Project Delivery

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Summary

The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) plays a pivotal role in the justice system, identifying candidates for judicial office up to and including the High Court of England and Wales. We receive thousands of applications each year. In order to manage so many applications and to support the end-to-end selection process, the JAC has developed an online recruitment platform.

We are continuously making improvements to the platform and the digital services we provide. That’s why we are looking for enthusiastic and talented people to join the team and help us continue to deliver a first-class service. As part of the JAC, you will make a significant and direct contribution to the business, those who apply for judicial office, the judiciary and the organisations we work with. It can be challenging but it’s also important and rewarding.

About the JAC

The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) is an independent public body, established in April 2006, to select judges in the courts and tribunals, and non-legal tribunal members. The JAC selects judicial candidates through fair and open competition, encouraging a wide range of quality candidates to apply for the posts that it advertises.

The JAC is responsible for designing, planning, and running recruitment campaigns to select judicial office holders up to and including High Court judges. We have a statutory duty to select solely on merit, while keeping our selection processes open to the widest range of applicants. We launch a new campaign for judicial posts every one to two weeks. These range from high volume campaigns for ‘entry level’ posts, attracting upward of 2,000 applicants, to small campaigns for senior roles, attracting a handful of highly qualified people.

The JAC is located at Clive House, Petty France, London, SW1H 9AJ. Staff work in a hybrid fashion with some days spent in the office and some days working remotely. Potential applicants are welcome to speak to the hiring manager about how this works in practice.

We offer a range of benefits including an attractive annual leave allowance, flexible working, and a generous civil service pension scheme. We actively encourage all staff to undertake learning and development as part of their personal objectives and have a range of networks to support and promote inclusivity, wellbeing, and dignity at work among other things.

Find out more about the JAC on our website.

About the Role

Product Owners play a key role in our Digital Service, ensuring we add value to the products and services we provide. Product Owners work with staff, stakeholders, and other digital professionals to understand desired outcomes and translate those into work that the digital team delivers. We have a very small inhouse team, currently consisting of a Senior Product Owner, Business Analyst and Developer. The inhouse team is complemented by the provision of services provided for by specialist contractors.

Main responsibilities

You will be line managed by an experienced Senior Product Owner who will aid and support you in your professional development, helping you to hone your skills as a Product Owner. Collectively, you will be responsible for:

1. Maintaining and developing the JAC’s online recruitment platform and other digital tools, ensuring compliance with Government Digital Service standards and a focus on quality, security, and stability. You will ensure user research and analysis supports requirements, product design and outcomes, and developments are thoroughly user tested before implementation.
2. Managing the digital roadmap, backlog, and product board. In consultation with the Head of Digital Delivery and Programme Office and the Head of Operations and Digital, you will agree roadmap requirements and sequencing that aligns with organisational priorities and user needs.
3. Writing epics and user stories on the product board that clearly set out the specifications. You will manage the product board and prioritise the work for each sprint.
4. Commissioning sprint priorities to be undertaken by service contractors through monthly Work Orders, ensuring delivery is viable and within budget, deadlines are met, and the work delivered meets the required specifications and standards.
5. Developing and managing effective working relationships with JAC colleagues, stakeholders, and suppliers, sharing information appropriately. You will act as a point of contact for the Senior Leadership Team on all digital related matters.
6. Supporting staff and other users of the platform, sharing knowledge, guidance, and information, and providing tutorials and assistance. You will manage issues that arise on the platform and other digital tools swiftly, mindful of the impact any disruption might have on operational delivery, applicants, and other users.

Recruitment process details

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the recruitment process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace

In addition to these behaviours, your experience will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person Specification

Values driven: As a member of the JAC, you will act as a role model across the organisation and externally and provide appropriate advice and assistance to colleagues as required.

Building capability: You are inquisitive and eager to learn, and quick to absorb knowledge and information. You ensure digital services and products are accessible to everyone and fit with organisational priorities and user needs. 

Goal oriented: You focus on priorities and outputs, calmly meeting deadlines in a complex and high-pressure environment. You monitor progression of key tasks within the team, ensuring delivery is on time and budget. You are adaptable, quick to reprioritise tasks to focus on pressing matters, including any technical issues arising, mindful that the user experience is paramount.  

Agile. You can identify and compare the best processes or delivery methods to use, including measuring and evaluating outcomes. You know how to help the team to decide the best approach.

Engagement. You know how to identify key stakeholders, tailoring your communication style appropriately, and building and maintaining strong working relationships. You are confident in respectfully challenging others to ensure appropriate decisions and outcomes and you use evidence to explain decisions reached. You aim to reach consensus but can take an opposing view where necessary. You communicate effectively, including relaying technical information in a manner that is understood by all.

User focused. You are curious and know how to actively listen. You collaborate with users and stakeholders to identify and prioritise needs. You interpret research and analysis, including quantitative and qualitative data to underpin decisions. You can translate user needs into specifications that will be readily understood by digital colleagues.

Application process

The closing date for applications is 11:55 on Monday 03 April 2023. You need to provide:

• Your CV
• A statement of suitability detailing why you are interested in the role and the how your skills and experience meet the person specification (500 words max).
• Written evidence of the following 2 behaviours: Changing and Improving and Managing a Quality Service.

Sift

Applications will be sifted based on the CV, Statement of suitability and written evidence of two behaviours: Changing and Improving and Managing a Quality Service.

Interview

Interviews are expected to take place mid to late April. They will either be in person at Clive House, 70 Petty France, London, SW1H 9EX, or undertaken remotely via MS Teams. Arrangements will be confirmed to all those shortlisted. 

At interview, we will assess you against four behaviours: Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Changing and Improving and Delivering at Pace.

The interview panel will also ask you about your experience and three strengths. Find out more about strengths.

Applicants invited for interview may be expected to undertake a scenario assessment either in advance or on the day of the interview. More details will be provided if you are invited to interview. 

Reserve List 

As well as appointing one candidate we may place other candidates on a reserve list for future vacancies for up to 12 months.

Part Time or Job Share option

We would consider a part time or job share application that ensured business needs were met.

Further Information

If after reading this job description you require any further information about the role, please contact Andrew Isaac, JAC Senior Product Owner: andrew.isaac@judicialappointments.gov.uk

If you have any questions about the recruitment campaign, or any terms and conditions relating to the role, please contact the JAC HR Division: Claire.thurlow@judicialappointments.gov.uk

Salary

£35,405 - £39,000

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). 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, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

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.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.

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.

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 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

• To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. 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 SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.