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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £68,967 - £78,842, London salary range is £73,115- £83,585.Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
Cross Government
Location
Leeds, London
Region
London, Yorkshire and the Humber
Closing Date
17-Jul-2025
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
Grade 6
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
7427

Descriptions & requirements

Job description
Role title:    

Head of HR Business Partnering – Organisational Design & Development

Team/Directorate:    

Judicial Office HR

Location:    

This position is being advertised in Leeds (Wellington place) or London (Royal Courts of Justice/Rolls building). Should the successful post holder be based in Leeds, they will be expected to travel to London to meet the needs of the Senior Judiciary and the Judicial Office.
The post is eligible for hybrid working (current requirement is at least 40% of working hours each week to be spent in the office, moving towards a minimum 60% working in the office, in line with all government departments once discussions with trade unions are complete, and is subject to change where business needs require it). The post holder oversees a nationally dispersed team, requiring travel to those locations when necessary.

Overview of the role:    

The Judicial Office

The Judicial Office (JO) reports to, and is accountable, to the Lady Chief Justice and was established in 2006 to provide support to her and to the wider judiciary following the Constitutional Reform Act 2005.  In addition, we support, and are accountable to, the Senior President of Tribunals, whose responsibilities extend to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The JO is an interesting and unique place to work.  Everything we do is in support of upholding the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. We work closely with His Majesties Courts & Tribunal Service (HMCTS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and others across Government as well as with the legal professions.

Overview of Judicial HR

Judicial Office Human Resources (JOHR) places Judicial Office Holders (JOH) at the centre of our service, ensuring we are visible, proactive as well as responsive, and that we collaborate with colleagues across the Judicial Office, and beyond to ensure we provide judicial office holders with excellent HR support and professional expertise.

JOHR supports the senior judiciary, leadership judges, and works in partnership with HMCTS and MoJ to ensure the Lady Chief Justice and the Senior President of Tribunals have a properly resourced, visible, and accessible HR service based on the needs of the judiciary.

With a passion for people/operational management and a desire to build an HR generalist foundation for a future career, the post holder will work within the Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) Organisational Design and Development (OD&D) function leading a team of HR professionals being first line support and initial contact for the Judiciary, alongside building and delivering a comprehensive OD&D service to the Judiciary and Judicial Office.

Whilst we are part of the wider Civil Service HR community, we are not a typical HR team in that everything we do needs to meet the, often complex, needs of around 25,000 members of the judiciary who are office holders and not employees or Civil Servants. This provides us with a unique and interesting set of HR challenges. It also provides us with unique opportunities to work with the judiciary at all levels and gives us ample opportunity to broaden our HR skills sets, use our HR and business insights to be curious and creative about doing things differently within an environment of continuous learning.

Summary:    

The Head of HRBP and OD&D is a key leadership role within the Judicial Office HR Team. We have significantly grown our HR field support to the judiciary and grown our team’s capability to support our clients in the delivery of justice. We often work in the space of ambiguity particularly due to the complex space we operate within

You will be joining a high performing team working to ensure that we deliver an ambitious HR agenda ensuring our clients are at the heart of our service. We are developing new HR services alongside delivering business as usual HR to a complex workforce who are not Civil Servants or employees. You will act as the single point of contact for the Heads of Division, Master of the Rolls, Senior President of Tribunals, and the Senior Presiding Judge for any HR advice, redirecting to subject matter experts when required.  

You will provide transparent and clear leadership to a nationally disbursed team, who have now embedded their service into their regions. You will forge new ways of working and operating for the Judicial Office and Judiciary through the lens of OD&D and systems thinking. Working strategically to understand the needs of both clients, ensuring the organisation and Judiciary are best placed for comprehensive systemic changes. Working with delivery partners across the Judicial Office, HMCTS, and the MoJ ensuring designs are fully planned with interdependences considered, and cultural changes considered and added into strategic plans.

Consisting of HR Hubs in Leeds and London with satellite field HR staff located in; Birmingham, Manchester, Wales and Exeter our Senior HR Business Partners, HR Business Partners, HR Advisors and HR Support Officers provide an expert service to the judiciary. Alongside offering strategic HR support and oversight to the Judiciary we are also the first port of call for all HR enquiries and absence reporting. A high profile and operationally impactful role on other organisations.  

You will also play a critical role in the corporate leadership of the Judicial HR Team working collaboratively with the Head of Centres of Expertise and the Head of HR Operations to deliver a professional HR service to the judiciary.

Responsibilities,Activities & Duties:    

Setting the strategic direction for the HRBP and OD&D team, supporting them to be forward looking and proactive in delivering a professional field HR service and OD&D offer that ensures judicial office holders (c 23,000) are at the heart of the service by:

•    Maintaining a business partner and organisational development and design model that can support the delivery of business priorities in a complex environment, adapting to live issues to ensure the team model and offer remains fit for business need.
•    Lead the evolution of the field HR operating model to meet the bespoke and diverse needs of the Judiciary.
•    Working with senior management teams within HMCTS at a strategic level to define the responsibilities, accountabilities, and hand offs between Judicial HR, HMCTS and the Judicial Office Operations team as part of HMCTS reform programme.
•    Supporting the HRBP and OD&D team to grow in confidence and ability in driving forward people and organisational interventions, where priorities may be undefined, changing, or ambiguous.
•    Ensuring the business understands the HR model and the role of HRBPs and OD&D.
Lead and shape the Organisational Design and Development offer by:
•    Continuing to build on our offer of OD&D capability and consultancy.
•    Leading on the design and delivery of high impact OD&D interventions as well as supporting the OD&D practitioners to grow in confidence in their practice.
•    building OD&D capability in the wider HR team and where appropriate within the wider JO.
•    Inspire, develop, and manage a high performing team that meets the business objectives.
•    Actively participating in the corporate leadership of Judicial HR, ensuring that judicial HR are connected to the wider civil Service HR profession community.
•    Building relationships with internal/external practitioners and networks, scanning for emerging trends, innovations, best practice and understanding the external HR sector. Providing expert advice to align with Judicial HR policy and strategy.
•    Working flexibly, collaboratively and at pace across the Judiciary ensuring effective planning, execution of structural and cultural changes and the effective deployment of HR resource/expertise
•    Demonstrates effective diversity and inclusive team management within their team and the wider organisation.
•    As this is a national team some travel will be required.

Behaviours & Strengths (for Recruitment/Success Profiles):    

Behaviours

Seeing the big picture
Leadership
Communicating and Influencing
Changing and Improving

Essential Knowledge, Experience and Skills:    

•    Ability to lead high-performing teams, who are engaged and motivated to give off their best, whether direct or dispersed.
•    Demonstrable generalist HR experience, including previous experience of being a Senior HR Business Partner.
•    Experience of leading and delivering HR and change in a complex and ambiguous context.
•    Proven track record of delivering systemic change using OD&D methodology, with longer term benefits.
•    An ability to bring flexibility, curiosity, and diverse perspectives into your work to drive innovation and achieve successful business outcomes.
•    Ability to navigate a complex environment, with a solution focused approach.
•    Excellent communication skills and an ability to use data, insight, and evidence to influence and inform senior leaders on a wide range of complex people management and people solutions.

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and Skills:    

•    Knowledge of the judiciary and the justice system
•    Operational experience working within HMCTS.
•    Proven experience working within HR and delivering OD&D interventions

Technical Skills/Qualifications:    

•    Level 5 qualified / CIPD qualified or willing to work towards. This role can be linked to the HR Apprenticeship (Level 5) and as a route into CIPD qualification.

•    OD&D Practitioner’s Certificate or willingness to work towards

Security clearance required:    

Security clearance will include a requirement of CTC and DBS

Additional Information:    

The successful post holder will have a base location in Leeds (Wellington place) or London (Royal Courts of Justice/Rolls building), with travel to London as required should the post holder’s base location be in Leeds. As the team is nationally dispersed travel would be expected to support staff within those regions, as determined as appropriate by the post holder.

This position is eligible for hybrid working (current minimum requirement for time spent at base location is 60%, which is subject to business requirements). There will be a need to attend meetings with the judiciary (including in person at sites), with meetings often taking place before or after court (before 9.30am and after 4.30pm) so flexibility is required in the role.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess the Behaviours, Experience and Strengths elements.

Application stage

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a Statement of Suitability in no more than 500 words.  Using the job advert as a guide you will be required to provide an overview of transferable skills and / or evidence that would fulfil the role requirements. You will also be required to provide examples of the Civil Service Behaviours listed above, and a CV, setting out your career history.

If large volumes of applications are received the sift will focus on the Leadership Behaviour.

Interview stage

It is anticipated that interviews will take place in person at the RCJ – London on Thursday 31st July.

Interviews will assess Civil Service Behaviours.
 
You will also be asked to prepare and present a 5-minute presentation. The subject of this will be sent to you prior to interview.


Additional Information

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). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

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: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale.  This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity). 

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

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.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours 

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ 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 MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

Benefits 

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension 

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

Training 

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks 

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

Support

  • A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

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.

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:

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 7427

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

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
Communicating and Influencing
Changing and Improving
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Interviews are expected to take place on Thursday 31st July at the RCJ
Behaviours
Leadership
Seeing the Big Picture
Communicating and Influencing
Changing and Improving

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?
Presentation
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Level of security checks required
DBS Standard
Counter Terrorism Check (CTC)