Role: Head of Policy
Business: Office of Public Guardian (OPG)
Location: National
Grade: G6
Salary: National £71,381 - £80,419 London £75,674 - £85,257
Contract Type: Permanent
Minimum Hours: Full time post (but would consider flexible working arrangements etc)
Organisational Overview
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance. We are an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), set up in 2007 following the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act of 2005.
OPG is responsible for registering lasting powers of attorney (LPA) and enduring powers of attorney (EPA) and supervising deputies who are appointed by the Court of Protection.
OPG is a fantastic place to work offering a range of development opportunities. The OPG is a disability confident employer and is committed to developing a supportive and inclusive environment that reflects the diverse community we serve.
OPG is currently delivering an ambitious transformation programme. This will change the way we provide services and help us meet the growing needs of our users, partners and our stakeholders. It will make sure our users experience a better level of support and will help us to respond to the changing needs of society. Transformation will ensure we can better support adults at risk and create high-quality services that are accessible and affordable.
Team Overview
This is an exciting time at the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), as we transform how we deliver our statutory services and ensure that we are fit for the future. As Head of Policy, you will be a critical member of the Senior Leadership Team in the Central Services Directorate.
You will lead the OPG Policy team, setting clear standards and direction to ensure the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based policy and guidance. Your work will directly support transformation and the ongoing delivery of services that make a tangible difference to some of the most vulnerable people in society. Operating within an operational agency gives you a unique opportunity to see policy translated into practice—designing solutions that are not only strategically sound, but deliver real, measurable impact for service users, and are practical to implement within operational delivery.
You will take ownership of the team’s outputs, building capability and ensuring a strong culture of quality, challenge, and continuous improvement. Working closely with operational colleagues, legal teams, and stakeholders across the Ministry of Justice, you will help shape and influence the policy and legislative changes needed to enable service improvement and wider organisational transformation, ensuring that policy proposals are deliverable and effectively embedded.
In addition, you will provide oversight and strategic direction to the OPG content team within your directorate, ensuring that operational policy, guidance, and communications are clear, consistent, and aligned to organisational priorities.
Duties and Responsibilities
Your responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
Policy development: Accountable for the development and delivery of all OPG operational policy, including policy required for modernisation; supervision of Court Appointed Deputies; investigation of Deputies and Attorneys; and OPG fee policy. Ensuring policies are designed with a clear understanding of operational impact and can be successfully implemented in practice.
Leadership: Contribute to the leadership of the agency, helping to shape culture, set strategic direction, and define organisational priorities.
Management: Direct line management of two Grade 7s, with oversight of a team of c.20 staff. Responsible for supporting their wellbeing, development, and professional practice, and for championing diversity and inclusion.
Influencing: Work with colleagues across the Ministry of Justice, including Legal colleagues, to shape and secure legislative and policy changes that support OPG’s operational priorities, including sustainable fee arrangements and effective service delivery.
Guidance: Oversee the development of guidance to support policy delivery, ensuring policies are implemented effectively and consistently across operations.
Content: Provide oversight of the OPG content team, ensuring delivery of key priorities, including the annual report and external communications on policy changes.
Agreed Expectations
The successful candidate will be expected to work from their base location on a weekly basis in line with current Civil Service requirements, outside of any reasonable adjustments. Occasional travel to Birmingham and Nottingham will be required.
Skills & Qualifications
Essential Skills
Strong track record of leading a policy function, setting clear direction and standards, and shaping organisational policy positions that influence strategy, practice, and culture. (Lead)
Excellent leadership skills, taking ownership of team outputs, providing constructive challenge, advocating for the team, and working across boundaries to drive delivery. (Lead)
Expert understanding of the end-to-end policy lifecycle, with the ability to define and exemplify high-quality policy practice from problem definition through to implementation and evaluation, including ensuring policies are operationally deliverable.
Proven ability to build capability and lead high-performing teams, including coaching and developing staff to strengthen skills, judgement, and confidence.
Experience designing and overseeing a portfolio of complex policy programmes, ensuring alignment to strategic priorities and delivery of impactful outcomes.
Strong track record of collaboration with operational colleagues, ensuring policy is grounded in delivery realities and supports effective implementation.
Demonstrated ability to lead strategic engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including external partners, influencing outcomes and incorporating diverse perspectives into policy development.
Experience working closely with Legal teams, understanding legal frameworks and constraints, and incorporating legal advice into policy development.
Desirable Skills
The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates.
Experience of legislative and regulatory policy development, including influencing and managing formal processes (e.g. consultations, statutory guidance, regulatory change).
Experience of content development.
Application process
This recruitment will follow the Civil Service Success Profile process. Candidates will be expected to complete the following as part of the application:
A CV and detailing your career history. CV’s will be assessed against the essential and desirable skills above.
Statement of Suitability of no more than 750 words, to demonstrate your experience against the essential and desirable skills required for this role.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be under taken using the lead criteria:
Strong track record of leading a policy function, setting clear direction and standards, and shaping organisational policy positions that influence strategy, practice, and culture.
Excellent leadership skills, taking ownership of team outputs, providing constructive challenge, advocating for the team, and working across boundaries to drive delivery.
Interview Process
If you are successful at sift, you will be invited to an interview which will use the Civil Service Success Profiles. At interview, candidates should expect questions on:
Strengths relevant to the role
The following Behaviours at G6 level
Seeing the Big Picture (presentation of up to 5 minutes; the topic will be shared with candidates invited to interview)
Communicating and Influencing
Leadership
Changing and Improving
Making effective decisions
All interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.
Briefing Session
You may want to join the virtual briefing session on 29th May at 11:30am-12:30pm, where we will provide an overview of the role, the organisational context, early priorities, anticipated challenges, and team culture. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions.
If you are interested in attending this session, please use the following link:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/351560288593492?p=0qf3XKgI6f2Pc5IRyJ
Reasonable Adjustments
At OPG we consider all applications on the basis of merit and want you to feel able to demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. If you require any reasonable adjustments for any aspect of the selection process, do not hesitate to get in contact with us.
As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role. If you are applying for a role within OPG and would like to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, please indicate this in your application and let us know of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the selection process.
For further information on benefits of working for OPG, such as our Flexible Working Policy and a FAQ, please check the candidate information pack attached to this advert.
If your application for this role is unsuccessful, we may offer you an alternative role at the same or lower grade should one be available.