Ministry of Justice UK
Head of Strategy (up to x2 posts) in the Service, Strategy and Transformation Directorate (Ref: 11759)
Ministry of Justice UKUnited Kingdom1 day ago
ContractRemote FriendlyBusiness Development, Sales
East Midlands (England), East of England, London (region), North East England, North West England, Scotland, South East England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands (England), Yorkshire and the Humber

Job Summary

This position is based Nationally

Job Description

Head of Strategy (up to x2 posts)

G6

The Service, Strategy and Transformation Directorate is recruiting on a Fixed Term basis for 12 months, with possibility of extension and/or permanency for two Grade 6 and Head of Strategy. This campaign is being run externally and so is open to all who consider themselves suitable for the roles and meet the eligibility criteria in the wider advert within Civil Service Jobs.

Please note that if you are a current Civil Servant, you will be appointed on a Loan. If you are applying to this role on promotion, please refer to your own departments policy in respect of your grade on return from Loan. If you are not a current Civil Servant, you will be offered a Fixed Term Contract.

Location:

Successful candidates will have the option to be based at any of our National locations (including London).

Occasional travel between locations may be required. We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your base location.

Ways of Working

At the MoJ we believe and promote alternative ways of working, these roles are available as:

  • Full-time, part-time or the option to job share
  • Flexible working patterns

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join on the minimum of the pay range.

If You Are Already a Civil Servant And Are Successful In An External Recruitment Competition For a Role With Us, Your Starting Pay Will Be The Better Of:

  • promotion terms or transfer terms, as appropriate; or
  • pay on appointment arrangements (minimum of pay range)

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

MoJ is the largest government department, employing over 90,000 people with a budget of approximately £10 billion. Each year, millions of people use our services across the UK - including at 500 courts and tribunals, and 133 prisons in England and Wales.

Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

This role sits within the Service Strategy & Transformation Directorate. We are responsible for:

  • Working across the Service Transformation Group (with Justice Digital, the Legal Aid Agency, Office of the Public Guardian and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority), to understand and drive collaboration on current transformation and digital plans
  • Supporting digital development and innovation to enhance the victim experience throughout the criminal justice (CJ) process, implement recommendations from the Independent Sentencing Review and support probation workers in His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS)
  • Identifying, encouraging and delivering new ways of working, acting as a critical friend to delivery partners and collaborating with a wider range of stakeholders to improve experiences for those in the CJ system.
  • Identifying cross-cutting transformation opportunities across the Ministry of Justice that can drive cutting-edge digital delivery, user experience, efficiencies and delivery of policy goals
  • Baselining and supporting performance and prioritisation across the Service Transformation Group
  • Bringing together all areas of the Group to collectively create a clear and compelling narrative for delivery over the next 3-5 years.
  • Engaging across the Ministry of Justice and its agencies to gain buy-in and support for our initiatives.
  • Supporting the Director General for Service Transformation with strategic and analytical activity.

Head of Strategy - the role

As Head of Strategy, you will lead the strategic centre of STG, setting direction, bringing clarity to complex, cross-system challenges, and shaping a whole-group transformation and delivery plan that secures buy-in across operations, policy and digital. You will build and lead a high-performing Strategy team, partner closely with senior officials across MoJ and agencies, and ensure our plans are underpinned by rigorous analysis, compelling cases for investment, and measurable outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

  • Strategic portfolio view: Work with senior leaders across MoJ and agencies to map existing transformation plans, spot overlaps and gaps, and drive collaboration across digital, operational and policy teams.
  • Group plan & business cases: Develop the whole-group transformation and delivery plan, developing robust, investment-ready business cases aligned to spending cycles and opportunities in data, digital and emerging technology.
  • Performance, prioritisation & governance: Work with data colleagues to baseline and track performance across the STG portfolio, ensuring transparent prioritisation, proportionate governance and timely escalation.
  • Senior engagement & advice: Work directly with the Deputy Director to respond to high-priority challenges; prepare submissions, briefings and presentations for senior officials and ministers as required.
  • Agile, collaborative delivery: Champion agile, iterative approaches; interface seamlessly with Digital, Operational and Policy colleagues to realise the benefits of truly cross-functional working.
  • Team leadership: Build, lead and develop a Strategy team that delivers high-quality analysis, insight and policy/strategy products; set clear standards, coach talent and foster an inclusive, high-engagement culture.

Essential:

Skills and Experience

  • Experience designing and delivering strategies that create measurable change, ideally in digital/service transformation contexts.
  • Proven ability to translate complex qualitative and quantitative evidence into clear analysis, narratives and recommendations for senior audiences (written and oral).
  • Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with credibility at senior levels and across professions.
  • Experience of central government strategy/policy/change, or direct experience of agile delivery of product-based or operational services.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity — planning work packages, launching novel initiatives and adapting at pace in a political, complex environment.
  • Track record of leading teams to apply rigorous, evidence-based approaches to evaluate options, performance and value, with an impeccable delivery record.
  • Inclusive leadership with a passion for coaching and developing others, building a high-performing, engaged and happy team.

Desirable:

  • Experience of leading service transformation strategy and/or delivery at scale across multiple organisations.

Candidates applying from HMPPS should note that the Ministry of Justice does not have the same conditions of employment as HMPPS. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful.

The MoJ is proud to be Level 3 Disability Confident. Disability Confident is the approach through which we offer guaranteed interviews for all people with disabilities meeting the minimum criteria for the advertised role as set out in the job description.

Application process

You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.

You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV and statement of suitability, 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.

Experience

You will be asked to provide a CV during the application process outlining your career history and achievements that are relevant to the role. The CV will not be scored.

You Will Also Be Asked To Upload a Statement Of Suitability Of No More Than 500 Words Stating How You Demonstrate The Following Essential Experience:

  • Experience designing and delivering strategies that create measurable change, ideally in digital/service transformation contexts.
  • Proven ability to translate complex qualitative and quantitative evidence into clear analysis, narratives and recommendations for senior audiences (written and oral).

Candidates invited to Interview

Please note that interviews will be carried out remotely.

During the panel interview, you will be asked behaviour-based questions to explore in detail what you are capable of, and strengths-based questions to also explore what you enjoy, and your motivations relevant to the job role.

You will be asked by the interview panel to provide examples of how you meet the behaviours listed below.

  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Delivering at Pace

Please refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:

Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK

There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.

You can refer to the CS Strengths dictionary for more details: Success Profiles: Strengths - GOV.UK

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 8th December 2025.

Contact information

Please do get in touch if you would like to know more about the role or what it is like working in our team.

Annex A - The STAR method

Using the STAR method can help you give examples of relevant experience that you have. It allows you to set the scene, show what you did, and how you did it, and explain the overall outcome.

Situation - Describe the situation you found yourself in. You must describe a specific event or situation. Be sure to give enough detail for the job holder to understand.

  • Where are you?
  • Who was there with you?
  • What had happened?

Task - The job holder will want to understand what you tried to achieve from the situation you found yourself in.

  • What was the task that you had to complete and why?
  • What did you have to achieve?

Actions - What did you do? The job holder will be looking for information on what you did, how you did it and why. Keep the focus on you. What specific steps did you take and what was your contribution? Remember to include how you did it, and the behaviours you used. Try to use “I” rather than “we” to explain your actions that lead to the result. Be careful not to take credit for something that you did not do.

Results - Don’t be shy about taking credit for your behaviour. Quote specific facts and figures. Explain how the outcome benefitted the organisation or your area. Make the outcomes easily understandable.

  • What results did the actions produce?
  • What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your goals?
  • Was it a successful outcome? If not, what did you learn from the experience?

Keep the situation and task parts brief. Concentrate on the action and the result. If the result was not entirely successful describe what you learned from this and what you would do differently next time. Make sure you focus on your strengths.

Head of Strategy (up to x2 posts)

G6

The Service, Strategy and Transformation Directorate is recruiting on a Fixed Term basis for 12 months, with possibility of extension and/or permanency for two Grade 6 and Head of Strategy. This campaign is being run externally and so is open to all who consider themselves suitable for the roles and meet the eligibility criteria in the wider advert within Civil Service Jobs.

Please note that if you are a current Civil Servant, you will be appointed on a Loan. If you are applying to this role on promotion, please refer to your own departments policy in respect of your grade on return from Loan. If you are not a current Civil Servant, you will be offered a Fixed Term Contract.

Location:

Successful candidates will have the option to be based at any of our National locations (including London).

Occasional travel between locations may be required. We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your base location.

Ways of Working

At the MoJ we believe and promote alternative ways of working, these roles are available as:

  • Full-time, part-time or the option to job share
  • Flexible working patterns

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join on the minimum of the pay range.

You Will Also Be Asked To Upload a Statement Of Suitability Of No More Than 500 Words Stating How You Demonstrate The Following Essential Experience:

  • Experience designing and delivering strategies that create measurable change, ideally in digital/service transformation contexts.
  • Proven ability to translate complex qualitative and quantitative evidence into clear analysis, narratives and recommendations for senior audiences (written and oral).

Candidates invited to Interview

Please note that interviews will be carried out remotely.

During the panel interview, you will be asked behaviour-based questions to explore in detail what you are capable of, and strengths-based questions to also explore what you enjoy, and your motivations relevant to the job role.

You will be asked by the interview panel to provide examples of how you meet the behaviours listed below.

  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Delivering at Pace

Please refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:

Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK

There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.

You can refer to the CS Strengths dictionary for more details: Success Profiles: Strengths - GOV.UK

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 8th December 2025.

Contact information

Please do get in touch if you would like to know more about the role or what it is like working in our team.

Annex A - The STAR method

Using the STAR method can help you give examples of relevant experience that you have. It allows you to set the scene, show what you did, and how you did it, and explain the overall outcome.

Situation - Describe the situation you found yourself in. You must describe a specific event or situation. Be sure to give enough detail for the job holder to understand.

  • Where are you?
  • Who was there with you?
  • What had happened?

Task - The job holder will want to understand what you tried to achieve from the situation you found yourself in.

  • What was the task that you had to complete and why?
  • What did you have to achieve?

Actions - What did you do? The job holder will be looking for information on what you did, how you did it and why. Keep the focus on you. What specific steps did you take and what was your contribution? Remember to include how you did it, and the behaviours you used. Try to use “I” rather than “we” to explain your actions that lead to the result. Be careful not to take credit for something that you did not do.

Results - Don’t be shy about taking credit for your behaviour. Quote specific facts and figures. Explain how the outcome benefitted the organisation or your area. Make the outcomes easily understandable.

  • What results did the actions produce?
  • What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your goals?
  • Was it a successful outcome? If not, what did you learn from the experience?

Keep the situation and task parts brief. Concentrate on the action and the result. If the result was not entirely successful describe what you learned from this and what you would do differently next time. Make sure you focus on your strengths.

Person specification

Please Refer To Job Description

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Delivering at Pace

Alongside your salary of £71,381, Ministry of Justice contributes £20,679 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

  • Access to learning and development
  • A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
  • A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
  • A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
  • Annual Leave
  • Public Holidays
  • Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and 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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact :

Recruitment team

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL ([email protected]) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/

https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/11759?entityId=11759

Key Skills

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