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HMPPS Director General - Probation
Expression of Interest
Ministry of Justice
SCS Pay Band 3
Closing Date: 23:55 Wed 3rd June 2026
1
About the Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Justice is a major
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) works to
modern and efficient criminal courts
government department at the heart of the
protect and advance the principles of
system.
justice system. We deliver some of the
justice. Our vision is to deliver a world-class
most fundamental public services including
justice system that works for everyone in
• A beacon for justice and the rule of law:
courts, tribunals, prisons, legal services,
society.
to uphold the rule of law at home and
youth justice, probation services, and
abroad; promote our world-leading legal
attendance centres.
The justice system plays a crucial role in
services, which contribute to economic
our success as a nation - keeping people
growth; and deliver accessible
safe, emphasising fairness, guaranteeing
and timely civil, family and
individual rights and giving businesses
administrative justice.
confidence to flourish.
For more information on who we are and
The delivery of our three strategic
what we do, please
outcomes are central to doing this:
visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organi
sations/ministry-of-justice
• 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
About the role
Job Title
rehabilitation of offenders in the community
and the effective management of risk.
HMPPS Director General - Probation -
Expression of Interest
This DG Probation role provides the
Probation Service with the singular,
Location
Contract Type
dedicated leadership it requires at a time of
National.
unprecedented operational demand,
This role is being offered on a temporary
national scrutiny and structural change.
Please note the requirements for travel and
basis as an Expression of Interest - 9
The Probation Service is simultaneously
level of flexibility available as set out in the
months
facing significant performance pressures,
FAQs section.
workforce challenges, rising caseload
The Role
complexity, and must implement a major
Salary
The Director General for Probation (DG
transformation programme in response to
The salary for this role is set within the MoJ
Probation) is the senior operational
the Independent Sentencing review and
forthcoming changes arising from the
SCS PB3 range £130,000 - 174,000
authority responsible for leading, stabilising
and transforming the Probation Service
Sentencing Act. The DG Probation role
As a Civil Servant you will be appointed in
across England and Wales. The role
brings together operational delivery and
line with the Civil Service rules for pay on
provides end-to-end leadership for a
system transformation into one leadership
appointment/promotion.
service of c. 21,000 FTE staff, responsible
post, ensuring the clear accountability for
for the supervision, assessment and
performance sits alongside the strategic
redesign of how probation operates.
The postholder will ensure that the
- Providing strategic direction to
Probation Service maintains resilience and
senior probation leadership,
- Collaborating with policy, to bring
professional standards, while overseeing
ensuring consistency of practice,
reforms into an overall strategy that
the transformation required to modernise
performance and professional
will drive performance improvements
risk assessment, digital systems, case
standards across c 21,000 FTE
across the probation service.
management, workforce capability and the
members of staff across England
delivery of rehabilitative interventions. As a
and Wales.
- Leading operational response to
member of HMPPS Leadership Team, DG
serious further offences,
Probation plays a critical role in shaping
- Line management of SCS2 Directors
safeguarding failures and other high-
organisational strategy, advising Ministers
across the Probation operation
risk incidents, ensuring appropriate
and senior officials, and ensuring
learning, accountability and system
Probation’s needs are understood and
- Driving workforce stabilisation and
response.
appropriately prioritised across MoJ and
capability improvement, addressing
HMPPS. As a member of HMPPS
- Strengthening partnerships with
Leadership Team, this role is essential to
- recruitment, retention, training and
police, courts, PCCs, health and
shaping organisational strategy, advising
leadership development challenges
local authorities to ensure coherent
Ministers and senior officials, and ensuring
in a challenging labour market.
multi-agency risk management and
Probation’s needs are understood and
offender rehabilitation pathways.
appropriately prioritised across MoJ and
HMPPS.
- Through leadership of the Our
Future Probation Service
- Representing probation at HMPPS
Programme, overseeing the
and MoJ strategic decision-making
Key Responsibilities
transformation of probation practice
levels, ensuring service needs are
and systems. This includes digital
reflected in policy, finance, digital,
reform, implementation of probation-
estates and workforce planning.
related reforms in the Sentencing
- Leading the safe and effective
Act, redesign of assessment and
- Providing visible national leadership
delivery of probation operations
case management processes, and
to a dispersed workforce, shaping
across 12 regions, ensuring high-
improvements to unpaid work,
culture, professional identify and
quality supervision, risk assessment
rehabilitation requirements and court
operational discipline across the
and public protection.
reporting.
service
Person Specification
It is important through the recruitment
To succeed in this role, you will require:
- Strong decision-making capability
process that you give evidence and
and ability to lead large, dispersed,
examples of proven experience of each of
operational services under pressure.
- Excellent senior leadership skills
the essential and desirable criteria.
with the ability to set a compelling
- Compelling experience of
Later on in the pack you will be told what is
leadership vision and to inspire staff,
successfully leading large scale
being assessed at which stage of the
whilst building engagement and
operational, cultural and people
process.
capability to deliver results
transformations
- The proven ability to work effectively
in a high-profile and fast-paced
- Demonstrable experience as a
environment across organisational
credible operational leader to a
boundaries, managing complex
frontline service as well as to senior
stakeholder interests and political
government officials and Ministers.
landscapes
- Skills in partnership working across
- Extensive experience in an
justice, policing, health and local
operational environment and a deep
government, with the ability to
understanding of the probation
collaborate and maintain effective
context.
relationships with the most senior
Essential criteria:
internal and external stakeholders
- A deep understanding of operational
risk, security, assurance, financial
and workforce management.
The Recruitment Process
Application
essential criteria in the 'person
with the selection panel and a 5 minute
presentation will be required. Details will be
To apply for this post, you will need to
specification' section.
provided in advance.
complete the online application process no
later than 23:55 Wed 3rd June 2026
After the Application Stage
After the Panel Interview
The application must include:
• A CV setting out your career history,
You will be advised whether your application
Following the interview, the performance of all
highlighting specific responsibilities and
has been shortlisted for the next stage of the
candidates will be reviewed, and the
achievements that are relevant to this role
selection process. If you are shortlisted, we will successful candidate identified. All candidates
and relevant achievements in recent posts. contact you to arrange the next stage of the
will be notified of the outcome as soon as
selection process.
possible after the conclusion of all interviews.
• A Personal Statement (no more than 750 Panel Interview and Presentation
words) explaining how you consider your
personal skills, qualities and experience
You will be invited to attend an interview
provide evidence of your suitability for the
role, with particular reference to the
FAQs
Can I apply if I am not currently a
and Justice Satellite Offices are,
Recruitment on scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk
civil servant?
to identify where you may be based.
before submitting your application.
Relocation costs will not be reimbursed.
No. This role is only suitable for existing civil
servants and those in accredited Non-
Will this role require travel?
Departmental Bodies.
This role will also require some travel however
Is this role suitable for part-time working?
the majority of the role can be undertaken from
the base location.
This role is available for full-time or flexible
working arrangements (including job share
Can I claim back any expenses incurred
partnerships).
during the recruitment process?
If you wish to discuss your needs in more
Unfortunately, we will not be able to reimburse
detail, please get in touch with the SCS
you, except in exceptional circumstances.
Recruitment Team
scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.
Is security clearance required? Yes. If
successful you must hold, or be willing to
Where will the role be based?
obtain, security clearance to SC level. More
information about the vetting process can be
The base location of this post is flexible and
found here.
can be based at any of our MoJ buildings
across England and Wales. The MoJ is
What should I do if I think that I have a
working to open more Justice Collaboration
conflict of interest?
Centres and Justice Satellite Offices over time.
Click here to learn more about where our
If you believe that you may have a conflict of
currently open Justice Collaboration Centres
interest you must declare it by contacting SCS
Expected Timeline
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:
Advert Closing Date
23:55 Wed 3rd June 2026
Interviews
From W/C Mon 8th June 2026
Contact us
Should candidates have any questions before submitting an application,
please contact SCS Recruitment on scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.