Chief of Staff, Justice AI Unit

General information

• Vacancy Approach: External

• Location: National

• Post Type: Permanent

• Number of jobs available: 1

• Civil Service Grade: Grade 6

Overview

We’re recruiting for a Chief of Staff in the Justice AI Unit, supporting the Chief AI Officer and the delivery of the AI Action Plan for Justice across the Ministry of Justice.

The Chief of Staff plays a central role in managing strategic relationships across the Ministry of Justice and its agencies, while supporting the Chief AI Officer to drive priorities and deliver outcomes. Working closely with the leadership team and senior stakeholders, the role combines strategic advice with oversight of operations, finance, people, and communications, ensuring the Justice AI Unit is set up to deliver at pace, responsibly and transparently. The postholder will help build confidence in the unit’s work, strengthen engagement across government, and support delivery of the AI Action Plan for Justice, contributing to a more productive and agile department.

To learn more about the Justice AI Unit and our work, visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn for updates and insights.

Objectives of this role

• Oversee strategic business initiatives from development through to delivery, supporting implementation of the AI Action Plan for Justice.

• Support senior leaders in decision-making, programme management and delivery of key initiatives across AI, digital and operational priorities.

• Review, design and improve organisational structure, identifying capability gaps and putting plans in place to address them.

• Improve processes and ways of working to increase efficiency, productivity and delivery pace across the Justice AI Unit.

• Support the business management and day-to-day operations of the Justice AI Unit, ensuring clear oversight of priorities, risks, finance and resources.

• Coordinate the unit’s enabling activity, including people, communications and engagement, to support effective delivery and alignment across the department.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with the Chief AI Officer to maximise value by maintaining a clear focus on priorities, coordinating and triaging work effectively, and using sound judgement to support delivery across the Justice AI Unit and wider MoJ.

• Act as an informed adviser to the Chief AI Officer, providing clear and timely analysis of key issues and priorities across the AI portfolio and wider stakeholder landscape, with practical advice and handling plans for emerging issues.

• Ensure strong join-up across the Justice AI Unit leadership team and that inputs into senior discussions are well considered, aligned and timely.

• Lead and support leadership team meetings, setting clear agendas and driving delivery of cross-cutting actions and outcomes, including leading workstreams from concept through to completion where required.

• Manage and act as a point of contact for the Chief AI Officer’s team and senior stakeholders, including Directors General, Ministers and Permanent Secretaries, ensuring priorities are clearly communicated and connections are made as needed.

• Lead a high-performing team that can operate effectively at pace within a fast-moving, ambiguous and high-profile environment.

• Shape and influence teams and stakeholders to ensure organisational priorities are delivered, surfacing tensions and resolving issues where they arise.

• Analyse and synthesise a wide range of information at pace, using both quantitative and qualitative evidence to provide clear and well-judged recommendations to senior stakeholders.

• Manage multiple issues, workstreams and initiatives concurrently, maintaining oversight and ensuring delivery through to completion, including where work is delivered through others.

• Act as a subject matter point of contact within the unit, handling queries, developing action plans, and supporting the preparation and delivery of communications and engagement activity.

• Coordinate core operational activity across the Justice AI Unit, including finance, operations, people and communications and engagement, with line management responsibility for a small team.

Person Specification

Essential skills and experience

• Senior stakeholder support: You have experience working directly with senior leaders at SCS2 / C-suite level, supporting decision-making, managing priorities and coordinating complex, high-profile work.

• Strategic thinking: You understand the broader context and organisational priorities and can align your work and advice to deliver against them, particularly in a fast-moving or evolving environment.

• Communication: You can communicate clearly and confidently, work with a range of audiences, and provide high-quality advice. This includes the ability to produce written briefings for senior stakeholders.

• Effective decision-making: You can make informed decisions in complex and technical environments, weighing different factors and understanding potential impacts.

• Agile working: You can manage multiple priorities, adapt quickly and work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

• Personal resilience: You remain focused and composed under pressure, maintaining pace and quality in challenging situations.

• Stakeholder management: You have strong experience of building and managing relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, inside and/or outside government.

• AI, digital and departmental context: You have experience working in an AI, digital, data or technology environment, and can translate the AI Action Plan for Justice and wider departmental priorities into delivery.

How to Apply

Candidates must submit a CV and Personal Statement.

Your Personal Statement (no more than 500 words) should outline your experience, using examples of work you have undertaken. It should address the following criteria from the Person Specification:

• Senior stakeholder support

• Strategic thinking

A diverse panel will assess applications against these criteria.

Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift may be conducted based on Senior stakeholder support.

Selection Process  

Successful candidates who meet the required standard will be invited to a virtual panel interview.

As part of the interview, you will be asked to deliver a short exercise/presentation. Details will be shared in advance.  

We will assess your experience and the following behaviours using Civil Service Success Profiles:

• Seeing the Big Picture

• Communicating and Influencing

• Delivering at Pace