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.

Ministry of Justice an Inclusive Employer

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer of choice and ensuring equity of opportunity for all. We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring in terms of their culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Overview

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is one of the largest government departments. It is responsible for prisons, probation, courts and tribunals, which it administers in partnership with the independent judiciary, and a range of services to help victims of crime, children, vulnerable people and those seeking access to justice. 
The MoJ is responsible for all aspects of justice, supported by 34 agencies and other arm’s length bodies. We provide services across England and Wales, and certain non devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland. We are proud to work together to make a difference for the public by focusing on protecting the public; reducing reoffending; and strengthening the justice system and delivering swift access to justice. We employ around 90,000 people, with an annual budget of circa £9 billion. 
The Governance Centre of Expertise sits alongside the Risk Management Centre of Expertise within the Financial Management, Control, Risk and Governance Directorate, part of the MoJ’s Finance function. As well as ensuring appropriate financial controls are in place and operating effectively, the Directorate aims to drive continued improvements in risk management and governance. 
The culture of the Financial Management, Control, Risk and Governance Directorate supports flexible working options, and promotes personal development, inclusion, and diversity.

Role Purpose

Reporting to the Chief Risk Officer, the Head of Governance is a key leadership role, with responsibility for engaging and influencing senior stakeholders at the most senior levels within the MoJ, its agencies and other arm’s length bodies. Sitting at the heart of organisational governance and decision-making, the role requires engagement across government to drive continuous improvement and establish MoJ as leaders of good governance practice. 
You will drive excellence in governance and continuous improvement, working closely with stakeholders to ensure the department is operating effectively and is managed in accordance with ‘Corporate governance in central government departments: code of good practice’, and other relevant HM Treasury and Cabinet Office guidance and standards. An excellent communicator, you will work collaboratively, taking responsibility for developing and delivering a programme of work that enhances the structures and information flows to inform good decision-making. 

As a part of this role, you will promote increased understanding and confidence in our internal control framework, including reporting on the review of the effectiveness of governance, risk, and internal frameworks through the annual Governance Statement. 
This role is a great opportunity to gain valuable insight into the work of the MoJ as a whole. If you are passionate about good governance and looking for your next challenge, we would love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

With line management responsibility for one Grade 7, you will lead the team to shape the MoJ’s governance arrangements.  This will include:
•    Improving Board and ExCo committee structures and information flows.
•    Improving the alignment and the operation of departmental governance structures and those operated in each Executive Agency and other Arm’s Length Bodies, including the routine flow and escalation of appropriate assurance and management information.
•    Reporting on compliance with the corporate governance in central government departments: code of good practice to the MoJ Permanent Secretary, the Chief Executives of its Executive Agencies and other Accounting Officers. 
•    Delivering the annual assurance process and the MoJ’s governance statement. 
•    Working with the Functional Reform Team and Functional Leads to develop an effective control framework based on functional standards (and other statutory, professional and government requirements) supported by proportionate compliance monitoring and reporting.
•    Leading mapping work to define and agree the necessary control frameworks linked to the principal risks to our objectives that set out the primary control activities, monitoring arrangements and information flows across committee structures; and
•    Supported by the Director of Financial Management, Control, Risk and Governance and the Chief Risk Officer, drive continuous improvement in governance arrangements across all parts of the organisation.

Key skills and knowledge

This role requires an understanding of the big picture and the role of corporate governance in central government departments, in addition to excellent relationship building skills, including the ability to negotiate and influence at the most senior levels. You will have a strong record of building and maintaining effective collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders at a senior level, and in leading networks to deliver change. 

Effective delivery of this role requires the ability to take forward significant strands of work with a large degree of autonomy, identifying strategic opportunities and prioritising competing demands. You will also have experience of resolving conflict and ambiguity under pressure and being able to build consensus in complex environments. 

The role demands excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with the ability to convey difficult messages and / or complex technical issues with simplicity, gravitas and impact. 

Experience in governance, control or enterprise risk management is desirable.

Success Profiles   

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. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.
Civil Service Behaviours

The following G6 Civil Service Behaviours are essential to this post and will be assessed upon application:

•    Seeing the Big Picture
•    Making Effective Decisions
•    Leadership
•    Communicating and Influencing
•    Working Together
Lead Behaviour if applicable – Seeing the big picture.

Travel

The successful candidate will be appointed to either one of the locations specified in the advert or, if nearer to their home, an alternative MoJ office location in the region which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed upon completion of pre-employment checks.

You are advised to access the JCC/JSO office map, which is updated whenever a new JCC/JSO site opens,  to determine potential travelling times and distances to MoJ locations before applying for a job.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £66,314, Ministry of Justice contributes £18,501 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 and Strengths.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. 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.