HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. It operates based on a partnership between the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice and the Senior President of Tribunals. It currently has around 18,500 staff, operating from around 350 locations with a gross annual budget of c£2.3bn, approximately £800 million of which is recovered in fees and income from service users. It handles over 2 million criminal cases, 1.8 million civil claims, more than 150,000 family law disputes and almost 800,000 tribunal cases annually.

HMCTS is responsible for the administration of the criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales and non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It supports a fair, efficient and effective justice system delivered by an independent judiciary.

HMCTS is governed by a Framework Document, which formally sets out the duties and responsibilities of the board of HMCTS and its Chief Executive. A copy can be seen on the HMCTS website: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/corporate-reports/hmcts/2014/hmcts-framework-document-2014.pdf

We’re responsible for:

Providing the supporting administration for a fair, efficient and accessible courts and tribunal system
Supporting an independent judiciary in the administration of justice
Driving improvements across all aspects of the administration of the courts and tribunals
Collaborating effectively with other justice organisations and agencies, including the legal professions, to improve access to justice
Working with government departments and agencies to improve the quality and timeliness of their decision-making, which will reduce the number of cases coming before courts and tribunals.

Our vision is to have an efficient and effective courts and tribunals system which enables the rule of law to be upheld and provides access to justice for all.

HMCTS Change Portfolio

We have delivered significant change through the HMCTS Reform programme creating new, user-friendly digital services and improving efficiency at the same time.

There is still much to do, and expectations (of digitisation and efficiency) have increased significantly since we began our reform journey.

We have a great deal of change to deliver:

We have business critical change to deliver e.g. major re-procurements which need to be delivered in a changed and changing context
We have new Ministerial and judicial priorities to deliver e.g. on immigration, property and employment tribunals
We have areas of our services which are ripe for digitisation which could improve services and drive productivity.

We therefore have a portfolio of the size and complexity which requires dedicated and robust leadership, to ensure effective control, prioritisation and change load management when we need to balance consolidation with the opportunities for continuous improvement.

The Portfolio Director role will be essential in providing the leadership needed to deliver change and transformation and improve access to justice. The role will be ultimately accountable for the change portfolio and the funds attached to it.

The post holder will need to ensure we are investing in the best way to deliver the modernised and upgraded justice system that is required. In addition, the role is accountable for coherent and stable change management for the organisation - with multi-jurisdictional change happening concurrently and being delivered into an already overloaded operation.

Close and effective ways of working must be at the heart of this role, bringing together all Directors across HMCTS to collectively take ownership and lead through a constant change environment, building confidence and agility in our organisation and increase productivity.

For further information, see:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hmcts-reform-programme-reform-update

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/553261/joint-vision-statement.pdf

About the role

Job Title

Portfolio Director, HMCTS

Location

National

We welcome applications from candidates across the UK. The base location of this post is flexible and can be based at any of our buildings across England and Wales.

Please note the requirements for travel and level of flexibility available as set out in the FAQs section.

Salary

External candidates should expect their salary upon appointment to be from £98,000 per annum.

Existing Civil Servants will be appointed in line with the Civil Service pay rules in place on the date of their appointment.

Contract Type

This role is being offered on a permanent basis.

This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years - in line with the deliverables identified. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by.

The Role

HMCTS has a significant amount of change to deliver to procure key services, to deliver improvements and to respond to legislative change and ministerial priorities. The Portfolio Director will be the senior leader accountable for the HMCTS change portfolio and its vision and strategy.

You will take a key role in continuing to professionalise the way change is delivered in the agency and will be responsible for landing digitally-led and large-scale commercial change into a complex operational environment.

As a senior leader within HMCTS, you will provide inspirational, active and dynamic leadership and help to ensure effective management and running of the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

As Portfolio Director, HMCTS, you will be responsible for:

Setting the vision and strategy for change within the overall strategy agreed by the HMCTS Board working with the Executive Team.
Leading, inspiring and shaping a multi-disciplinary team of c.165 civil servants and suppliers across the Portfolio of change, including PPM professionals, PMO and change delivery, service development, and (through matrix management) operational acceptance and embedding to ensure effective and sustained benefit realisation.
Driving collaboration across the portfolio, bringing together PDs and SROs across the organisation to ensure an organisational understanding of change demand, competing priorities, and where required, lead on conflict resolution.
Ensuring that change and portfolio management practices are defined, maintained and kept up to date by securing investing in support systems and tools. Ensure that the portfolio plan evolves in response to changes in the operating environment, business priorities and emerging risks.
Ensuring delivery of change programmes and projects within the Portfolio is to time, cost, and quality parameters, realising the benefits and driving good outcomes for the public, working in tight partnership with HMCTS Executive Team, MOJ, Judiciary and wider Justice Partners.
Delivering outstanding value from the programme investment and ensure delivery of lifetime benefits.
Championing the organisation’s needs, ensuring a robust gateway for significant change initiatives and clear prioritisation to ensure effective balancing of BAU delivery, recovery, innovation and transformation.
Building strategic, collaborative and constructive relationships across the change and PPM community, within HMCTS, wider MOJ, cross government and with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.
Developing and shaping strong partnerships with the judiciary to deliver sustainable change, nurture relationships at the highest level across the wider justice system.
Driving cultural and behavioural change outside your direct sphere of influence and providing coaching, mentoring and development support to the wider team; and
Acting as an active member of the HMCTS Senior Leadership Team, ensuring effective management and running of the organisation.

Information Session

For those interested in finding out more about the role, we encourage applicants to attend the information session on Wednesday 28 May at 11:00 AM.
Strategy, Analysis & Change Director Annabel Burns and a Senior 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 HM Courts and Tribunals.
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 join using this link - HMCTS Portfolio Director - Information Session

It is important through your CV and Statement of Suitability that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the below essential criteria:

Essential criteria:

A demonstrable track record of leading large-scale transformation of complex change programmes, projects and portfolios, navigating conflicting priorities and a complex stakeholder landscape.
Evidence of excellent leadership skills with the ability to build high performing teams and deliver complex change programmes through their people.
Evidence of working in a complex, multi- stakeholder environment, capable of influencing and relationship-building skills at all levels.
Strong understanding of supplier management and commercial skills which drive excellent results and value for the taxpayer.
The ability to think strategically and analyse complex issues and develop innovative, creative solutions and approaches.
Strong financial management and budgeting skills, with clear understanding of the reporting requirements for major programmes.

Desirable Qualifications:

Chartered Project Professional/Senior Practitioner for those working in UK Government.

Civil Service Success Profiles:

The Selection Criteria uses the Civil Service Success Profile Framework. Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles.

You will be assessed against the following five Behaviours (at Director-level) at interview:

Communicating and Influencing
Working Together
Changing and Improving
Seeing the Big Picture
Making Effective Decisions

Further information about the Civil Service Behaviours Framework can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles/success-profiles-civil-service-behaviours

Civil Service Leadership Statement:

You will be expected to demonstrate the qualities within the Civil Service Leadership Statement during your Staff Engagement Exercise.

Application

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process no later than 23:55 on 3rd June 2025 and will involve uploading the two documents outlined below:

Document details:

A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
A Statement of Suitability (no more than 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.
As part of the application process, you will be required to complete your diversity information. All monitoring data will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be provided to the selection panel. We capture this information to monitor our internal vacancy filling processes with a view to ensuring that we continue to build a talented workforce with diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
In addition to diversity information, you will be asked whether you wish to apply for the role as part of the Disability Confident Scheme. For more information about the scheme, please see the FAQs section.

Please submit and complete all of the documents listed so that the panel will have all the required information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification. Please note failure to submit a CV and Statement of Suitability will result in your application not being considered for this role.

Should you encounter any issues with your application please get in touch with SCS Recruitment via:

scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.

Selection Process

Paul Kernaghan, a Civil Service Commissioner, will chair the process. The Civil Service Commission has two primary functions:

Providing assurance that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. For the most senior posts in the Civil Service, the Commission discharges its responsibilities directly by overseeing the recruitment process and by a Commissioner chairing the selection panel.
Hearing and determining appeals made by civil servants under the Civil Service Code which sets out the Civil Service values - Impartiality, Objectivity, Integrity and Honesty - and forms part of the relationship between civil servants and their employer.

More detailed information can be found on the Civil Service Commission website.

In addition to the Civil Service Commissioner the other panel members will be:

Annabel Burns, Strategy, Analysis and Change Director, HMCTS
Nick Goodwin, Chief Executive, HMCTS
Jon Griffiths, Chief Project Delivery Officer and Head of Profession, Ministry of Justice

Other panel members will be confirmed in due course.

Information Session

For those interested in finding out more about the role, we encourage applicants to attend the information session on 28 May at 11:00 AM.
Strategy, Analysis & Change Director Annabel Burns 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 HM Courts and Tribunals.
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 join using this link - HMCTS Portfolio Director - Information Session

Shortlist

The panel will assess your application to select those demonstrating the best fit with the role by considering the evidence you have provided against the criteria set out on page 10.

Shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible following the shortlist meeting.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Assessment

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a Staff Engagement Exercise. This assessment will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview. Further information on Staff Engagement Exercises will be provided to shortlisted candidates.

Fireside Chats

You will be given the opportunity speak to Annabel Burns prior to the final interview to learn more about the role and the organisation. This is not part of the formal assessment process.

Interview

You will be asked to attend a panel interview in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out on page 10. Please note, you may be asked to complete a presentation on a topic chosen by the panel at interview stage.

Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates.

Offer

Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible after the final interview.

We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for assessments or interviews. You are therefore asked to note the below timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process, in order to meet the dates given. Please note that these dates may be subject to change.

Can I apply if I am not currently a civil servant?

Yes. This role is open to suitably qualified people in the external market and to existing civil servants and those in accredited Non-Departmental Bodies.

Is this role suitable for part-time working?

This role is available for full-time or flexible working arrangements (including job share partnerships). If you wish to discuss your needs in more detail please get in touch with the SCS Recruitment Team.

Will the role involve travel?

If the successful candidate is not London based, travel to London will be needed several times a month.

Where will the role be based?

The base location of this post is flexible and can be based at any of our buildings across England and Wales.

The successful applicant must spend at least 60% of the week working from a MoJ site.

Relocation costs will not be reimbursed.

Can I claim back any expenses incurred during the recruitment process?

No. Unfortunately we will not be able to reimburse you, except in exceptional circumstances and only when agreed in advance.

What are the nationality requirements for this role?

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

UK nationals
Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
Nationals of Commonwealth countries
Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with (or eligible for) status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

For further information on whether you are eligible to apply, please visit Gov.UK.

Reserved for UK Nationals

Certain posts might be reserved for British citizens, this is not a reserved post.

Is security clearance required?

Yes. If successful you must hold, or be willing to obtain, security clearance to SC level. More information about the vetting process can be found here.

What reasonable adjustments can be made if I have a disability?

We welcome and encourage applications from all candidates and are committed to supporting all candidates to take part in the recruitment process. This includes supporting individuals who have a disability by making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. We are also able to provide support to candidates who require adjustments to the assessment process due to more temporary difficulties (e.g. linked to a recent injury).

We will ask you within your application form if you would like to request reasonable adjustments. If you feel you require any kind of support and/or would like to discuss this with someone, please indicate ‘yes’ to requesting reasonable adjustments.

We understand that the support requested will be unique to every candidate and we will work with you to help you to identify your individual requirements.

We make reasonable adjustments so that all candidates are given a fair opportunity to undertake the recruitment process. Therefore, disclosing information regarding your disability or access requirements will have no impact on the outcome of your application, regardless of your request or the role you have applied to.

How we can support you

There are many types of reasonable adjustments that can be made during assessment processes, and the type or combination you choose to request will depend on your individual requirements.

Examples of some types of adjustments include:

Extra time to complete assessments;
Providing a break within an assessment;
Providing interview questions in a written format at the interview as well as orally;
An interview at a certain time;
Coloured overlays or different fonts for assessment materials.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list but rather some examples.

Whilst we aim to confirm all adjustments requested, there may be occasions where this isn’t possible. For example, if a candidate were to request that they are not assessed on a specific behaviour outlined in the job advert this would not be possible because the behaviour has been identified as important for the job role and all candidates are assessed against this criterion. If an adjustment cannot be provided, the reasons for this will be explained to you during your contact with the reasonable adjustment scheme team.

Help with your application

During the application process, we will ask you if you require reasonable adjustments. It is important you tell us as early as possible if you would like to request reasonable adjustments so that the recruitment process runs smoothly for you.

If you do decide during the process that you do require adjustments and you have not completed all your assessments, please contact the SCS recruitment team in advance of your next assessment.

If you need any help with your application, please contact the SCS recruitment team at scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.

Do you offer a Disability Confident Scheme for Disabled Persons?

Disabled applicants who meet the minimum selection criteria in the job specification are guaranteed an interview. Selection will be on merit. If you wish to claim a guaranteed interview under the Disability Commitment, you should complete the relevant section of the online application. It is not necessary to state the nature of your disability.

Do you offer a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for Veterans?

Yes. The Great Place to Work for Veterans scheme aims to encourage more veterans to join the Civil Service when they leave the armed forces.

Veteran applicants who meet the minimum selection criteria in the job specification are guaranteed an interview. Selection will be on merit. If you wish to claim a guaranteed interview under the Great Place to Work for Veterans scheme, you should complete the relevant section of the online application

What do I do if I want to make a complaint?

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

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 and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk in the first instance.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order.

To Shared Service-Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 08.00 - 18.00) or e-mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com)
To Ministry of Justice Resourcing (resourcing-services@justice.gov.uk)
To the Civil Service Commission (https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/)

What should I do if I think that I have a conflict of interest?

Candidates must note the requirement to declare any interests that might cause questions to be raised about their approach to the business of the Department.

If you believe that you may have a conflict of interest, please contact SCS Recruitment on scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk before submitting your application.

Will this role be overseen by the Civil Service Commission?

Yes. As this role is one of the more senior posts within the Civil Service, a Commissioner will oversee the recruitment process and chair the selection panel. More detailed information can be found on the Civil Service Commission website.

Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with HM Courts and Tribunals and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead, and you’ll benefit from regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As an HM Courts and Tribunals employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits.

Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing

Our departmental values - purpose, humanity, openness and together - are at the heart of our commitment to create a culture where all our people are able to thrive and flourish in the workplace. We want to attract and retain the best talent from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. We want everyone to be the best of themselves, to feel supported and have a strong sense of belonging in the workplace. Our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce is reflected in all of our people policies and strategies, and we offer our employees access to:

Diverse talent programs;
Mentoring schemes;
Family friendly policies including generous parental and special leave options;
Flexible working options - including a varied working patterns and flexibility to choose how and where you work;
Workplace adjustment support;
Wellbeing support, including access to our Employee Assistance Provider;
Special leave for active duty reservists;
Volunteering days.

Ministry of Justice have diversity champions, senior civil servants appointed by our Permanent Secretary, who work to drive forward and embed equality, diversity and inclusion as a core part of both our business delivery and in how we support our people.

The Ministry of Justice’s champions each advocate for a specific strand including Race, Disability, Carers, Gender, LGBTQI, Faith and Belief, Age and Social Mobility.

They work closely with our diversity staff network groups and help to shape and build our sense of community across the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice staff network groups provide care and support for their members, offer our policy makers challenge and critical friendship, champion opportunities, help change our culture and celebrate everything that makes our people who we are.

The department also has an employee health and wellbeing strategy which details the wide range of support available to staff. The strategy focuses on four key wellbeing areas; mental wellbeing, lifestyle including physical wellbeing, financial wellbeing and workplace environment - culture and physical workspaces.

Pension

Your pension is a valuable part of your total reward package.

A competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension; where your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire. Visit www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk for more details.

Generous Annual Leave and Bank Holiday Allowance

25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to 8 public holidays.

This will be complemented by one further day paid privilege entitlement to mark the King’s Birthday.

Childcare Benefits

The government has introduced the Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) scheme. Working parents can open an online childcare account and for every £8 they pay in, the government adds £2, up to a maximum of £2000 a year for each child or £4000 for a disabled child. Parents then use the funds to pay for registered childcare. More information about the Tax Free Childcare Scheme can be found on GOV.UK or Childcare Choices.

Onsite facilities

Opportunity to use onsite facilities including fitness centres and staff canteens (where applicable).

Season Ticket and Bicycle Loan

Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle.

Sick Pay

Occupational sick pay.

We will ensure that we will treat all personal information in accordance with data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018.

Data Sharing

To process your application your personal data will be shared with the Ministry of Justice SCS Recruitment Team, campaign Panel Members and anyone else necessary as part of the recruitment process.

The legal basis for processing your personal data is:

Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest. Personal data are processed in the public interest because understanding civil servant experiences and feelings about working in the Civil Service can inform decision taken to improve these experiences, and ultimately organisation performance.

Sensitive personal data is personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person's sex life or sexual orientation.

The legal basis for processing your sensitive personal data is:

Processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest for the exercise of a function of the Crown, a Minister of the Crown, or a government department: it is important to know if groups of staff with specific demographic characteristics have a better or worse experience of working for the Civil Service, so that appropriate action can be taken to level this experience;

Processing is of a specific category of personal data and it is necessary for the purposes of identifying or keeping under review the existence or absence of equality of opportunity or treatment between groups of people with a view to enabling such equality to be promoted or maintained.
Please note if you are successful in your application your sensitive personal data will be used as part of the on-boarding process to build your employee record.

For further information please see the GDPR Privacy Notice.

Should candidates like to discuss the role in more detail before submitting an application, please contact SCS Recruitment on scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.

Advert Closing Date	23:55 Tuesday 3rd June 2025
Shortlist Meeting	Week commencing 23rd June 2025
Assessments	Week commencing 7th July 2025
Interviews	Monday 28th July 2025