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General Information

Working Pattern
Full Time, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
29-Jun-2026
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
SCS 1
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
18756

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

The Role

This postholder will act as the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for the PECS Generation 5 programme, a major national initiative shaping the future delivery of prisoner escort and custody services.

PECS Generation 5 represents a once‑in‑a‑decade opportunity to re‑design a mission‑critical service underpinning the Criminal Justice System. It is a complex and high‑profile programme, involving early market engagement, service design, procurement and mobilisation.

The programme operates within a highly constrained and specialist supplier market, in a context of significant operational, financial and political scrutiny. It requires sustained senior leadership to ensure that future arrangements are deliverable, affordable and resilient.

The successful candidate will:

  • Provide strategic leadership from early programme scoping through to procurement and mobilisation
  • Shape the future PECS operating model in response to changing system demand and policy direction
  • Establish and lead a programme capability of approximately 30 staff, supported by matrixed expertise across multiple functions
  • Engage confidently with senior stakeholders across HMPPS, MoJ, HMCTS, policing and supplier market

This role requires strong leadership, sound judgement and the ability to operate effectively in conditions of uncertainty and complexity.

Key Responsibility

Reporting to the Executive Director – Contracted Operational Delivery, you will:

  • Act as Senior Responsible Owner for the PECS Generation 5 programme, setting strategic direction and ensuring delivery of a national, system‑critical service
  • Lead the design and development of the future PECS operating model, balancing continuity of service with opportunities for transformation and improvement
  • Establish and maintain programme governance, assurance and reporting arrangements, ensuring clear oversight of risk, affordability and deliverability
  • Provide timely, evidence‑based advice to senior leaders, including Director Generals and Ministers, on programme progress and key decisions
  • Build and lead a multidisciplinary programme team, setting expectations and fostering a strong delivery culture across a geographically dispersed workforce
  • Engage effectively with stakeholders across the Criminal Justice System, including HMCTS, policing partners, judiciary and commercial providers
  • Maintain market confidence through senior‑level engagement with suppliers and support the development of viable, sustainable delivery models

Additional Responsibilities

  • Ensure effective integration across programme functions including commercial, finance, digital, legal and operational policy
  • Maintain alignment between PECS Generation 5 and wider HMPPS and MoJ strategic priorities
  • Promote a strong culture of accountability, inclusivity and continuous improvement across the programme
  • Ensure robust risk management, including early identification and mitigation of delivery, commercial and reputational risks
  • Represent the programme in internal and cross‑government governance forums as required
  • In addition to leading the PECS Generation 5 programme, the postholder will be expected to contribute as a member of the Directorate Senior Leadership Team, the wider contract management community, and relevant organisational change leadership forums.

It is important through the recruitment process that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential and desirable criteria.

Later on in the pack you will be told what is being assessed at which stage of the process.

Essential Experience:

  • A strong track record of leading complex, high‑risk programmes or portfolios, delivering in environments characterised by ambiguity, scale and external scrutiny
  • Experience of operating credibly at senior levels, including engagement with Director General and Ministerial stakeholders
  • Demonstrable ability to shape and deliver strategic outcomes across organisational boundaries, including through matrix management and influence rather than direct control
  • Experience of balancing competing priorities, including affordability, operational performance and risk, to inform defensible decision‑making
  • Strong leadership capability, including building and leading multidisciplinary teams and establishing effective delivery cultures

Desirable Experience:

  • Experience of commissioning, procurement or delivery of large‑scale contracted services
  • Experience of operating within, or alongside, the Criminal Justice System or similarly complex public service environments
  • Experience of engaging with supplier markets at a senior level to shape viable and sustainable delivery solutions
  • Understanding of programme governance, assurance and delivery methodologies within a government context

MoJ SCS Pay Band 1 Behaviours:

You will also be assessed against the following Behaviours during the Recruitment Process:

  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Leadership
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Delivering at Pace
Additional Information

Recruitment Process

Given the scale and expected lifecycle of the PECS Generation 5 programme, the intention is for the postholder to provide continuity of leadership across the programme. Candidates should therefore expect to remain in post for a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. This is an expectation only and is not written into your terms and conditions or otherwise binding.

Support during the selection process

If you need any support or have any questions during any stage of the selection process, please contact the SCS Recruitment Team scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.

Stages of the selection process

Information Session

  • For those interested in finding out more about the role, we encourage applicants to attend the information session on 17 June from 15:00-15:30hrs.
  • Robin Seaton (Executive Director – Contracted Operational Delivery), Tim Coates (Head of PECS) and an HR Lead will be present to discuss the position in more depth, as well as provide information about what you can expect while working in the PECS Generation 5 Programme.
  • The session will also give you the chance to ask any questions you may have before applying to the role.
  • To attend the session, please email ExecutiveDirectorDOCOD@justice.gov.ukto request an invite.

Internal Stakeholder Conversations

You are invited to arrange an informal discussion with Robin Seaton to learn more about the role and the organisation before applying. If you would like to request an invite, please email: ExecutiveDirectorDOCOD@justice.gov.uk

This is not part of the assessed elements of the selection process.

Application

You will need to complete the online application process accessed via the advertisement for this role.

This should be completed no later than 23:55 on 29 June 2026.  As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

  1. Responses to the eligibility questions to check you are eligible to apply for the role.
  2. A response to whether you would like to request reasonable adjustments during the selection process. The Disability Support section explains how adjustments can be made to the selection process to accommodate a disability.  
  3. You will also need to complete a CV and Statement of Suitability. It is important that your CV and Statement of Suitability give evidence and examples of how you meet the essential experience and any other requirements required for the role set out on page 8 and 9. The Statement of Suitability should be no more than 1,000 

Other Assessment[s]

Panel Interview and Presentation: 

You will be invited to attend an interview and presentation with the selection panel. You will be asked to prepare a short 10-minute verbal presentation based on a topic that will be provided in advance. The interview and presentation will last approximately 70 minutes.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

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.

Contact Information
If you require any assistance please contact us on scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk. Please quote the job reference in your email to enable us to support you more quickly.

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
Statement of Suitability should give evidence and examples of how you meet the essential experience listed and any other requirements required for the role.
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
W/C 27 July 2026
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing
Leadership
Seeing the Big Picture
Delivering at Pace

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?
Presentation
Level of security checks required
Security Clearance (SC)

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.