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General Information

Salary
£58,952 - £61,750 In addition this post attracts a London allowance payment which will be discussed at interview.
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
London
Region
London
Closing Date
09-Jun-2026
Business Unit
London Probation Service
Post Type
Fixed Term, Detached Duty, Loan
Civil Service Grade
Other
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
17936

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Head of Regional Training and Skills Development Department (London Probation)

Vacancy Overview

The London Probation Regional Training and Skills Development Department is seeking an outstanding Head of Department to set up, shape, lead, and deliver an ambitious programme of learning, coaching, and practice support for probation staff across the region.

This is an exciting opportunity to set up a brand-new department in London offering a rare opportunity to build a function from the ground up. London is looking for someone who is passionate and who will thrive on the challenge of setting the vision, ways of working, and priorities from day one.

Accountable to London’s Regional Probation Director and reporting directly to the Head of Operations with the lead for Learning and Development, you will play a key role in strengthening practice and capability across London Probation. There is an expectation of regular travel across the region to support delivery and stakeholder engagement.

This senior role will lead the implementation and embedding of this department, ensuring the agreed regional model is translated into effective, consistent and sustainable practice to improve quality and protect the public The focus of the role is on turning an approved design into reality – overseeing delivery, assuring quality and impact, and ensuring the department meets its intended objectives.

The role is externally advertised and assessed under the Civil Service Success Profiles framework.

Role Summary

As Head of Regional Training and Skills Development, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for a region‑wide workforce development function. You will be responsible for establishing the department, leading delivery, and ensuring the learning and practice‑support offer delivers measurable improvements in practice quality, consistency and probation practitioner-confidence.

The role will be accountable to the Regional Probation Director and report to the Head of Operations with the lead for Learning and Development and will be part of the London Regional Leadership Team (RLT)

Regular travel across the London Region is required.

Key Responsibilities

You will:

  • Lead the implementation and embedding of the Regional Training and Skills Development Department in line with the approved regional model.
  • Provide clear leadership, governance and direction for a region‑wide development offer, ensuring consistency while responding to local learning needs.
  • Oversee delivery of a structured learning and development offer, integrating:
    • classroom training and workshops
    • structured coaching and mentoring programmes
    • action learning and reflective practice
    • practice-based support (including observation, co-working and feedback).
    • talent-management, supporting staff to achieve their career development goals and fulfil their potential
  • Manage phased rollout and expansion, initially prioritising Probation Services Officers (PSOs) and new administrators, with planned extension to Newly Qualified Officers (NQOs), Probation Officers (POs) and newly appointed Senior Probation Officers (SPOs).
  • Provide senior oversight of quality assurance, evaluation and continuous improvement activities to ensure the department meets its objectives
  • Chair operational governance arrangements and maintain a live departmental risk register, escalating risks appropriately.
  • Work collaboratively with PDUs, Learning & Development, Performance and Quality, and other regional teams to ensure focus on identified regional learning-needs.
  • Represent the department in regional forums, inspections and assurance activity.
  • Ensure delivery demonstrates value for money, sustainability and aligns with regional priorities and objectives

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

You will be able to demonstrate:

  • Significant leadership experience in workforce development, organisational improvement or complex operational delivery.
  • A strong track record of implementing and leading established models or programmes, including putting governance, assurance and controls in place.
  • Experience of leading complex change, mobilising new services and embedding them into operational environments.
  • Strategic leadership capability, including aligning delivery with organisational priorities, inspection expectations and workforce risk.
  • Credibility and confidence in engaging senior stakeholders and influencing at regional level.
  • Experience of using data, assurance activity and feedback to monitor impact and drive improvement.
  • Experience of project management, from planning and implementation through to completion and review

Desirable Criteria

  • Experience within probation, criminal justice or related public services.
  • Understanding of inspection and regulatory frameworks and their implications for workforce development.
  • Experience of coaching, mentoring or professional practice development frameworks.

Civil Service Success Profiles – Behaviours

The following Success Profile behaviours are expected to be assessed at interview:

Leadership

Communicating and Influencing

Managing a Quality Service

Changing and Improving

Delivering at Pace

Working Together

Leadership Expectations

This is a Band A senior leadership role with accountability for:

  • Successfully mobilising and embedding an agreed regional delivery model.
  • Delivery quality, assurance, risk management and impact.
  • Building a capable, inclusive and high‑performing team.
  • Effective stewardship of public resources and value for money.
  • Providing clear assurance to the Regional Leadership Team.

Additional Information

  • Location: London Region (regular travel required)
  • Grade: Band A
  • Contract: 12 months with the potential to be made permanent
  • Security Clearance: As required for the role

This role is suited to a senior leader who excels at turning well‑designed models into effective operational reality, delivering consistent impact at scale across a complex regional system.
Additional Information

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.

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.

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, plus public holidays. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis

Pension

The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF).  Please visit www.gmpf.org.uk for further information.

Please note: Any current Civil Servant who is a member of the PCSPS, by accepting an offer of employment to the National Probation Services will be opted out of the PCSPS and auto enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme.

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.

Eligibility

All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post

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 www.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

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 TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & Inclusion

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 Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

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 is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

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

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information
 

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 17936

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 17936

Allowance

In addition this post attracts a London allowance payment for applicable locations which will be discussed at interview.

Application form stage assessments

Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Statement of Suitability
Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Please describe your suitability for this post, based on the job advertisement. What experience do you have of implementing a new project or framework that delivered positive outcomes and supported the development of new skills?
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 06/07/2026
Behaviours
Changing and Improving
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Leadership
Managing a Quality Service
Working Together
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?
Presentation
Level of security checks required
DBS Standard

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

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.