The national salary is £91,540 - £100,694. London salary is £94,660 - £105,912. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
External
National
Region
National
Closing Date
17-Sep-2026
Business Unit
Security Group
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
Other
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
21853
Job description
HMPPS Band 11
We are seeking exceptional senior leaders to join our organisation at a pivotal time of transformation. These influential roles will play a key part in delivering strategic alignment projects, providing visible leadership through change, and shaping the future direction of the organisation. Working across complex stakeholder environments, successful candidates will build and maintain strong partnerships, drive operational improvement, and ensure the delivery of high-quality outcomes that support our long-term ambitions. This is a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact, leading people, performance, and change at the highest level.
The National Intelligence Unit (NIU) is part of the National Security Group (NSG) within the Directorate of Security and comprises approximately 280 staff. The Unit is responsible for ensuring that intelligence relating to terrorism, serious and organised crime, corruption, public protection and wider security threats is effectively collected, analysed, shared and acted upon across HMPPS. NIU is continuing to expand its capability to deliver regional and national intelligence operations directly in support of prisons and probation, helping to identify, assess and manage threats that impact the safety, security and effectiveness of HMPPS services.
NIU works collaboratively with other areas of the Directorate of Security to develop and deliver operational and policy responses to terrorism, organised crime and corruption. Operating as HMPPS's centre of excellence for intelligence, the Unit provides strategic leadership, professional standards, capability development and operational support for intelligence practitioners across the organisation.
As a recognised partner within the wider UK intelligence community, NIU works closely with policing, the National Crime Agency, Regional Organised Crime Units, Counter Terrorism Policing and other law enforcement agencies to strengthen intelligence sharing, support operational activity and deliver a coordinated response to emerging and evolving threats.
As Head of the National Intelligence Unit, the post holder will provide strategic leadership to a complex, nationally dispersed intelligence function, ensuring that intelligence capabilities, resources and operational activity are aligned to HMPPS priorities and emerging threats. The role is responsible for leading the development of intelligence capability across HMPPS, maintaining the intelligence operating model and ensuring intelligence products and services support effective decision-making, risk management and public protection outcomes.
This is a nationally based role with the standard HMPPS expectation around hybrid working and a minimum 60% office attendance. There will be frequent travel to London, occasional national travel and possible international travel.
This is a nationally based role with the standard HMPPS expectation around hybrid working and a minimum 60% office attendance. There will be frequent travel to London, occasional national travel and possible international travel.
Although the Head of Intelligence, Head of Corruption, Crime and Policing Unit, and Head of Change are NSG roles, they are being advertised as three separate campaigns, they all sit within the National Security Group.
If you would like to be considered for more than one of these roles, please apply for each vacancy that interests you. We will conduct a joint sift across the campaigns, and candidates applying for multiple roles will only need to attend one interview.
We will share further details and guidance on the process in due course.
Developed Vetting standards are required with a further STRAP accreditation.
The presentation question will be sent to candidates once they have been invited to interview.
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). 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, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.
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.
Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS 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 HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.
If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.
The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.
-The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.
-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays.
-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ
-After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work
For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes
-There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts
-All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles
-All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post
-All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS
-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist
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
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.
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.
The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans
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.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
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
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Please quote the job reference
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Please quote the job reference - 21853
Please contact Laura.Nesbitt@justice.gov.uk if you have any questions regarding this vacancy.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Communicating and Influencing
Leadership
Seeing the Big Picture
Interview Dates
To be confirmed
Communicating and Influencing
Leadership
Seeing the Big Picture
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Which assessment methods will be used?
Presentation
DBS Standard
Developed Vetting (DV)
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.
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