About this role
### Salary
The national salary range is £58,511 - £65,329, London salary range is £63,343 - £70,725 Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Job description
People & Capability Group
People & Capability supports the organisation by enabling its people to perform at their best. We continuously review and improve the services we provide across the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), ensuring consistently high-quality outcomes for our customers.
As a department, we are going through a period of significant transformation and our people services are at the forefront of enabling that change. MoJ People and Capability is a team of 1,400 committed and capable professionals delivering people services across the Justice family. At the heart of delivering these services, are our people.
Information about the MoJ and its priorities can be found at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about
Prison Learning Design & Delivery
Prison Learning Design & Delivery (PLD&D) is part of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) People & Capability Directorate and is responsible for designing, developing and delivering high-quality learning and development across His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). Working in partnership with policy leads, subject matter experts and operational stakeholders, PLD&D ensures that staff have the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to perform their roles safely, professionally and effectively.
PLD&D supports workforce capability across the prison estate through a range of interconnected functions, including learning design and evaluation, prison officer foundation training, operational training, quality assurance and support services. Together, these teams create, maintain and deliver learning solutions that support operational priorities, professional standards and organisational change.
From frontline operational training to strategic learning innovation, PLD&D plays a key role in building confidence, competence and professionalism across HMPPS. Through classroom-based, digital and blended learning approaches, the directorate helps develop a skilled workforce that contributes to safer prisons, improved outcomes and a positive organisational culture.
About the Role
This is a non-operational senior leadership role within PLD&D, reporting directly to the Head of Learning Design & Operational Training. The postholder is accountable for the strategic leadership and effective operation of the national operational training function, ensuring that provision is safe, responsive, evidence-led and delivered consistently to high standards across the learning estate. They will lead through SEO delivery managers and the wider training workforce, setting direction, managing performance and resources, and driving continuous improvement in workforce capability. Working with senior HMPPS and Ministry of Justice leaders, policy owners, subject matter experts, operational stakeholders and service providers, the postholder will influence priorities, resolve complex issues and provide assurance on delivery, quality, compliance, risk and impact.
The role will work closely with the Ministry of Justice Programme Delivery Unit, the HMPPS Enable Programme and the Capability & Curriculum Oversight Function within the HMPPS Transforming Delivery Directorate. The postholder will shape and deliver capability interventions that respond to operational priorities and future workforce needs, balancing national consistency with local requirements. Through effective partnership, governance and evidence-based decision-making, they will strengthen operational capability, organisational resilience, professional standards and staff support.
Travel - The role will be primarily based at a local MoJ office and will require some national travel, including travel to Newbold Revel and other locations as required.
Main Activities / Responsibilities
The job holder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:
- Provide strategic and operational leadership for the national operational training function, maintaining a responsive portfolio that builds workforce capability, supports operational readiness and meets evidenced business demand.
- Set and deliver the strategic direction for operational training, translating HMPPS and Ministry of Justice priorities, workforce requirements, national standards and operational risks into clear plans and measurable outcomes.
- Act as the senior lead for operational training at governance boards and senior forums, providing authoritative advice, constructive challenge and clear assurance on performance, compliance, risk and impact.
- Build influential partnerships across PLD&D, HMPPS, the Ministry of Justice, Shared Services Connected Ltd, the Capability and Curriculum Oversight Function, the Enable Programme, the Programme Delivery Unit, policy teams, workforce planning, prisons, regulators and suppliers to secure alignment, resolve competing priorities and deliver joined-up solutions.
- Lead strategic workforce, capacity and delivery planning, using demand, performance and financial information to deploy people, facilities and technical resources flexibly and provide efficient, accessible and high-impact services.
- Provide visible, inclusive and values-led leadership to SEO delivery managers and the wider training workforce, role modelling the Civil Service Line Management Standards and holding managers to account for consistent management practice.
- Build a high-performing, collaborative and psychologically safe culture through regular performance and development conversations, wellbeing support, fair management of attendance and conduct, timely action on underperformance, and effective recruitment, talent, succession and capability planning.
- Ensure training products and services meet relevant policy, professional, quality and accessibility standards; commission timely review and improvement, with equality impacts identified and addressed.
- Establish robust governance, quality assurance and management information, using evaluation, performance data and insight to demonstrate value, identify capability gaps, inform senior decisions and drive continuous improvement.
- Own strategic and operational risks, dependencies and delivery impacts within the portfolio, ensuring effective controls, timely escalation and proportionate mitigation that strengthen safety and organisational resilience.
- Lead complex change and innovation in response to policy, reform and operational demand, shaping future capability through workforce planning, evidence-based practice, digital learning and new delivery models.
- Hold delegated accountability for budgets, people, facilities, equipment, suppliers and contracts, applying sound commercial and financial judgement to secure value for money, manage performance and demonstrate return on investment.
- Contribute as a senior leader to the PLD&D operating model and wider directorate priorities, ensuring provision is viable, adaptable and delivered consistently to a high standard for domestic and, where required, overseas customers.
Management of Resources
The G7 postholder will lead through SEO delivery managers and hold delegated responsibility for a geographically dispersed training workforce, associated facilities and equipment, supplier and contractual arrangements, and significant budgets. They will be accountable for workforce planning, financial control, service performance, value for money and the effective deployment of resources against agreed priorities.
Essential Criteria
- Experience of providing strategic leadership for training or building workforce capability at national or organisational level, translating business priorities into effective delivery. (Assessed via Leadership)
- Experience of leading, motivating and developing large, geographically dispersed teams, including effective performance management, talent development and succession planning. (Assessed via Leadership)
- Ability to make sound, evidence-based decisions, accept accountability and provide clear assurance to senior leaders. (Assessed via Statement of Suitability)
- Experience of managing significant resources and/or budgets, securing value for money and demonstrating effective return on investment. (Assessed via Statement of Suitability)
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and relationship-management skills, with the ability to engage, persuade and influence senior stakeholders across organisational boundaries to deliver shared outcomes. (Assessed via Statement of Suitability)
- Proven ability to lead change, innovation and continuous improvement in response to evolving operational, policy and workforce needs. (Assessed via Statement of Suitability)
Desirable Criteria
- Knowledge and experience of His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service and/or the Ministry of Justice, or a comparable complex, regulated or safety-critical operational environment.
- A background in operational training, learning delivery or workforce development, with an understanding of evaluation, quality assurance, accessibility and digital or blended learning.
- Experience of commissioning, mobilising or overseeing national training services delivered through internal teams, external suppliers or partnership arrangements.
- Experience of supporting major organisational transformation, workforce reform or capability programmes and using performance insight to improve provision and demonstrate impact.
- Knowledge of relevant professional, regulatory, quality or operational standards affecting training delivery.
- A relevant learning, training, education, coaching or organisational development qualification, or equivalent continuing professional development.
Please note that whilst we don’t assess or score ‘desirable’ criteria, we may consider evidence provided that demonstrates meeting the desirable elements of the role, only after essential criteria is assessed and where there is a need to differentiate between closely scored candidates
Application process
You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework .
Sift
Experience
Please submit an anonymised copy of your CV.
Please provide a statement of suitability (maximum 750 words) setting out how your experience meets the essential criteria above.
Behaviour
Please provide 250 word examples for the behaviour below with reference to the above Essential Criteria .
Leadership (Lead behaviour)
Please refer to the Civil Service Behaviours framework for further information, including the expectations by grade:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles/success-profiles-civil-service-behaviours#why-we-assess-behaviours
If we receive a large number of applications, an initial sift will be carried out against the lead behaviour, Leadership.
Candidates invited to Interview
Interviews will be conducted remotely using Microsoft Teams.
The following behaviours will also be assessed at interview:
- Leadership (Lead behaviour)
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Managing a Quality Service
- Changing and Improving
You will also be asked Strength based questions.
Additional Information
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map . All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).
For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.
All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.
Benefits
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual Leave
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Training
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Eligibility
Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.
Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.
Support
- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www. www.GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/tax-free-childcare) or Childcare Choices (https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/) . You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ .
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code 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 . Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
- To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) );
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ( [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) );
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here (https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-complaints/) )
As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.
For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos .
Diversity & Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Redeployment Interview Scheme
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
Civil Service Nationality Rules
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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families (https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fsettled-status-eu-citizens-families&data=05%7C01%7Cchristopher.jeffery%40soprasteria.com%7C8a2293860362402c15da08dbf4cff146%7C8b87af7d86474dc78df45f69a2011bb5%7C0%7C0%7C638372946312587803%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=s%2BxUsev%2BGeeK%2FLgTUjpjfTJu%2FjpKQZ%2BQPJXNduvik3Q%3D&reserved=0)
- 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
Reserve list
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.
Contact Information
MoJ:
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [email protected]
Please quote the job reference 21977
HMPPS
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [email protected]
Please quote the job reference 21977
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Leadership, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
### Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Please provide a statement of suitability (maximum 750 words) setting out how your experience meets the essential criteria above.
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles/success-profiles-strengths).
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.