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Candidate Information Pack
Deputy Director, Public Bodies Centre of Expertise
Ministry of Justice
SCS Pay Band 1
Closing Date: 23:55 24th August 2025
Introduction 2
Welcome to Ministry of Justice 2
About the Ministry of Justice 3
About the role 4
Key Responsibilities 5
Person Specification 7
Civil Service Success Profiles 9
The Recruitment Process 11
Application and CV & Success Profile Statement Assessment 11
Assessments 12
Panel interview 12
After the panel interview 13
Success Profile Statements Guidance 13
Expected Timeline 14
Benefits of working the Ministry of Justice 15
Pensions at the Ministry of Justice 17
Disability Support 19
FAQs 21
Data Sharing 22
Diversity & Inclusion 23
Civil Service Code 24
Contact Us 25
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) works to protect and advance the principles of justice. Our vision is to deliver a world-class justice system that works for everyone in society.
The justice system plays a crucial role in our success as a nation - keeping people safe, emphasising fairness, guaranteeing individual rights and giving businesses confidence to flourish.
The delivery of our three strategic outcomes are central to doing this:
Protect the public from serious offenders and improve the safety and security of our prisons. We will deliver better sentencing, more prison places, safer prisons and strong action on extremism.
Reduce reoffending. We will play a vital role in reducing crime through breaking the cycle of reoffending by focusing on proven interventions: a home, a job and access to treatment for substance-misuse.
Deliver swift access to justice. We will increase the throughput of volumes of cases by maximising capacity and make the courts and tribunals system stronger and smarter and work to support victims, tackling sexual and domestic violence and making sure the vulnerable are supported in the justice system.
For more information on who we are and what we do, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice.
For this role you can be based nationally.
The MoJ is working to open more Justice Collaboration Centres and Justice Satellite Offices over time.
Click here to learn more about where our currently open Justice Collaboration Centres and Justice Satellite Offices are, to identify where you may be based
Please note the requirements for travel and level of flexibility available as set out in the FAQs section.
To note this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.
The salary for this role is set within the MoJ SCS PB1 range at £81,000 per annum.
External candidates should expect their salary upon appointment to be £81,000 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
As Deputy Director for the Public Bodies Centre of Expertise, you will lead a team of c.35 people and directly line manage 2 Grade 6’s.
These G6s manage the respective branches of the team:
Partnership, Strategy and Reviews - responsible for corporate sponsorship of 19 of the MoJ sponsored public bodies, and oversight of the framework of sponsorship for all 35. This team provides the golden thread between the department and its public bodies, by forging strong and trusting relationships to ensure each body is supported and that the department is assured of their delivery. Within this branch sits the MoJ Public Bodies Review team who lead often high-profile and in-depth reviews of our public bodies, to ensure that they remain fit for purpose, and operating with appropriate efficiency, effectiveness, governance and efficacy.
Public Appointments - Public appointees play an important role in public life on the boards of public bodies 6 and in statutory offices. Our appointment processes are designed to ensure that the best people, from the widest possible pool of candidates, are appointed to these roles. The MoJ is the department with the most public appointments - c.2,200 in total.
The Public Appointments team manages the process for about 500 of these, which means that at any one time, the team are running around 40 appointment and reappointment processes. The team also has responsibility for the wider framework governing how the department manages the remaining 1,700 appointments.
The role will put you in a unique position - it spans breadth of the organisation, and requires collaborative working with colleagues in every area of the department and across Whitehall to make sure that MoJ’s public bodies are represented and that MoJ practices align with central guidance including the Arm’s Length Bodies Sponsorship Code of Good Practice, and the Governance Code on Public Appointments. As Deputy Director for the team, you will play a critical role - you will need to build and maintain strong relationships with the Senior Sponsors (roles held by Directors General in MoJ), senior leaders across the Department, Chairs and CEOs of the public bodies, and colleagues in Cabinet Office and No10. Sitting in the finance function, you will be an active member of the leadership of the Financial Strategy and Partnerships Directorate, and broader finance function. This role is a great opportunity to get experience of finance and strategy, and work across all corporate functions and disciplines.
The postholder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:
• Build strategic and operational understanding of MoJ sponsored ALBs, through outreach and engagement at all levels of seniority within and outside the Department.
• Develop strong partnership relationships with the Senior Sponsors (as delegated by the Permanent Secretary), policy sponsors, the Accounting Officers of Nondepartmental Public Bodies, Office Holders, and Board members and other non-executives to ensure that each organisation is well governed and operates in an efficient and effective manner to deliver public services in line with the Secretary of State’s priorities.
• Provide regular reporting on assurance and risks affecting Public Bodies to Senior Sponsors, the Principal Accounting Officer, and the Departmental Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.
• Oversee the overall governance arrangements between the MoJ and its public bodies, including maintenance of Framework Documents, reflecting each organisation’s purpose, responsibilities, and oversight arrangements.
• Oversee and deliver MoJ’s public appointment processes to support ministerial decisions, in line with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments. This involves oversight of all 2,200 public 7 appointments, and direct management of around 500 of these.
• Engage with the Cabinet Office Public Bodies team and deliver a demanding and high-profile programme of Cabinet Office mandated reviews of public bodies.
• Leadership of an expert and engaged team of c.35, and management of a budget of c£2m
It is important through the recruitment process that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria.
As you read through the pack you can see what is being assessed at which stage of the process.
Essential Experience:
• A highly credible leader, able to provide evidence of your ability deliver high-quality, professional services, ensuring that your team collaborates with partners to deliver.
• Strong people-leadership skills, with the ability to develop an inclusive and collaborative working environment, and attract, motivate, develop and lead people at all levels to the highest standard.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to develop effective relationships with Ministers, senior policy, operational and functional colleagues, as well as developing strongly collaborative and partnership working with senior leaders in public bodies and a range of external stakeholders within government.
• Comfortable and confident in working at pace to manage a full workload with conflicting short and long-term priorities, and high profile matters collaboratively.
We are looking to understand what motivates and energises you. We want to see what your natural strengths are and what interests you. You will not be informed which strengths are being tested until interview.
All leaders within the Civil Service are expected to demonstrate the qualities within the Civil Service Leadership Statement during their Staff Engagement Exercise.
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. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. More information about Success Profiles to support your application can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles.
Where Behaviours are assessed these will draw on the MoJ’s SCS Pay Band 1 Behaviours which are set out below:
Leadership
You visibly demonstrate the organisation’s values in all your activity, leading authentically. You seek to engage staff in the aims of the organisation and communicate the organisation’s strategy in an inspiring way. You create an inclusive and fair culture which creates a sense of belonging by treating staff as individuals and actively valuing diversity within the organisation. You empower teams and individuals to excel by creating a shared vision and objectives and demonstrate trust in staff by giving autonomy.
Communicating and Influencing
You communicate clearly and with confidence, both verbally and in writing. You are open, honest and transparent in your communications. You communicate effectively with internal and external senior stakeholders to present information in a convincing and influential manner. You tailor your communication methods and content to the audience, simplifying strategic messages.
Seeing the Big Picture
You understand the wider context of the organisation’s work, considering the political, social, economic, and technological environment both currently and in the future. You create and implement strategies to achieve the organisation’s aims and meet the needs of the public. You promote the organisation externally, advocating positive outcomes for the sector you operate within. You motivate staff by ensuring they understand how their work fits into the big picture.
Delivering at Pace
You translate organisational strategy into clear objectives for activity within your area of responsibility. You promote this amongst staff and ensure teams take responsibility for delivering against objectives. You prioritise competing or conflicting demands, and are able to decisively adjust activity based on changing requirements. You manage resource effectively to enable those in your area of responsibility to deliver. You delegate effectively, managing any risks associated with doing so.
Making Effective Decisions
You make defensible, objective and fair high-impact decisions, considering the impact on the service user and wider organisation. You are willing to take ownership of your decisions, being transparent and open about the reasons for them. You effectively analyse data to make evidence-based decisions, whilst being comfortable taking considered risks based on the best evidence available. You consult with others to incorporate views and professional expertise, ensuring appropriate individuals are involved in the decision-making process.
The selection process will be chaired by Farhad Chikhalia, (Interim) Director Finance Strategy and Partnerships. Other panel members will be confirmed ahead of interviews.
If you feel you would benefit from any support or adjustments during any stage of the selection process, please contact the SCS Recruitment Team to discuss your needs, in confidence:
Email: scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk
The Disability Support section explains how adjustments can be made to the selection process to accommodate a disability.
Stages of the process
Application and CV & Success Profile Statement Assessment
To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process accessed via the advertisement listed for this role.
This should be completed no later than 23:55 on 24th August 2025. As part of the application process, you will initially be asked to complete:
Responses to the eligibility questions. These questions are asked to check you are eligible to apply for the role.
A response to whether 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 in confidence, please indicate 'yes' to requesting reasonable adjustments. The Disability Support section shares more information about requesting reasonable adjustments.
You will also need to complete a CV and Success Profile Statement Assessment. Please note you must complete your CV and Success Profile Statement before the closing date. It is important that your CV and Success Profile Statements give evidence and examples of how you meet the essential experience and/or ability and/or technical skills required for the role:
Your CV should set out your career history, including key responsibilities, activities and achievements.
Your Success Profile Statements are a series of short written statements demonstrating how you meet the essential experience and/or ability and/or technical skills outlined in the essential criteria section above.
Please find more information about the Civil Service Success Profiles here
Once all applications have been assessed, you will be advised whether your application has been shortlisted for the next stage of the selection process. If you are shortlisted, we will contact you to arrange the next stage of the selection process.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Assessments
Staff Engagement Exercise (SEE)
The SEE is an opportunity to engage in a two-way discussion on a set topic area with a group of staff from the organisation. The topic area will be shared with you in advance. The assessment is conducted via a video conferencing service.
An Occupational Psychologist will brief you before the assessment, observe the assessment and debrief you. They will facilitate a discussion to seek feedback from the staff, which will be considered alongside their own observations.
The Civil Service Leadership Statement.
This assessment does not affect your progression to the next stage. Rather, it is designed to provide you with greater insight into the role and organisation, and to highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.
What is being assessed?
Behaviours
Leadership
Communicating and Influencing
Seeing the Big Picture
Delivering at Pace
Making Effective Decisions
Strengths
You will be informed at interview which strengths you are being assessed against.
Following the interview, the performance of all candidates will be reviewed, and the successful candidate identified. All candidates will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible after the conclusion of all interviews. If you are not the successful candidate but you meet the standard required, you may be invited to have your details retained on a merit list to be considered for future SCS roles.
Success Profile Statements are a series of short written statements of how you meet the essential experience outlined in the assessment criteria section and allow you to provide further detail on your experience and skills demonstrated in your CV.
Prior to writing your Statements ensure you read through the role information thoroughly and identify the essential criteria for each area. You should ensure you provide evidence for each of the essential experience which are required for the role. You may not be progressed to the next stage of the assessment process if you do not provide this evidence.
When structuring your Statements try to:
Group evidence of the same experience and abilities skills together by using subheadings and paragraphs. This will help to ensure you are writing about the experience that is directly relevant for the role you are applying for.
You should ensure that you detail recent and relevant examples of the essential experience and abilities skills required for the role and describe the outcome that came from this. The STAR approach can be a useful method of helping to frame your examples, particularly for the Experience Statement:
Situation - briefly describe the specific event or situation. This should be a short description to set the context.
Task - briefly explain what you had to do. What were you trying to achieve from the event or situation? What were the success criteria?
Action(s) - here is where you can really explain how you have acquired the relevant experience. What did you do? How did you do it? Why did you do it that way? What skills did you use?
Results - summarise the results of your actions. What was the outcome? What did you learn
Providing a name-blind CV and Success Profile Statements
In both your CV and Success Profile Statements please remove references to any personal information that could identify you. For example:
Name and title
Educational institution names
Age and gender
Email address
Postal address and telephone number
Nationality and immigration status.
This will help us to recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not on your background, gender or ethnicity. Recruiting this way is called name-blind recruitment.
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.
The anticipated timetable is as follows:
23:55 on 24th August 2025
Outcome of CV and Statement of Suitability
Week commencing 8th September 2025
Panel Interview and Presentation
Week commencing 15th September 2025
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.
The Ministry of Justice has 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.
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.
After your salary, your pension is one of your biggest benefits. It provides you with financial security and options when you retire, as well as benefits for your family and loved ones.
Some of the benefits of a Civil Service pension include:
Member contribution rates among the lowest in the public sector
Tax relief on your contributions
Generous employer contributions
A secure, inflation-proof pension for life, with no investment uncertainty
Life assurance cover
Benefits for loved ones and dependants
Options to increase your pension
Keeping all your pensions in one place by transferring in a pension you have built up elsewhere
Support from our trusted charity partners
Great Member Pension
Main Defined Benefit Pension Scheme
Providing a secure pension payable for life with no investment uncertainty
Choice of a tax-free lump sum
Generous build rate of 2.32% of your earnings as a pension each year.
Choice of entering a Defined Contribution Scheme, in which you decide the level of contributions you wish to make (this can be 0%) and will be matched by the employer up to 3% (which is added to the age defined DC employer contribution).
What pension could you get?
For example, if you earned £80,000 per year and remained in the Defined Benefit Scheme
After 10 years you could have a pension of £18,560 per year which represents a Lifetime Allowance of circa 35%
Generous employer contributions
Employer contribution towards the main Defined Benefit pension scheme is extremely generous with an average 30.3% of your pay
Employer Contribution towards the Defined Contribution Scheme is between 8% - 14.75% depending on age.
Main Scheme Death benefits
Able to nominate anyone (including charities) for a Tax-free lump sum in the event of your death
Lump Sum of up to two times your pay
Main Scheme provides a Pension for your spouse/partner of around 37.5% of your pension as well as pension for eligible children
Visit www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk for more details
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 and ensure that you respond to the Reasonable Adjustments Scheme team by email.
There are a range of disabilities such as physical, neurological, intellectual or learning difficulties and mental health conditions which may underpin candidates’ requests for 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 of day;
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. You will need to contact us by email to discuss this with a member of the team. 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 have any questions in advance of making your application regarding reasonable adjustments for the assessment process, please contact the SCS recruitment team at scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.
Do you offer a Disability Confident Scheme for Disabled Persons?
As a Disability Confident employer, the MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. This could be in terms of the advertised essential skills and/or application form sift criteria. Within the application form, you will be asked if you would like to be considered for an interview under this scheme, so please make us aware of this when prompted.
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.
This role is available for part-time, 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 named point of contact in this pack.
Some travel may be required for this role.
If successful you will be based nationally.
Relocation costs will not be reimbursed.
Reserved for UK Nationals
Certain posts, notably those concerned with security and intelligence, might be reserved for British citizens, but this will not normally prevent access to a wide range of developmental opportunities within the Civil Service.
This is a reserved post
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.
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.
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/)
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.
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
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent where it is found. To learn more, please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy
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
1- To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
2- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing (resourcing-services@justice.gov.uk);
3- To the Civil Service Commission (https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/)
Should candidates like to discuss the role in more detail before submitting an application, please contact SCS Recruitment on scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk.
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