About the job

Job summary

Please refer to job description

Job description

G7: Senior Advisor to the Master of the Rolls: UK Jurisdiction Taskforce, Technical expert group on control of digital assets

Closing date: 05/08/2024

Salary Range: G7 MoJ, (current minima: £58’847)

Contract type: 12 Months (existing civil service on loan, by external candidates fixed term contract)

Working pattern: Full-time

Hours: 37 hours per week

Number of posts: 1

Location: The Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London

Appointment for an initial period of 12 months

Context.

A unique opportunity to define and establish this key function from the heart of the team supporting the Master of the Rolls, MR.

The UK Jurisdiction Taskforce (UKJT) is a judicial led expert group, which forms part of the Lawtech family of groups within MoJ.

The UKJT has developed an international reputation. It has published legal statements on; the status of crypto-assets and smart contracts, digital dispute resolution rules, and the issuing of digital securities. It has most recently published a statement on insolvency and digital assets.

The UKJT’s reputation is contingent on its independence and its judicially led nature. It holds significant intellectual and reputational capital for both the UK and the England Wales Judiciary.

Because of it’s standing the UKJT has been asked to establish a new expert group to examine legal issues around ‘control’ of digital assets. This responds to a Law Commission recommendation for such a group to be established (Digital assets - Law Commission). 

Reporting to the UKJT this new group will undertake a proof of concept over an initial period of one year publishing guidance on the control of digital assets. This post will be responsible for the successful delivery of that proof of concept and for aligning that work with the wider work of the UKJT.

This work will be of interest across government and beyond. This work has already had a strong interest from HMT and The Home Office in addition to MoJ. Its work can expect to draw on detailed support and expertise from across government. 

There is a significant reputational opportunity to assert England and Wales as the foremost jurisdiction for settling disputes regarding emerging technologies and as a result you will manage the significant reputational risk of the groups successful delivery. Responding to key legal questions arising from the crypto sector, the ‘control’ workstream has high economic consequences.

The role will additionally support the judiciary in fulfilling a leadership role within Lawtech UK and in ensuring effective engagement with the Ministry of Justice in relation to the law around emerging technologies, and Lawtech. 

The role:

Your work will have real and significant impact at the highest level. You will occupy a prominent and highly visible position alongside judges at the heart of the justice system. As the MR, Sir Geoffrey Vos, is leading this work the role will form an integral party of the MR and DHCJ’s Private Office and will be line managed by the MR’s Private Secretary.

Responsibilities and tasks may vary. Particularly as you will take a lead in the development of this workstream and part of your role will be defining the future shape of support for the judiciary in this area, and the future implementation of the essential tasks identified by the Law Commission.

Specific responsibilities:

The Postholder will:

• Lead the provision of support for the UKJT, ensuring that the UKJT functions effectively and delivers to its agreed business plan.
• The postholder will need to work closely with the Ministry of Justice team, and the UKJT’s delivery partner Codebase (funded by MoJ) to arrange public events championing and facilitating consultation on the UKJT’s work.
• The Postholder will lead on providing policy support to the MR for his engagement on issues before the UKJT.
• The postholder will take responsibility for standing up and helping to lead the new ‘control’ body.
• Leveraging the existing UKJT relationships they will facilitate the recruitment of an expert group from across the judiciary and the private sector. Establish appropriate governance and reporting arrangements.
• The postholder will need to build relationships with and provide reassurance to several interested government departments including, the Home Office, DWP, HMT and the FCA.
• Develop and take responsibility for the delivery of a full project plan for the control group, which has been tasked with publishing a concept piece within one year.
• Produce authoritative guidance on the identified legal issues regarding digital currencies within 12 months.
• Lead on supporting the MR in effective participation in the European Law Institute executive group on seizure of assets. (Supporting wider efforts in relation to UKJT), an in relation to other international engagement arising from the UKJT.
• The postholder will need to work effectively and directly to the Master of the Rolls as UKJT chair. You will become an essential support him, by giving excellent advice, and providing an effective link between his leadership and policy work across MoJ and Government.
• You will also help the wider Private Office team anticipate the impact of new policy proposals, legislation, social and economic development on Civil justice.

As an active part of the Master of the Roll’s Private Office Team, you can also expect some exposure to the unexpected opportunities and challenges working in a busy private office can offer.  Our high performing team is small, friendly, and social. We prioritise and enjoy supporting each other. It is important the job holder is willing and able to be occasionally flexible in the tasks they take on.

Skills and Qualifications:

The successful candidate will be organised, strategic and be able to prioritise and handle multiple issues concurrently. They will have excellent and concise communication skills. The post holder must be able to perform independently at a high level.

The strongest applicants are likely to have proven experience of project initiation, committee work and governance, knowledge of and interest in emerging technologies particularly digital assets, and communication and influencing skills.

Prior experience of working with the judiciary or within the justice system is desirable but not essential.

Application Process:

Applicants will be expected to provide a CV and a 750 word Statement of Suitability as part of their application.

Applicants will also be asked to evidence three of the following behaviours as part of the application process:

Making Effective Decisions: - Lead Behaviour

• Explore different options outlining costs, benefits, risks and potential responses to each
• Invite challenge and where appropriate involve others in decision making to help build engagement and present robust recommendations.
• Make decisions when they are needed, even if they prove difficult or unpopular

Working Together:

• Establish relationships with a range of stakeholders to support delivery of business outcomes
• Actively seek input from a diverse range of people
• Encourage collaborative team working within own team and across the Department

Delivering at pace

• Clarify business priorities, roles and responsibilities and secure individual and team ownership
• Act as a role model in supporting and energising teams to build confidence in their ability to deliver outcomes
• Maintain effective performance in difficult and challenging circumstances, encouraging others to do the same.

Communicating and Influencing

• Clarify strategies and plans, communicate purpose and direction with clarity and enthusiasm
• Stand by, promote or defend own and team’s actions and decisions where needed, including against challenge from Senior judiciary, or other stakeholders
• Confidently engage with stakeholders and colleagues at all levels to generate commitment to goals

Changing and Improving

• Regularly review procedures or systems with teams to identify improvements and simplify processes and decision making
• Actively encourage ideas from a wide range of sources and stakeholders and use these to inform own thinking
• Be willing to meet the challenges of difficult or complex changes, encouraging and supporting others to do the same

Candidates invited to interview will be tested on all of the above behaviours as well as Civil Service Strengths and will be expected to make a short presentation. Further details will be provided to successful candidates.

Person specification

Please refer to job description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,847, Ministry of Justice contributes £16,418 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 counter-terrorist 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.