Ministry of Justice

The Chief Engineer will lead teams spanning Software Engineering, DevOps Engineering, Quality, Infrastructure Engineering, Platforms Operations, Developer Experience, and Cloud Centre of Excellence. You will report to the new MoJ Group Chief Technology Officer alongside the Chief Architect, and Chief Data Architect to align strategy, priorities, and security standards.

In this role, you will be responsible for delivery and quality ensuring engineering standards and practices align with the department’s strategic objectives, boosting resilience and driving productivity through standards, expertise and tooling.

Your leadership will unite a diverse community of technical professionals, ensuring our services integrate seamlessly, operate securely and cohesively, and meet both user and compliance needs. In partnership with directors leading our product and digital teams, you will cultivate a culture of product-centred thinking, innovation, security-by-design, and efficient delivery. Together, you will enable multidisciplinary teams to develop service and product roadmaps underpinned by modern, secure engineering solutions.

Further, your role involves close collaboration with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and other government bodies to support the development of cross-government strategies, champion and embed best practices. You will also establish and maintain strong links with industry and academia to ensure the Ministry of Justice is harnessing new and emerging technologies, informed by the latest research and developments in innovation.

The Chief Engineer will:

• Oversee the development and implementation of the MoJ's engineering standards and practices underpinning key justice services such as prisons, probation, victim services and legal aid.
• Provide strategic oversight and leadership on engineering decisions, ensuring they align with the department’s strategic goals and adhere to governance frameworks.
• Embed secure-by-design principles across the engineering lifecycle, fostering a culture where security is a shared responsibility and integrated into every stage of software and service development.
• Own engineering strategy underpinning the MoJ’s services ensuring efficient, resilient and future-proof structures.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight across the Software, DevOps, Quality and Infrastructure professions, supporting Heads of Profession to develop capability, grow inclusive communities of practice, and promote a culture of innovation, collaboration and high performance.
• Develop and manage strategic relationships with key suppliers, ensuring the Ministry of Justice achieves quality service delivery and value for money for the taxpayer.
• Provide leadership across justice agencies, government, and industry to help shape the future of digital justice through effective collaboration and influence.