About the job

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

Policy Adviser - International Justice Policy (Up to 2 posts available)

HEO

International, Rights and Constitutional Policy Directorate

The International Justice Policy Division, within the International, Rights and Constitutional Policy Directorate in the Ministry of Justice, is recruiting for up to 2 permanent roles at HEO grade. Roles may be available in our International Criminal Justice and Private International Law teams. We are looking for highly motivated candidates with an interest in working internationally, and the ability to work collaboratively across the department, Whitehall, and with international partners. This campaign is open to current Civil Servants on level transfer and suitable candidates on promotion.

Location

Successful candidates will have the option to be based at one of the following locations:

1. 102 Petty France, London
2. 5 Wellington Place, Leeds

Occasional travel between the two locations may be required.

In order for Policy Group to meet its evolving business needs all Policy Group staff are expected to attend their base location (102 Petty France or 5 Wellington Place Leeds) at least 2 days a week.  This hybrid working arrangement is not contractual and as a result staff could be asked to attend their base location more frequently.

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;
• Flexible working arrangements between base locations, MoJ Hubs and home.

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

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

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

The Work of the International Justice Policy Division 

The International Justice Policy Division delivers some of the most exciting and central elements of the government’s policy agenda. We have responsibility for the international work of the department, including setting MoJ’s international strategy, directing Ministerial international engagements and advising on MOJ’s international policy interests. 

We are looking for up to two enthusiastic candidates with an interest in working internationally, and the ability to work collaboratively across the department, Whitehall, and with the legal sector and international partners. 

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.

The role descriptions for each team are specified below. At interview, you will be asked to state your preferred role which will be taken into consideration should your application be successful. 

The Role

Roles are currently available in the International Criminal Justice and the Private International Law teams. Suitable candidates may be offered roles in the other teams from a merit list.

International Criminal Justice

The International Criminal Justice (ICJ) team is responsible for setting the Ministry of Justice’s direction of travel in international criminal matters, including managing key elements of our post-EU membership agenda. This involves bilateral and multilateral engagement and negotiations with international partners, as well as within international institutions such as the Council of Europe and the UN. 

The team leads on one of the biggest international policy workstreams and ministerial priorities in the Ministry of Justice. Restoring our prisoner transfer capability with EU countries and securing MoJ and wider HMG objectives in multilateral institutions are central priorities of the work of the ICJ team. This is an exciting time to be involved in this agenda, with an opportunity to deliver a substantial programme of work over the coming years.

The role is responsible for:

• Policy: Working on the MoJ’s policy in relation to prisoner transfers and on wider international criminal justice objectives, including through drafting and briefing seniors and Ministers on policy priorities and on progress with key countries and multilateral institutions.

• Strategy: Identifying policy levers to progress proactive objectives and reactive interests, as well as assisting with planning and preparing for negotiations.

• Engagement: Assisting engagement with governments and UK diplomatic missions on a portfolio of priority countries. Working closely with internal policy leads and wider HMG contacts on international criminal justice equities. The post holder would be expected to represent the policy area at meetings with internal and external stakeholders.

Private International Law

PIL rules have been developed to provide businesses, citizens, families and consumers with the confidence to trade, work, travel and live across borders with greater certainty that cross-border legal disputes can be resolved. They determine jurisdiction, applicable law, and recognition and enforcement of judgements across borders, in order to resolve any conflicts of different national laws. The UK has long been a world leader in the development of international co-operation in Private International Law (PIL). As a result of leaving the European Union, the UK once again has full competence in this area and can seek to develop new relationships with partners all over the world and enhance its reputation.

The team is responsible for developing the UK’s future strategy on Private International Law, working with Ministers and negotiating agreements in international institutions such as the Hague Conference and the Council of Europe. They develop and maintain relationships with governments across the globe and engage high-profile stakeholders across the legal sector both domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities as an HEO Policy Advisor in the PIL team would include:

• Working collaboratively on workstreams relevant to the UK’s international civil and family agreements with other countries, including advising Ministers on PIL policy priorities and strategy
• Liaising across government, including working closely with FCDO and counterparts in the Devolved Administrations, to draft briefings in a timely manner ahead of multilateral PIL negotiations
• Supporting UK negotiations in multilateral institutions including the Council of Europe, the European Judicial Network and the Hague Conference on Private International Law
• Supporting international family justice work, including leading on the departmental relationship with Reunite International
• Assisting engagement with external stakeholders, including legal sector stakeholders and members of the Judiciary

Skills and Experience

Essential Criteria

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong relationship-building skills with internal and external stakeholders.
• Sound judgement and an ability to make evidence-based decisions and solve problems.
• Ability to work flexibly to set and meet deadlines, manage competing demands and prioritise where appropriate.
• Proactive attitude and a drive for learning and personal development. 

Desirable criteria

• Interest in or experience of working in international engagement or policy-making.

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, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, 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 also be asked to upload a Statement of Suitability of no more than 500 words stating what you would bring to the role, with reference to the Skills and Experience listed above.

Behaviours

During the application process you will be asked to provide an example of how you have met the following behaviour (see Annex A for more information):

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

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

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

Should we receive a large number of applications, we will sift primarily on Making Effective Decisions. Successful applicants will then be invited to an interview, testing both behaviours and strengths.

Candidates invited to Interview

Please note that interviews will be carried out remotely.

During the panel interview, you will be asked a mixture behaviour-based and strengths-based questions.

Behaviour-based questions will explore in detail what you are capable of.

You will be asked to provide an example of how you have met the following behaviours (see Annex A for more information):

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Strength-based questions will be asked to also explore what you enjoy, and your motivations relevant to the job role.

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 - Civil Service Strengths Dictionary (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Interviews are expected to take place in August 2024.

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. Contacts: cameron.crabtree1@justice.gov.uk (ICJ) or Kara.Sangha@justice.gov.uk (PIL)

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

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, 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. 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 also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.