About the job

Job summary

This position is based nationally

Job description

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.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice.
The role location is advertised as ‘national.’ In practice this will mean basing yourself within a MoJ Justice Collaboration Centre, Justice Satellite Office, or London HQ site.
We offer flexible working subject to local agreement.

About the Department

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is a major government department, working to protect and advance the principles of justice. One of the largest government departments, we employ around 70,000 people, with an annual budget of approximately £9 billion. Each year, millions of people use our services across the UK – including at around 500 courts and tribunal centres, and 123 prisons in England and Wales. We are making a difference, and you could be part of it.

About the Team

The Departmental Operations Centre (DOC) operates across the entire department, as well as working with other government departments, to deliver high quality business continuity (BC), resilience, and crisis management work – all of which help to make the department and our services stronger.

This role sits within the DOC’s Corporate Business Continuity Team. The team’s work ensures that MoJ’s critical services can withstand unexpected shocks and disruption. They work with colleagues responsible for the operation of prisons, courts, probation, and headquarters functions – as well as directly supporting ministers, the Permanent Secretary and Executive Committee. In addition to the day-to-day work, the team are also trained to support the department’s response to crises and incidents – which will often see them working with departments like the Cabinet Office.

We are a highly engaged team, investing in ourselves through learning and development, promoting health and wellbeing, and putting the individual first.

Everything we do is underpinned by an open and inclusive culture, within which staff feel confident in bringing their whole selves to work. We encourage continuous improvement, innovation, and constructive challenge.  We are looking for enthusiastic people who are willing to learn and develop in this exciting role - you will receive all the help, advice, and training necessary to succeed.
 
Job Description, Duties and Responsibilities

Purpose of role

As a Validation Officer, you will provide BC and resilience support and guidance across the MoJ, building and supporting a network of contacts to make our services and ways of working stronger. You will achieve this by:

•    Validating BC assurance and exercising programmes across the department’s organisations
•    Promoting and embedding BC within all levels of the organisation
•    Representing the BC and assurance work programme at internal and external meetings
•    Supporting the wider DOC programme of work with its frequently changing priorities The role allows for autonomy and real leadership responsibility.

Responsibilities will include

Business Continuity Assurance

•    Delivering MoJ BC assurance processes, completing in-person assurance visits to test compliance, and assess the robustness of BC across all business areas of the department. Reporting on compliance against internal and external standards, such as the BCI Good Practice Guidelines.
•    Drafting and presenting papers for internal boards, including the Business Continuity and Resilience Governance Board.
•    Communicating effectively with the network of BC practitioners across the department to share best practice and promote compliance. Implementing an effective checking / monitoring regime across all MoJ departmental business areas.
•    Ensuring the online Business Continuity Management Tool is used effectively and efficiently across the department.

Business Continuity Exercising

•    Delivering BC exercises across the organisation, obtaining feedback and lesson captures. Recent exercises have been very well received and provide an invaluable service across the department.
•    Reviewing the lessons captured following exercises to identify recommended actions. Tracking progress and supporting colleagues to resolve issues.
•    Developing the corporate exercise programme as necessary to ensure it maintains currency with professional developments and government programmes of work.

Crisis/Incident Management

•    Providing crisis/incident management support and expertise to the DOC and the wider department in the event of disruptive events – you will have the opportunity to access the Cabinet Office’s crisis management training programme.
 
Expectations of post holder in executing the role

•    Some national travel will be required to attend team events and conduct assurance visits and exercises across the country.

•    The post holder must have or be willing to apply for National Security Clearance at SC level.

Skills and Experience

Essential

Ability to deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise, and efficiency.

Experience in forming effective partnerships and relationships with people from a diverse range of backgrounds, sharing information, resource, and support.

Ability to communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm – respecting the needs and opinions of others.

Experience of seeking out opportunities to create effective change, suggesting innovative improvements, reviewing ways of working offering and acting on feedback.

Highly Desirable

You should have experience of designing and delivering presentations in several formats to audiences of varying sizes and seniority.

You must be able to show evidence that you are organised and can run a number of areas of work concurrently.

To demonstrate the ability to work with minimal direction and to make risk-based decisions on available evidence.

To encourage contributions and involvement from a broad and diverse range of staff by being visible and accessible and play an active role in developing talent within the profession.

You should be able to demonstrate an understanding of risk, governance, and assurance activities.

You should be able to analyse and interpret data and use it to make appropriate decisions.

Prior experience within a BC, assurance or exercising role may be beneficial but is by no means essential as training and support will be provided.

Qualifications & Membership
 
The team will support the successful candidate in working towards gaining the Certificate of the Business Continuity Institute (CBCI).

Behaviours

•    Managing a quality service (Lead Behaviour)
•    Working together
•    Communicating and influencing
•    Changing and Improving

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead behaviour Managing a Quality Service.

Flexible working

Working pattern and job location

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice.

The role location is advertised as ‘national.’ In practice this will mean basing yourself within a MoJ Justice Collaboration Centre, Justice Satellite Office, or London HQ site.

We offer flexible working subject to local agreement.

Non-civil service candidates would typically start on the pay band minimum. 

We are happy to accommodate any reasonable adjustments you may require during the selection process. 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 

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,827, Ministry of Justice contributes £8,896 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.