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.

Grade: Band D    

Position in Organisation or Team: Reports to Higher Psychologist, National Assessment Team    

Location & Terms of appointment: National/Permanent

Role purpose and summary

To assist the Lead for Assessments and the team by providing psychological support to develop Organisational Capability by translating the Capability and Assessments Strategy into a plan that delivers effectively across the MoJ Family. This include ensuring that all assessments adhere to professional psychological guidelines, testing best practice and the highest ethical standards contributing towards an integrated model for organisational development.  
 
 This includes:   
•    Providing psychological support in the development and delivery of high-quality promotional assessments and selection procedures. This includes the assessment processes across the Leadership, Talent and Capability portfolio, with the aim of the MoJ becoming a beacon of learning and continuous professional development.  

•    Supporting the design of assessment materials and processes for internal staff promotion accreditation, or placement onto fast-track or leadership programmes.  

•    Effective collaboration and engagement with a range of stakeholders at all levels and across boundaries including working with other Government departments and agencies as appropriate to support civil service alignment of leadership, talent and capability activities.  Including supporting decision making, managing stakeholder/customer expectations, and persuading and influencing others who are likely to prefer alternative options or approaches.   

•    Contribute to the development and delivery of psychological research, and continuous improvement activities within the Directorate, utilising knowledge of the latest capability theories and thinking and identifying appropriate opportunities to ensure that we are continually investing in new innovative ways and methods of developing and accessing our people.   

•    Advise the Leadership, Talent and Capability Team, on areas related to psychological assessment at work, training and development, and leadership.  

•    Striving for excellence in a dynamic and creative way, open to working in a collaborative, iterative way that gets the best from the team whilst working at pace 

Impact role has on organisation:

The Promotional Assessments Co-ordinator role is a specialist role that supports the deliverables within the Capability plan that require Occupational Psychology knowledge, theory and practice e.g. developing, designing, and delivering of promotional assessments across the MoJ family to support the development of leadership skills and practices, ensure effective progression processes, strengthen individual and organisational capability and support continuous improvement and growth across the MoJ family and its 80,000 members of staff. 

Key Accountabilities, responsibilities, and deliverables:  

•    Manage the National Assessment Team functional mailbox for all assessment related queries, acting as the first point of contact for all candidates applying for promotion.

•    Lead the design and implementation of communication channels for the National Assessment Team (including Newsletter, assessment guidance for candidates, Intranet).

•    Support the data/statistical analysis of all assessment results, including compiling candidate assessment results for review and sign-off by Head and Director of Assessments; writing and sending of results letters, and input to the production of technical assessment (adverse impact, item analysis) and comprehensive candidate feedback reports.    

•    Maintain and design accurate, secure and confidential results and accreditation databases.  

•    Assist with all aspects of selection and assessment as required including assisting with the design of development portfolios, job analysis interviews and focus groups and contribute to reports, the completion of Equality Analysis for assessments and portfolio, initial quality review of assessment measures, production of behaviourally anchored scoresheets for all levels of assessment – provided by the lead designer and gather and cleanse data for adverse impact analysis.

•    Co-ordinate volunteers and staff for job analysis, desk topping, bench-testing and training weeks for new assessments, including keeping an up-to-date spreadsheet of volunteers for future assessments, diary requests. 

•    Manage the Reasonable Adjustments process for assessments, in line with internal policy, legal regulations and psychological principles including logging reasonable adjustment scheme queries/applications from candidates and support and agree appropriate and reasonable adjustments (in line with the Equality Act) through assessment under the supervision of a Chartered Psychologist, to ensure that candidates/learners not put at a disadvantage in any assessment.   

•    To support and assist with the design of focused feedback solutions (including sending out detailed and comprehensive feedback reports to candidates and reviewing assessment feedback from candidates) and learning and development interventions.

•    To support and assist with the design and delivery of comprehensive training packages for training of assessors, role players and induction of new staff.  

•    Research best practice and latest thinking utilising stakeholder feedback and lessons learnt to continuously improve and pursue excellence and credibility across MoJ. 

•    To assist with and support relevant research activities to ensure that the design of all assessment material reflects best practice. 

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to undertake additional tasks commensurate with their grade.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience incl. qualifications

Essential:

Ability to analyse and research information to support decisions. 
Ability to critically evaluate information.  
Ability to work with customers to understand their needs and expectations. 
Ability to effectively prioritise and deliver several projects simultaneously. 
Track record of building and maintaining lasting stakeholder relationships.

Working knowledge of statistics and competent in using SPSS (Statistical Programme for Social Scientists). 

Have an in‐depth understanding of the Equalities Act legislation, including building and maintaining an understanding of disabilities and health conditions.

Experience of working in a flexible, agile environment, working to tight deadlines and ability to plan ahead to ensure that the portfolio is developed to meet changing operating requirements.

Skills:  

Teamwork and collaboration; leadership, professionalism and strong work ethic
Strong organisational and planning skills, presentation skills, oral and written communication skills.
Utilise a high degree of autonomy and working on your own initiative.

Desirable:

Knowledge and understanding of selection and assessment processes and tools.  

Experience of delivering training/presentations.

Application process

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

Please provide examples of how you have met each of the behaviours below:

•    Managing a Quality Service (lead)
•    Delivering at Pace
•    Making Effective Decisions

Please prepare a statement of suitability (max 1000 words) to provide evidence of the below essential criteria:

•    Evidence of essential criteria listed in the essential part of the Knowledge, Skills and Experience incl. qualifications section above.

Selection process details:  If the number of applications exceeds expectations, an initial sift will be undertaken using the lead behaviour of Managing a Quality Service. 

We may consider any evidence within the application form that demonstrates meeting the desirable criteria as set out in the job description. This will only be after essential criteria is scored and where there is a need to differentiate between closely scored candidates. We are unable to provide feedback to those candidates who are unsuccessful at the sifting stage.  

Interview:  If successful at the sifting stage, the final stage will consist of an interview and a pre-prepared presentation. More information will be shared regarding the presentation question upon interview invite.
During the panel interview, you will be asked behaviour-based questions (on the below behaviours) to explore in detail what you are capable of and to explore your knowledge and experience relevant to the job role. Interviews will take place via MS Teams.  Interview feedback (on request) will be provided. 

Success Profiles Behaviours - the following behaviours will be assessed during the interview process:

•    Managing a Quality Service
•    Changing and Improving 
•    Communicating and Influencing 
•    Making Effective Decisions 

As part of continuous professional development, the successful applicant will be offered the opportunity to apply for the Business Administrator Level 3 Apprenticeship which is a 15-month blended learning programme. Time and support to complete the qualification will be provided.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,223, Ministry of Justice contributes £7,377 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 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.