About the job

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

Background 

We are recruiting for one Head of Information and Records Management Strategy Delivery and Departmental Records Officer.  

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is engaged currently in one of the largest transformations in Whitehall, reforming our courts, tribunals, prisons and probation services over the next ten years, changing the way the justice system delivers for the public. 

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) 

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is responsible for everything that goes into running the UK’s criminal and civil justice systems, creating the foundations for a safe, fair and prosperous society. We are one of the largest government departments with around 90,000 staff based across England and Wales with a budget of approximately £9 billion. Each year, millions of people use our services across the UK - we are responsible for 500 courts and tribunals, 122 prisons, the policies underpinning the system and much more. 

We work to protect the public and reduce reoffending, and to provide a more effective, transparent and responsive justice system for victims and the public. We are responsible for the following parts of the justice system: 

• Courts and tribunals through Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Services (HMCTS)
• Prisons and probation services through Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Services (HMPPS)
• Legal aid and helping people to stay in control of decisions about their health and finances through the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) and Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).
• Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
• Youth Justice Board
• Policy areas including access to justice and criminal, civil and family policy; prisons policy, and supporting the judiciary and constitutional policy. 

We also work in partnership with other government departments and agencies to reform the criminal justice system so that it serves the public and support the victims of crime, and we are also responsible for making new laws, strengthening democracy and safeguarding human rights. 

Our Strategic Priorities Outcomes are: 

• Protect the public from serious offenders and improve the safety and security of our prisons
• Reduce reoffending
• Deliver swift access to justice 

Our values are at the heart of what we do: 

• Purpose - Justice matters. We are proud to make a difference for the public we serve. 
• Humanity - We treat others as we would like to be treated. We value everyone, supporting and encouraging them to be the best they can be. 
• Openness - We innovate, share, and learn. We are courageous and curious, relentlessly pursuing ideas to improve the services we deliver. 
• Together - We listen, collaborate and contribute, acting together for our common purpose.  

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

The job description below is for the role of:  

Head of Information and Records Management Strategy Delivery and Departmental Records Officer (Grade 6) 

Job Profile 

Job Title / Group / Directorate 

Head of Information and Records Management Strategy Delivery and Departmental Records Officer 

Information Services Division, Security and Information Group, Chief Operating Officer Group. 

Reports To 

Deputy Director, Information Services Division 

Location & Terms of appointment 

This is a permanent post based in 102 Petty France, London, although flexible arrangements will be considered. 

Salary and Grade 

This post is grade 6. 

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

Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.  

What we do 

Information and records management is knowing what information you have across an organisation and having the right information available at the right time by those who need it in a secure manner.  Being good at this is vital for any organisation as information plays an integral role in delivering day to day business, underpins policy and operational delivery, ensures legal obligations are met and safeguards the corporate record for use by civil servants in the future and the need for transparency with the public.  

This role is a senior leadership position in MoJ that will drive forward this vison and the transformation of how information is created, used, accessed, stored and preserved as we continue to transition at pace towards digitally based information and away from traditional paper.  You will be joining the Knowledge and Information Management profession at a very exciting time as this transformation is underway in MoJ and across government.  

Role Purpose   

Working at the heart of the justice system, this is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious and influential leader to ensure we continue to meet our commitments in the MoJ’s Information Wise Strategy to deliver high-quality information services and access to accurate information to a wide-range of people and drive forwards the MoJ’s policy and operational priorities. 

We are looking for an outstanding candidate who will pick up this challenge very quickly and lead a busy team to deliver MoJ’s responsibility for records and information management; disclosure of information under the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts; manage the transfer of information to The National Archives (TNA) under the Public Records Act; and provide the MoJ’s library service.   

The role also brings with it the opportunity and responsibility to lead the strategic transformation of how MoJ’s manages its information by driving the delivery plans to achieve the outcomes of the MoJ’s Information Wise strategy and embedding a culture that values and utilises information as an asset and engagement with MoJ’s transformation programmes including those in HMPPS and HMCTS.   

You will be responsible for driving forwards plans to tackle the transition to review, transfer and preservation of digital information to TNA and work closely with colleagues in Digital and Technology to lead the identification of opportunities for and incorporation of modern technology and new ways of working into information policies, processes and guidance that work across all areas of MoJ headquarters and Executive Agencies.  

Main Activities / Responsibilities 

The role and the teams you will lead work within a legislative framework (Public Records Act 1958 and 1967, GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Inquiries Act 2005) to create, obtain, store, access, safeguard, delete and preserve records making them available to the public where appropriate.  Given the scale, complexity, variety and volume of requests in the MoJ this entails involvement across a wide range of interesting and often high-profile issues, as well as being able to influence and manage stakeholders across a number of organisations and offer advice and solutions to complex cases.  You will be required to successfully navigate through this environment and undertake the following activities and responsibilities: 

• Implementation of MoJ’s information strategy to transform information management in the immediate, medium and long term.  This will need you to work across the Department’s headquarters and Executive Agencies at pace, adapting your approach to fit with each business unit, anticipating and resolving conflicts in good time, and align your approach to MoJ’s strategic priorities while working in partnership with the strategic directions of analytical and digital and technology colleagues and draw on support from legal, digital, data and communications colleagues. 
• Develop the MoJ’s first strategic approach to the transfer of digital information by establishing a robust and sustainable cross department policy and operation that meets government information and TNA standards and is embedded into information management from its creation to deletion or preservation across all MoJ’s business areas and functions now and as the MoJ evolves.
• Leadership of and being visible and accessible to three teams ensuring excellence in the service they provide to members of the public, staff and stakeholders and achieve outputs in line with legal and operational targets.
• Deputising for the Division’s Deputy Director on occasion and when necessary.
• Providing (and coaching teams to provide) the highest quality authoritative advice to Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and senior stakeholders to help shape and define the overall direction of travel in information management; 
• Advising the Permanent Secretary and MoJ’s Executive Committee on key strategic risks and mitigating actions; and ensuring that their decisions are translated into policy and delivery plans at pace.
• Accountable for ensuring high standards we have set ourselves in terms of exceeding our legislative and internal targets are sustained and further improvements and cost savings are made. 
• The post holder is also the Departmental Records Officer (DRO), a statutory role with responsibility for all paper and digital records belonging to the Ministry of Justice and its associated bodies and overseeing MoJ’s records management strategy and practice in line with the Public Records Act.
• Developing and maintaining influential and effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders within Government including ministers, special advisers, legal, policy, technology, analytical and operational colleagues; developing a strong internal network within MoJ and key contacts in relevant policy departments and at the centre.
• Developing and maintaining influential and effective working relationships with stakeholders outside the Department and outside government, including large third sector delivery organisations, influential information professional bodies.
• Representing MoJ at senior level cross-Government meetings including membership at Association of Departmental Records Officers (ADRO).
• Leading, motivating and developing three high functioning teams, fostering a clear vision and plan for them, reinforcing a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, diversity, efficiency and wellbeing. 
• Taking a corporate leadership role and wider responsibility for culture and staff experience across the Directorate, Group and wider department that demonstrates behaviours in line with MoJ Values. 

Management of Resources 

You will have line management of three grade 7 direct reports and oversight of 60 staff.  You will also have responsibility for three budgets amounting to £4m. 

Person Specification: 

Behaviours: 

• Seeing the big picture
• Changing and improving
• Leadership
• Communicating and influencing
• Delivering at pace
• Managing a quality service 

Essential Experience:  

• A thorough understanding of legislation and external policies and standards that govern the way that we manage, share and publish our information and experience of information and records management; in particular implementing new policies and procedures for managing records in adherence to the organisations guidelines and procedures
• Proven track record of leading and motivating large, diverse teams with experience of improving engagement and service delivery responsiveness 
• Experience of delivering plans to realise ambitious visions and strategies that produce benefits and setting out persuasive arguments that secure organisational buy-in and translate them into deliverable goals

Excellent communications skills: 

1. with experience of confidently operating and influencing at a senior level such as with Minister and Special Advisors as well as with peers across in and outside the organisation.
2. that develop positive working relationships under pressure and to communicate in an engaging way with large audiences both verbally and in writing. 

• A thorough understanding of risk and Issue management with an intrinsic ability to spot problems and resolve or escalate at the right time when necessary.
• Ability to develop clearly articulated, sound proposals to tackle new and complex issues through analysis of multiple and potentially conflicting information sources, including stakeholders’ views and applying appropriate governance procedures including delivery assurance. 
• Experience of managing a budget and conducting effective workforce planning and the successful delivery of service as well as value for money through third party suppliers.
• Experience of leading teams through change to achieve results and managing multi-disciplinary teams.
• Ability to effectively communicate complex issues in a compelling way to difficult audiences.
• Proven advisor to senior audiences including ExCo and MoJ’s Permanent Secretary and used to building trust and credibility quickly. 

Desirable Experience: 

• Educated to degree level or with equivalent professional experience
• Holds a knowledge and information management professional qualification or membership of a professional body e.g. Archives and Records Association (ARA), Chartered Institute of Librarians and Information Professionals (CILIP) or Information and Records Management Society (IRMS). 

Level of security checks required: Security Check (SC) 

Application: CV (maximum of two A4 pages) and a statement of suitability (maximum of 1250 words) using a minimum font size 11. 

Behaviours and strengths will be tested at interview stage along with a presentation. 

Interview date: To be confirmed at a later date, however, the interview will be face to face in our HQ office at 102 Petty France, London, Westminster, SW1H 9AJ 

If you have any questions, please email melinda.molnar@justice.gov.uk.  

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £70,303, Ministry of Justice contributes £19,614 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, 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.

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.