Role Title  

Senior Policy Advisor to the DG of Service Transformation

Function/Team 

Policy & Priorities Unit - Service Transformation Group (STG)

Reports to 

Policy Lead in the Service Transformation Policy & Priorities Unit

Direct reports 

N/A

Location 

National, with frequent trips to London required 

Purpose - overview of job role 

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is the largest government department and serves the public by upholding the rule of law and by delivering an efficient, fair, timely and effective justice system in which the public has confidence. We work across our agencies and wider government to bring the principles of justice to life for everyone in society: from our civil courts, tribunals and family law hearings to criminal justice, prison and probation services. We work to ensure that sentences are served and offenders are encouraged to turn their lives around and become law-abiding citizens. We believe the principles of justice are pivotal and we are steadfast in our shared commitment to uphold them.

The MoJ’s Service Transformation Group (STG), led by Megan Lee-Devlin, is responsible for leading the transformation of the services the MoJ and its agencies deliver to the public, making them better, faster and more focused on the end user. Its remit includes responsibility for the digital, data, AI and technology underpinning prisons, probation and other critical services across the justice system; as well as oversight of three agencies: the Legal Aid Agency (LAA), Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). STG also includes the MoJ’s Project Delivery Function and Security and Information Group.

STG’s mission is twofold: to deliver world-class public services; supported by happy, thriving teams.

This role sits in the Service Transformation Policy & Priorities Unit (PPU). We work to the Director General for Service Transformation as part of a central unit which includes:

• STG DG private office;

• A strategic engagement team;

• A rapid response unit delivering technical solutions and;

• A strategy and performance team responsible for fiscal events and performance monitoring.

The PPU is responsible for:

• Supporting the Director General for Service Transformation to deliver their and the department’s priorities, including both short-term reactive and longer-term strategic work.

• Responding to and influencing internal (MoJ) and external (cross-government) priorities, aligning activity to the overall Service Transformation Group and departmental strategy, and setting the Service Transformation Group’s STG position on new policies including legislation and cross-governmental initiatives.

• Leading directly on projects which are of central importance to the DG for Service Transformation and the Department. This could be within the PPU or leading matrix teams formed of colleagues from across the central unit, Service Transformation DG group, and wider department.

• Working directly with the Service Transformation Group’s executive team, providing advice on key issues, and supporting on specific objectives in depth when needed.

• Engaging across the Ministry of Justice, its agencies and across Government to gain buy-in and support for our initiatives.

Job role - key responsibilities and accountabilities 

As a Senior Policy Advisor in the PPU, your work will span both fast-paced, reactive priorities and longer-term strategic activity.

On reactive work, you will provide clear, strategic verbal and written briefings for Ministerial and SCS meetings and engagements; support an accurate and coherent account of the ST Group’s complex portfolio in core documents; and help respond effectively to urgent and emerging issues.

On longer-term work, you will support the development and communication of the group strategy; use your analysis and problem-solving skills and networks to unblock issues and support delivery at all levels; and support the development of a cohesive, forward-looking policy plan.

You will be deployed directly to support the delivery of some of the most significant issues in the DG group, contributing as part of matrix teams which huddle around an issue to deliver swift and high-quality outcomes.

You will provide support and advice to the Director General, our Executive Team and colleagues across the department on matters relating to Transformation.

You’ll be part of a busy and social team who enjoy collaborating and learning from each other, and who host regular team activities and away days.

As a Senior Policy Advisor you’ll:

• Use your analysis and problem-solving skills and networks to unblock issues and ensure delivery at all levels;

• Develop and iterate new ideas to support the transformation of MoJ’s services, turning proposals them into concrete propositions and drafting content quickly and with confidence;

• Convene meetings across MoJ and its agencies and promote STG interests through existing forums. You will have to build and maintain effective relationships to develop, iterate and drive the delivery of actions and to ensure projects delivering service transformation are working to achieve their objectives;

• Provide excellent qualitative and quantitative analysis of delivery and strategic issues, identifying and prioritising the most important findings drawing on a range of sources and supporting the development of solutions;

• Communicate strategic and complex recommendations clearly, both verbally and in visual presentation formats, and often at pace;

• Be a self-starter who is trusted to work flexibly on projects and quickly pick up new strategic priorities as they arise; and

• Actively maintain knowledge of cross-government and cross sector developments relevant to the DG group and department.

Key Relationships 

DG STG, the Private Office, executive agency CEOs, Directors and their teams in the Group, Policy group, Operational colleagues in HMPPS and HMCTS, ExCo and their Private Offices, the Permanent Secretary and Ministerial Private Offices, Cabinet Office and DSIT.

Person specification: essential qualifications, experience and/or technical skills  

Person Specification

We are looking for an ambitious individual who wants to sit at the heart of one of the most fast-evolving areas of the department, who is confident working frequently with SCS levels 1-3 as well as building strong relationships with colleagues at all grades across the group, wider department and Government. You have experience creating high-quality documents for seniors and with a track record in making complex and sometimes contradictory information easier to digest and respond to. You are interested in and aware of our wider MoJ ‘system’, including both departmental and government-level priorities, and can communicate their relevance to our work. You excel in a fast-paced environment and want to play a part in driving the transformation of our justice system.

Essential criteria:

• Experience of synthesising complex information accurately and at speed to support decision making for SCS and Ministers.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to create high-impact products. Able to draft original content and edit the work of others at pace. Able to communicate ideas in a straightforward and engaging manner; and to facilitate conversations between different groups to enable shared understanding and collaboration.

• Experience contributing to complex workstreams and to deliver tangible outcomes at pace.

• Proven ability to think systemically and factor in the influence of wider activity on specific programmes of work.

• Intellectual curiosity to consider different perspectives on issues with well-formed evidence and argument.

• Track record of building effective working relationships across business groups, functions, and different grades to create channels of communication between STG’s diverse range of stakeholders.

• Able to effectively prioritise and balance reactive and strategic projects in daily work.

• Experience knowing how to effectively work as part of a high-performing team, being able escalate issues where appropriate and work together with others to deliver work to a high standard.