part of the Disability Confident Scheme. For more information about the scheme, please see the FAQs section.

Please submit and complete all of the documents listed so that the panel will have all the required information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification. Please note failure to submit a CV and Statement of Suitability will result in your application not being considered for this role.

Should you encounter any issues with your application please get in touch with SCS Recruitment via:

scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.

Shortlist

The panel will assess your application to select those demonstrating the best fit with the role by considering the evidence you have provided against the criteria set out on page 9.

Shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible following the shortlist meeting.

Unfortunately, due to the anticipated number of applicants for this role, we are unable to provide feedback to those not successful at shortlist stage. Candidates who are shortlisted and attend an interview will be offered verbal feedback from a member of the interview panel.

Interview

You will be asked to attend a panel interview in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria and behaviours set out on page 9.

Please note, you will be asked to complete a presentation on a topic chosen by the panel at interview stage.

Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates.

Offer

Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible after the final interview.

Guidance for writing your application

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 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 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 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 required for the role and describe the outcome that came from this.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

For more information on how to write your Statement and CV please visit the Civil Service Careers Website.

The anticipated timetable is as follows:

Can I apply if I am not currently a civil servant?

No, this role is only available to Civil Servants.

Is this role suitable for part-time working?

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 SCS Recruitment Team.

Will the role involve travel?

If the successful candidate is not London based, infrequent travel to London may be required.

Where will the role be based?

The base location of this post is flexible and can be based at any of our buildings across England and Wales.

The successful applicant must spend at least 60% of the week working from a MoJ site.

Relocation costs will not be reimbursed.

Can I claim back any expenses incurred during the recruitment process?

No. Unfortunately we will not be able to reimburse you, except in exceptional circumstances and only when agreed in advance.

What are the nationality requirements for this role?

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals

• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland

• Nationals of Commonwealth countries

• Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with (or eligible for) status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service

• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service

• Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

For further information on whether you are eligible to apply, please visit Gov.UK.

Reserved for UK Nationals

Certain posts might be reserved for British citizens, this is not a reserved post.

Is security clearance required?

Yes. If successful you must hold, or be willing to obtain, security clearance to DV Clearance. More information about the vetting process can be found here.

What reasonable adjustments can be made if I have a disability?

We welcome and encourage applications from all candidates and 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. We are also able to provide support to candidates who require adjustments to the assessment process due to more temporary difficulties (e.g. linked to a recent injury).

We will ask you within your application form if 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, please indicate ‘yes’ to requesting reasonable adjustments.

We understand that the support requested will be unique to every candidate and we will work with you to help you to identify your individual requirements.

We make reasonable adjustments so that all candidates are given a fair opportunity to undertake the recruitment process. Therefore, disclosing information regarding your disability or access requirements will have no impact on the outcome of your application, regardless of your request or the role you have applied to.

How we can support you

There are many types of reasonable adjustments that can be made during assessment processes, and the type or combination you choose to request will depend on your individual requirements.

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.

• Coloured overlays or different fonts for assessment materials.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list but rather some examples.

Whilst we aim to confirm all adjustments requested, there may be occasions where this isn’t possible. For example, if a candidate were to request that they are not assessed on a specific behaviour outlined in the job advert this would not be possible because the behaviour has been identified as important for the job role ,and all candidates are assessed against this criterion. If an adjustment cannot be provided, the reasons for this will be explained to you during your contact with the reasonable adjustment scheme team.

Help with your application

During the application process, we will ask you if you require reasonable adjustments. It is important you tell us as early as possible 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 need any help with your application, please contact the SCS recruitment team at scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.

Do you offer a Disability Confident Scheme for Disabled Persons?

Disabled applicants who meet the minimum selection criteria in the job specification are guaranteed an interview. Selection will be on merit. If you wish to claim a guaranteed interview under the Disability Commitment, you should complete the relevant section of the online application. It is not necessary to state the nature of your disability.

Do you offer a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for Veterans?

Yes. The Great Place to Work for Veterans scheme aims to encourage more veterans to join the Civil Service when they leave the armed forces.

Veteran applicants who meet the minimum selection criteria in the job specification are guaranteed an interview. Selection will be on merit. If you wish to claim a guaranteed interview under the Great Place to Work for Veterans scheme, you should complete the relevant section of the online application

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.

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 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.

1. 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)

2. To Ministry of Justice Resourcing (resourcing-services@justice.gov.uk)

3. 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?

Candidates must note the requirement to declare any interests that might cause questions to be raised about their approach to the business of the Department.

If you believe that you may have a conflict of interest, please contact SCS Recruitment on scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk before submitting your application.

Will this role be overseen by the Civil Service Commission?

Yes. As this role is one of the more senior posts within the Civil Service, a Commissioner will oversee the recruitment process and chair the selection panel. More detailed information can be found on the Civil Service Commission website.

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. 

Data Sharing

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:

1. 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;

2. 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.

3. 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 wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy

1