Overview

The Head of Engagement will work to ensure the Justice AI Unit has the people and capability needed to deliver the AI Action Plan for Justice. The role combines strategic people enablement with practical delivery, ensuring recruitment, onboarding, learning and development and engagement activity are aligned to organisational priorities.

The Head of Engagement will lead delivery of major departmental engagement campaigns linked to the Justice AI Unit’s priorities, including One Big Thing where relevant. This will involve using communications, engagement, networks, events and performance insight to build awareness, participation and confidence in AI adoption across MoJ.

As the Justice AI Unit continues to grow in scale, complexity and profile, the postholder will lead the development of a consistent and scalable approach to people enablement. They will create an environment where colleagues understand the unit’s priorities, feel connected to its purpose, are supported to contribute effectively, and have access to the information, tools and development they need to deliver at pace.

The postholder does not need to be an AI specialist, but they will need to be confident working in an AI, digital or transformation context, translating technical or strategic priorities into accessible engagement activity for non-specialist audiences.

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

Key Responsibilities

• Own and lead the Justice AI Unit's people enablement, engagement and communications strategy, ensuring it supports delivery of the AI Action Plan for Justice and aligns with the unit's operating model, governance and priorities.

• Act as a senior adviser to the unit's leadership team on workforce planning, capability requirements, organisational readiness, engagement risks and people related trade-offs, providing clear recommendations in ambiguous or fast-moving circumstances.

• Lead the unit’s end-to-end employee lifecycle approach, establishing scalable ways to recruit and onboard permanent employees and contractors, support wellbeing and development, strengthen retention and succession planning, and manage transitions and exits so the unit can grow sustainably and deliver at pace.

• Develop practical tools, guidance and self-service resources that strengthen line management capability, support consistent people processes and improve team effectiveness.

• Provide visible leadership for an inclusive, high-performing and learning-oriented culture, helping colleagues feel connected to the unit's mission and equipped to contribute effectively.

• Lead the design, delivery and evaluation of major communications and engagement campaigns that build awareness, participation and confidence in AI adoption across MoJ.

• Shape clear narratives, messages, events and engagement products that explain the unit's priorities, progress, changes and expectations for specialist and non-specialist audiences.

• Use qualitative and quantitative insight, including staff feedback, survey results, participation data and performance metrics, to assess impact, identify gaps and drive continuous improvement.

• Work closely with HR, communications, delivery, policy, and other teams to ensure departmental policy, professional standards and best practice are applied effectively in the unit's context.

• Build and maintain senior stakeholder relationships across MoJ and wider government, sharing good practice and influencing cross-government approaches to capability, engagement and AI-enabled transformation.

Person Specification

Essential skills and experience

• People lifecycle and organisational development: You have experience improving organisational capability, employee experience and team effectiveness, including workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, wellbeing, retention and exits.

• Communications, engagement and campaign delivery: You have experience leading communications, engagement or change campaigns from planning through to delivery and evaluation, working with multiple stakeholders to achieve measurable outcomes.

• Strategic thinking and judgement: You can understand organisational priorities, identify risks and opportunities, and translate strategic objectives into practical people, engagement and communications activity.

• Senior communication: You can create clear narratives, communicate confidently with a range of audiences, and produce high-quality advice, messages and engagement products for senior stakeholders.

• Stakeholder management and influence: You have experience building trusted relationships with senior leaders, HR professionals, delivery teams, technical specialists and wider stakeholders to influence outcomes.

• Delivery at pace: You can manage multiple priorities, adapt quickly and deliver through others in a fast-moving, ambiguous or high-profile environment.

• Data and insight: You can interpret qualitative and quantitative data, including engagement insight, staff feedback and participation metrics, to understand impact and improve future activity.

• AI, digital or transformation context: You have experience working in a digital, data, technology, transformation or AI-focused environment, and can translate technical or strategic priorities for non-specialist audiences.

Desirable skills and experience

• Knowledge and application of Ministry of Justice HR policies, workforce planning and capability frameworks.

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:

• People and organisational development

• Campaign and change delivery

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 People and organisational development.

Selection Process

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

As part of the interview, candidates may be asked to deliver a short presentation. Details will be provided in advance.

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

• Seeing the Big Picture

• Communicating and Influencing

• Delivering at Pace