Job Description
General Information
Working Pattern
Full Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
15-Nov-2026
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
SCS 1
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
23747
Descriptions & requirements
Job description
Working as part of the Service Strategy and Transformation Senior Leadership Team, the Deputy Director will oversee the Ministry of Justice transformation landscape, provide portfolio oversight, build leadership capability, tackle systemic barriers that affect transformation delivery across the MoJ and set drive the Transformation Strategy across the Department.
The Deputy Director will oversee: The Transformation Portfolio, which creates joined-up view of the MoJ’s highest-priority transformation activity; the Capabilities team equips senior leaders with the skills, behaviours and resources to lead transformation; the Design team works across organisational boundaries to address systemic obstacles and improve the conditions for deliver; and set the Department’s Transformation Strategy.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the Transformation Office Function
- Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Transformation Office pillar within Service Strategy and Transformation.
Manage the Transformation Landscape
- Oversee the enterprise transformation landscape across MoJ, HMCTS, HMPPS and relevant arm's-length bodies, maintaining an independent view of delivery confidence, performance, risk, affordability and cross-programme dependencies across major transformation activity.
Support Delivery and Remove Barriers
- Act as an escalation point for delivery challenges raised by transformation programmes.
- Facilitate problem solving and broker support from across MOJ where delivery risks or barriers emerge.
Drive Transformation Governance and Performance
- Develop and support the maintenance of proportionate governance arrangements for transformation activity.
Stakeholder Leadership and Collaboration
- Provide authoritative, independent advice to Ministers, ExCo, Directors General, SROs and senior boards on transformation performance, delivery confidence and emerging risks, determining where issues require escalation or intervention and presenting clear choices and recommendations to support timely decision-making.
Leadership and People Management
- Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of transformation practitioners
- Create an inclusive and high-performing team culture.
Establish and Drive Transformation Strategy
- Set and lead the MoJ transformation strategy, building alignment across senior leaders and embedding a coherent, outcome-focused approach to transformation across the department.
Service Design Leadership
- Provide strategic leadership for the Transformation Office's service design capability, setting and championing best practice and using user research and service-design evidence to identify systemic barriers and opportunities for improved services across the transformation portfolio.
The role will have responsibility for a team of 25 FTE and will contribute to oversight of significant transformation investment across the department.
Essential Experience:
- Strategic problem-solving: Expert at breaking down complex and ambiguous problems, using quantitative and qualitative evidence to develop practical solutions. Able to see the bigger picture, identify systemic barriers and connect delivery challenges to the wider transformation strategy and outcomes for the MoJ.
- Transformation and change leadership: A strong track record of leading complex transformation and delivering innovative approaches to change at pace and scale. Able to translate strategic ambitions into practical action and measurable outcomes, with a strong commitment to transforming how the Civil Service designs and delivers services.
- Portfolio, governance and delivery oversight: Significant experience of overseeing complex portfolios and senior-level governance, using evidence and insight to understand performance, identify risks, opportunities and dependencies, and enable effective prioritisation and senior decision-making.
- Senior stakeholder management and influence: Exceptional ability to engage and influence senior leaders, navigate complex political and organisational dynamics, and build trusted relationships across organisational and functional boundaries to resolve difficult issues and deliver shared outcomes.
- Leadership and capability building: Proven ability to lead, motivate and develop high-performing leaders and cross-functional teams through uncertainty and change. Skilled at setting direction, empowering others and creating a culture of accountability, learning and continuous improvement, while building the capability needed to sustain transformation.
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 scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk. Please quote the job reference in your email to enable us to support you more quickly.
Job Description Attachment
Select new file
Application form stage assessments
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Statement of Suitability
Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Please provide your CV and Statement of Suitability (max 1000 words) outlining relevant experience against job description included in this advert.
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Interview stage assessments
Interview Dates
Expected w/c 7th December
Behaviours
Seeing the Big Picture
Communicating and Influencing
Changing and Improving
Other Assessments
Which assessment methods will be used?
Presentation
Level of security checks required
Security Clearance (SC)
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.
