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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £91,540 - £100,694, London salary range is £94,660 - £105,912. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
08-Jul-2026
Business Unit
AGY - NOMS Agency
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
Other
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
19251

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Job Title: Head of Change

Directorate: HMPPS Change Directorate

Band: HMPPS Band 11

Overview of Job:

The Change Portfolio team is located within the HMPPS Change Directorate and is responsible for overseeing change across HMPPS. The team has been developed as a single function with two teams – one focused on providing services to the Portfolio (oversight) and Future Programme (direct service provision).

The team is responsible for the portfolio management of all major change in HMPPS and supports the management of the Change Portfolio Board as the primary point of internal governance for oversight of change.

The Change Portfolio team works closely with MoJ functions and programme leads to ensure a complete picture of change impacting HMPPS is understood; that this change can be triaged and prioritised; and that this change can effectively be delivered.

The Change Portfolio team:

  • Provide oversight, assurance and reporting of major change programme within the HMPPS Change Portfolio.  Work with the Portfolio Board to intervene where appropriate to tackle emerging, complex issues that place programme delivery in jeopardy.
  • Provide direct support, resource and advice to future individual programmes that fall below the line of GMPP programme delivery.
  • Protect the organisation from Change Overload.

Summary

The Head of Change will work collaboratively with the Head of Change Delivery to support the Deputy Director, Change Delivery and Change Portfolio Office to deliver the following:

  • Provide high level oversight of all major change in HMPPS; Gatekeep and prioritise change activity and support frontline services in the delivery of change initiatives and associated business benefits.
  • Ensure all proposed change supports the ambitions of the HMPPS strategy; will manage the level of demand change is placing on the operational workforce.
  • Provide oversight of major HMPPS change programmes, including those initiated in the digital, data and technological space, and ensure the risks, issues and benefits of those programmes are robustly managed. These duties will be delivered in the management of HMPPS’ PMO resource and the Change Portfolio Board.
  • Determining what level of change HMPPS can deliver at any one time, support in the critical analysis of whether change should happen and can be supported and protect frontline services from any unmanageable or unplanned for change.
  • Oversee the change delivery resource in all of the HMPPS areas and ensure change that has been approved can be effectively delivered in frontline services.
  • Provide portfolio governance to all change programmes in HMPPS, including assurance, reporting directly into the Change Portfolio Board.
  • Provide strategic advice and direction across HMPPS relating to complex organizational change. They will be managing a large team including direct and matrix managed resource and engage with senior stakeholders.
  • Make decisions on behalf of HMPPS to ensure individual change projects are effectively delivered and apply judgement to balance the interdependencies between programmes, making sure they are in line with HMPPS strategic priorities. This includes mapping change projects in the functional leadership space and working with leaders in those areas to gain an understanding of the impact of their projects.
  • Assimilate complex and highly sensitive information to assess the change management capacity across HMPPS and will provide advice to senior officials on the timing and speed of any change delivery proposals.
  • Manage a large team including direct and matrix managed resource and engage with senior stakeholders.

Specifically, the Head of Change will lead, develop, embed and oversee the following:

  • Provide project and programme resource to future programmes that fall below the line of GMPP programme delivery.
  • Provide direct services to HMPPS GMPP, legacy and smaller projects (not provided by MoJ PDF).
  • Provide assurance and reporting of programme delivery to government standards and intervene to tackle emerging, complex issues that put programme delivery in jeopardy.
  • Provide accountability and leadership for the whole of the HMPPS change function, including the prison reform portfolio, the flexible resourcing pool and the assurance teams for all Change activity. The post holder will be expected to lead in raising the maturity of the project and portfolio management and lead in best practice across the whole of HMPPS.
  • Protect the organisation from Change Overload and controls to monitor and manage the health of the portfolio.

The post holder will need to lead a large, geographically spread team and will be responsible for the development and delivery of strategies to support the operational business to deliver all change activities, whilst also holding the delivery programmes to account.

The post holder reports to the Deputy Director of HMPPS Change Directorate and will manage a large team.

This post is non-operational.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties:

This Job Summary is an addendum to the HQ Job Description for the Head of Change:

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities, and duties:

  • To lead the Future Programme and Portfolio Management and Development functions, driving high performance and delivering to a high standard and increasing agency capacity.
  • Ensure that all change is aligned to strategic outcomes and therefore support work to protect benefits/strategic outcomes.
  • Managing within the delegated budget, for both staff and non-staff costs, making effective decisions to support delivery.
  • Lead, shape and enhance the HMPPS approach to organizational change, to maximise engagement and ownership of delivery.
  • Build overall knowledge and capability of programme management throughout HMPPS.
  • Provide advice and support to programme directors and SROs to effectively deliver their programmes.
  • Create and develop a gateway system, working with functional leads and the agency board to enable change programmes to be correctly assured before being implemented.
  • Overall responsibility for resource management for the portfolio, including management of a flexible resourcing pool which supports the delivery of programmes. This includes ensuring any business cases demonstrate both investment and benefits and are approved at the appropriate levels. This includes financial approvals and ensuring this is managed within a delegated budget.
  • Take a leading role with stakeholder management which supports organizational change, assessing levels of engagement in key stakeholders and actively managing the relationships.
  • Establish robust governance to ensure the Director led change board is effective in managing change and holding programmes to account. Defining the separation between policy creation and change management and working with colleagues to police that line.
  • Develop a process for evaluating change, understanding if benefits have been realised and learning lessons from the implementation of the change. Lead on feeding this back through the agency board to the whole of HMPPS.
  • Chairing team meetings, and attending board meetings, including agency board meetings, to ensure visibility and engagement with the agency senior team on the development and implementation of change.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these Behaviours during the selection process:

  • Seeing the Big Picture - Application and Interview
  • Leadership - Application and Interview
  • Working Together - Application and Interview
  • Delivering at Pace - Interview Only

Ability

  • Good written and oral communication skills.

Experience

  • Excellent leadership and experience of leading a team coupled with an ability to think strategically and to work with others to implement plans.
  • Understand the management structures and culture of the relevant areas.
  • Able to broker relationships with stakeholders within and outside the project or programme.
  • Able to negotiate and influence stakeholders within and outside the project, programme and portfolio.
  • Experience of liaising and working with a diverse set of stakeholders, including senior members of staff.
  • Experience of applying project management disciplines.
  • Experience of leading a programme function.
  • Senior level experience of facilitating and embedding organisational change.

Technical

Project Delivery Profession Skills and Competencies:

  • Managing project lifecycles
  • Governance and assurance
  • Project Management  - PLP, MPLA and any other relevant development.
Additional Information

In line with our hybrid working policy, employees must be present in the office for at least 60% of their working hours, which equates to three days per week. 

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). 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, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

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.

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS 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 HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Benefits

Annual Leave

-The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays

-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays.

Pension

-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance

HM Prison & Probation Service  (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ

Season Ticket Advance

-After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work

Childcare Vouchers

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

Training

HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes

-There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts

-All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles

Eligibility

-All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post

-All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS

-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist

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

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.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

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.

Contact Information
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 19251

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 19251

Candidates can contact Matthew Wilson via email: Matthew.Wilson@justice.gov.uk for further information / discussion of role in advance of applying. 

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Leadership, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Leadership
Seeing the Big Picture
Working Together
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
Statement of Suitability
Statement of Suitability
Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Please outline why you believe your experience, skills and abilities make you a suitable candidate for the position, referring to the criteria set out in the additional role information within the advert.
Evidence of Experience
Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
To be confirmed
Behaviours
Delivering at Pace
Leadership
Seeing the Big Picture
Working Together
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Level of security checks required
DBS Standard

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.