Ministry of Justice

Job role: Deputy Service Manager (Crime)

Grade: SEO

Location: National

About us

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our service users and colleagues, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice. We’re looking for individuals who are committed to public service and want to make a difference in people’s lives in delivering justice. If you’re interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply.

About the team

The Development Directorate is responsible for service strategy and development, operational policy and modernisation of courts and tribunals. The Crime Team supports the criminal court business. We are responsible for service management of existing services; the design of new services; maintenance of operational policies for the jurisdiction and providing operational support to court and business centre staff on these; the implementation of change arising from government policy, legislation, or judicial initiatives; and for improving performance.

This is an opportunity to work in a high-performing, close-knit team working in partnership with colleagues across HMCTS, the Ministry of Justice, the Judiciary and other Government departments. The role provides excellent opportunities to work in a fast-paced change environment in an area of high ministerial priority.

About the role

As part of the Crime Service Team, you will be at the forefront of supporting a portfolio of reform, change and business improvement across the criminal courts.

The Crime Team is looking for a Deputy Service Manager to support the delivery of criminal court reform, service improvement and legislative change. Working to the Grade 7 Service Manager, you will lead defined workstreams within the wider reform portfolio, helping to translate strategic priorities into practical, operationally deliverable plans.

You will support the development of service designs, operating models, business processes and implementation approaches for changes affecting the criminal courts. This will involve working closely with operational colleagues, policy, digital, analytical and service design teams, the judiciary and wider justice partners to ensure proposals are user-focused, evidence-based and deliverable.

You will help identify operational impacts, risks, dependencies and issues across your areas of responsibility, providing clear advice and recommendations to support effective decision-making. You will produce high-quality written and oral briefings, contribute to governance products, support stakeholder engagement, and ensure delivery activity is aligned with the wider strategic direction set by the Service Manager and senior leaders.

This role will suit someone who can work confidently in a fast-paced reform environment, manage competing priorities, build constructive relationships and bring structure and grip to complex operational and policy issues.

Key interactions will be with but not limited to:

• Judiciary, including leadership judiciary where appropriate

• HMCTS operational colleagues, including court staff and operational leadership

• HMCTS finance, governance, digital, commercial, data, analysis, insight and performance teams

• HMCTS change projects and reform programmes

• Ministry of Justice policy and finance teams, and legal advisers

• Home Office policy teams where relevant

• External stakeholders, including representative bodies and representatives of the legal professions

Representation of the Department

• Represent HMCTS internally and externally in areas of responsibility, supporting the Service Manager and wider Crime Team as required.

• Work with partners outside of the organisation to support the development and delivery of operationally viable reform and improvement activity.

• Present HMCTS positions clearly and professionally, helping to reconcile differing views and priorities where needed.

• Role model the Civil Service values and support a working environment that promotes ethics, integrity, impartiality, diversity and inclusion.

Your role as the Deputy Service Manager encompasses several key aspects (but not limited to):

Reform delivery, service design, service development and improvement

Focusing on the effective delivery of defined workstreams across the criminal courts, you will support the wider reform portfolio by:

• Leading defined workstreams within criminal court reform, service improvement and legislative implementation programmes.

• Translating policy, legislative and reform proposals into practical delivery plans, business processes, operational guidance and implementation products.

• Supporting the development and delivery of reforms arising from government policy, legislation and judicial initiatives.

• Contributing to continuous improvement activity by identifying opportunities to improve services, processes and user outcomes.

Developing service design in keeping with the organisational vision

• Develop service designs, operating models and business processes for agreed areas of responsibility, ensuring they are user-focused, operationally viable and aligned with HMCTS strategic objectives.

• Work with operational, policy, digital, analytical and service design colleagues to develop and test future service models.

• Assess the operational impacts of proposed changes and identify potential implementation challenges and opportunities.

• Support the development of end-to-end services that work effectively for users, judiciary and staff.

Quality of services

• Manage and shape workstream activity in line with the jurisdiction’s priorities and user needs, looking end-to-end and ensuring issues that can impact on the running of services are addressed.

• Identify operational performance issues within areas of responsibility and support problem-solving and continuous improvement activity.

• Support nationally driven change arising from policy, legislative or judicial initiatives, improving service delivery and aligning with the wider service strategy and vision.

Analysis, risk and governance

• Identify and manage risks, issues, dependencies and operational impacts within assigned workstreams, escalating matters clearly and promptly where decisions or senior intervention are required.

• Prepare high-quality analysis, reports, options papers, submissions and governance products to support effective decision-making.

• Monitor progress against plans and ensure risks, issues and dependencies are tracked and escalated appropriately.

• Support governance boards and forums by providing timely and accurate information, recommendations and updates.

Corporate responsibilities

• Provide high quality written and oral advice to colleagues, the Service Manager, governance boards and senior leaders as required.

• Ensure high quality operational support is provided to courts and court staff on the postholder’s areas of responsibility.

• Contribute to correspondence, FOIs, Ministerial Correspondence, Parliamentary Questions, briefings, reports and lines to take as required.

• Maintain high standards in analysis, advice and drafting to enable effective decision-making.

Engagement and representation

• Build effective relationships with HMCTS operational colleagues, Ministry of Justice policy teams, judicial stakeholders and wider criminal justice partners.

• Work collaboratively across organisational boundaries to develop solutions and resolve complex issues.

• Support engagement activities and help reconcile differing priorities to achieve agreed outcomes.

• Represent HMCTS professionally in meetings, workshops and stakeholder forums.

Leadership and team contribution

• You may be responsible for line management or task management of colleagues, and will give a clear sense of direction and purpose where this applies.

• Lead, coach and support colleagues within defined workstreams, developing capability in line with business needs.

• Actively contribute to the wider priorities of the Crime Team, sharing learning, supporting colleagues and promoting effective working.

• Uphold and role model the Crime Team’s collaborative and supportive culture.

Other duties

You will be required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

Who are we looking for? (Person Specification)

The ideal candidate for this position should demonstrate:

Essential

• Experience of leading or coordinating complex projects, workstreams, service improvements or change activity in a policy, operational or delivery environment.

• Experience of developing business processes, operating models, service designs or operational solutions that meet user and organisational needs.

• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, including experience of working effectively across organisational boundaries.

• Ability to analyse complex information, identify risks, issues and dependencies, and provide clear recommendations to support decision-making.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including drafting briefings, reports and papers for a range of audiences.

• Experience of delivering change arising from policy, legislative, operational or digital developments.

• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality work at pace within a complex environment.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the criminal courts, criminal justice system or wider justice landscape.

• Experience of service design methodologies, user-centred design, operating model design or business process improvement.

• Experience of working on reform, transformation or implementation programmes.

• Experience of supporting governance boards and senior decision-making processes.

• Experience of working with policy, operational, digital or analytical teams within government or the public sector.

Application Process

Please submit a CV and a statement of suitability (up to 750 words) demonstrating how you meet the person specification outlined in the advert.

Please ensure you cover both what you do and how you do it, meaning the effective skills, knowledge and experience needed to undertake the role.

We aim to sift both the CV and Statement of Suitability, however in the event of a large number of applications, a preliminary sift will be conducted on your Statement of Suitability only.  Candidates who pass this sift, will then either be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

Interview

If successful at sift you will be invited to a Civil Service Success Profiles interview which will include assessment of the following behaviours:

• Changing and Improving

• Making Effective Decisions

• Communicating and Influencing

• Delivering at Pace

Strengths will also be assessed at interview but will not be shared in advance.

Further details

Occasional travel to other HMCTS sites may be required, in line with business needs.

This is a full time role only, due to business needs.

About our benefits

We reward our people for their hard work and commitment. We have a number of family friendly and flexible working policies that will help you achieve a healthy work-life balance. In addition, we offer a range of employee benefits which include generous annual leave, a highly competitive contributory pension scheme, childcare benefits, season ticket and bicycle loans.

Proud to Serve. Proud to keep justice going.