General Information
Descriptions & requirements
Chief Operating Officer Group
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Group brings together core corporate services including finance, commercial and property. We provide the operational leadership and expertise that helps the department run effectively and deliver a justice system that serves the public.
Information about the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and its priorities can be found at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about
Finance
The role sits within the Finance function. MoJ operates a functional model for Finance, providing services to the department and most of its agencies and arm’s-length bodies through three Finance Directorates. This post sits in the Financial Management, Control, Risk and Governance Directorate, bringing teams together into centres of excellence to deliver high-quality financial management, governance and reporting.
About the Role
We’re recruiting a Head of the Grants Centre of Expertise (CoE) and Departmental Grants Champion to help shape how MoJ designs, manages and assures grant funding.
Our grant-making portfolio is around £300m a year and supports some of the most vulnerable people in society. We fund public, voluntary and charitable organisations that help victims of crime, litigants in person, and adults and young people in the justice system, in line with MoJ objectives.
The Grants Champion plays a key role in developing the MoJ Grants CoE and working with the Departmental Head of Grants Function and grant-making teams to improve efficiency, effectiveness and assurance. Alongside strengthening capacity and capability across the organisation, we need to ensure that the function stays agile and responsive to competing demands. You will need to be able to build a strong understanding of grant making across the department in order to provide timely advice on emerging issues. The role also has significant cross-government exposure, working with the Cabinet Office Government Grants Management Function (GGMF) and other departments to develop and embed grants policy, standards and professional practice.
Main Activities / Responsibilities
The job holder will be required to undertake the following:
- Lead the Grants CoE day-to-day, providing guidance and coaching a high-performing, collaborative team. Act as the department’s subject matter expert, advising grant-making teams and ensuring compliance with the Grants Functional Standard and Minimum Requirements.
- Work with the Departmental Head of Grants Function to drive grant efficiency across MoJ and its sponsored grant‑making public bodies.
- Support continuous improvement of grant processes and build grant capability and professionalism across the business, including leading the biennial assessment against the Grants Continuous Improvement Assessment Framework.
- Ensure smooth and timely operation of MoJ’s approvals processes for grant funding through management of the Grants Challenge and Assurance Panel.
- Be the key contact for the Cabinet Office Government Grants Management Function (GGMF): promote the grants profession, shape policy and capability offers through cross-government networks, and champion digital tools such as Spotlight, the Government Grants Management System (GGMS) and Find/Apply for a Grant.
- Maintain compliance with grant controls (including pipelines) and GGMF requirements. Ensure accurate and timely data input to the Government Grants Information System (GGIS), coordinate the annual GGIS transparency publication, and meet Cabinet Office memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and data standards, including deadlines for data uploads.
Management of Resources
Management of a small team of 5.
Essential Criteria
- Strong knowledge of grant making and governance, including the Grants Functional Standard.
- Proven ability to deliver high-quality outputs to tight deadlines in fast-paced, changing environments.
- Proven people leadership skills, including developing and motivating teams.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and a track record of building strong relationships with senior stakeholders.
- Experience working with internal and external audit and collaborating with other government departments.
Desirable Criteria
- Understanding of the public sector expenditure framework (e.g., Managing Public Money).
- Experience of project accounting.
- Experience leading a grants continuous improvement assessment.
- Finance and/or commercial knowledge.
Please note that whilst we don’t assess or score ‘desirable’ criteria, we may consider evidence provided that demonstrates meeting the desirable elements of the role, only after essential criteria is assessed and where there is a need to differentiate between closely scored candidates.
Personal skills and attributes
You will be someone who:
- Leads with confidence, building high-performing teams and influential relationships.
- Uses data creatively to improve grant decisions, transparency and assurance.
- Is a credible, authentic leader who engages and motivates others to deliver results.
- Makes sound decisions, including when trade-offs are difficult, and takes accountability.
- Communicates clearly and persuasively with teams and stakeholders to achieve outcomes.
Application process
You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.
Sift
Experience
Please submit an anonymous copy of your CV.
Please submit a statement of suitability in 750 words which includes how you meet the responsibilities and essential criteria of the role and your experience of grant making.
Behaviours
Please provide examples of how you have met each of the behaviours (or list other criteria) below:
- Leadership
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
- Seeing the Big Picture
Please refer to the Civil Service (CS) Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:
If we receive a large number of applications, we will carry out an initial sift on the lead criteria of Leadership.
Candidates invited to Interview
Please note that interviews will be carried out remotely via MS Teams. During the interview, we will be assessing you on Behaviours and Strengths from the Success Profiles framework.
- Leadership
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
- Seeing the Big Picture
We will also ask you to deliver a 5-minute presentation – details will be provided to candidates successful at sift.
Contact for information: Joan Lewis (joan.lewis@justice.gov.uk)
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). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
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: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).
For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).
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.
MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.
All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ 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 MoJ’s 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.
There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
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 employees.
Eligibility
Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.
Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.
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.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
- To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk);
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
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.
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.
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: 18023
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: 18023
Job Description Attachment
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Grants CoE job description (002).doc (Job Description Attachment)
Application form stage assessments
Interview stage assessments
Other Assessments
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.