About this role
Job description
The Role
The Deputy Director, Chief People Officer Function and HR Profession plays a pivotal role in supporting the Director General People & Capability and Chief People Officer to lead one of the largest corporate functions in government, with responsibility for around 1,100 colleagues across the Ministry of Justice People & Capability Group and a significant leadership role across the Government HR Profession, representing approximately 12,000 HR professionals across government.
Operating at the centre of both departmental and cross-government priorities, the role enables the Chief People Officer to deliver organisational transformation, workforce reform and professional leadership agendas. The postholder provides the strategic grip, insight and leadership necessary to support effective decision-making, drive organisational performance and ensure the successful delivery of priorities across a complex and high-profile portfolio.
As a member of the People & Capability Senior Leadership Team, the postholder works across organisational boundaries, building strong partnerships with Cabinet Office, Government People Group and departmental leaders to strengthen the HR profession, support its future direction and improve outcomes for both the profession and the Ministry of Justice.
Key Responsibilities
Reporting into the Director General – People and Capability you will:
- Lead the Chief People Officer's Office, providing strategic leadership across the support arrangements for the Director General People & Capability and Chief People Officer, including both departmental responsibilities and the role as Joint Head of the Government HR Profession.
- Lead governance, business planning, performance, risk and assurance across People & Capability, ensuring senior leaders have the insight, challenge and evidence needed to make effective decisions and deliver strategic priorities.
- Lead transformation and organisational improvement activity across People & Capability and support delivery of the Government HR Profession transformation agenda, translating strategic priorities into delivery and measurable outcomes.
- Maintain strategic oversight of corporate and profession portfolios, ensuring risks, dependencies, resources and delivery priorities are effectively governed and managed.
- Work closely with Cabinet Office and Government People Function counterparts to provide strategic oversight of Government HR Profession activity, ensuring effective governance, reporting, accountability and decision-making arrangements are in place to support the Joint Heads of Profession in setting direction, exercising stewardship of the profession and delivering agreed priorities.
- Work closely with Cabinet Office counterparts to lead engagement activity on behalf of the Joint Heads of Profession, supporting development and delivery of the Government HR Profession strategy, brand and engagement approach, reflecting the profession's leadership arrangements across government.
- Act as a principal adviser to the Chief People Officer, providing strategic advice, challenge and assurance on organisational priorities, performance, risk and delivery.
- Lead and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary team, creating an inclusive culture focused on delivery, continuous improvement and professional excellence.
Essential Experience
- Senior strategic leadership and advisory experience - Significant experience operating at a senior level within a complex organisation, providing strategic advice, challenge and assurance to executive leaders and influencing high-profile decisions.
- Corporate leadership, governance and organisational performance - A strong track record of leading corporate functions such as governance, business planning, performance, risk, assurance, strategy, private office or executive support, ensuring effective decision-making and organisational grip across complex portfolios.
- Transformation and change leadership - Proven experience of leading complex organisational transformation, reform or improvement activity, translating strategic ambition into delivery and achieving sustainable change across organisational boundaries.
- Cross-organisational influence and partnership working - Outstanding stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships, secure consensus and drive outcomes through collaboration across organisational and professional boundaries, including where there is no direct authority.
- Leadership of high-performing teams - Proven experience of leading and developing multidisciplinary teams through senior managers, creating an inclusive culture focused on delivery, continuous improvement and professional excellence.
Desirable Experience:
- CIPD membership is desirable but not essential.
Additional Information
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 .
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 .
### Contact Information
If you require any assistance please contact us on [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]). Please quote the job reference in your email to enable us to support you more quickly.
### Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Please submit a statement of suitability of no more than 750 words, giving examples of how you meet the below essential and desirable experience.
NB: In the event we receive a high volume of applications, we will conduct the initial sift against the following lead criteria:
• Senior strategic leadership and advisory experience - Significant experience operating at a senior level within a complex organisation, providing strategic advice, challenge and assurance to executive leaders and influencing high-profile decisions.
Essential Experience:
• Senior strategic leadership and advisory experience - Significant experience operating at a senior level within a complex organisation, providing strategic advice, challenge and assurance to executive leaders and influencing high-profile decisions.
• Corporate leadership, governance and organisational performance - A strong track record of leading corporate functions such as governance, business planning, performance, risk, assurance, strategy, private office or executive support, ensuring effective decision-making and organisational grip across complex portfolios.
• Transformation and change leadership - Proven experience of leading complex organisational transformation, reform or improvement activity, translating strategic ambition into delivery and achieving sustainable change across organisational boundaries.
• Cross-organisational influence and partnership working - Outstanding stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships, secure consensus and drive outcomes through collaboration across organisational and professional boundaries, including where there is no direct authority.
• Leadership of high-performing teams - Proven experience of leading and developing multidisciplinary teams through senior managers, creating an inclusive culture focused on delivery, continuous improvement and professional excellence.
Desirable Experience:
• CIPD membership is desirable but not essential.
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.