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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £41,197 - £45,316, London salary range is £44,629 - £50,534. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
Internal
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
05-Aug-2026
Business Unit
AGY - NOMS Agency
Post Type
Detached Duty, Loan
Civil Service Grade
HEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
20300

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

About the Role:

The Grants Officer will play a key delivery role within this high-profile fund with significant ministerial interest, supporting services that divert women away from custody and into effective, holistic support in the community.

They will support with ensuring that the Fund delivers its intended outcomes, supporting voluntary and community sector organisations (VCSEs) to provide high-quality, responsive services for women.

The post sits at the heart of this flagship programme, working across policy and delivery to ensure that public funding is used effectively, payments are made in a timely manner, risks are managed, and services achieve impact for women and the wider system. It will support the effective oversight and performance monitoring of the grants to the VCSE organisations awarded under this fund and work collaboratively with providers to solve problems based on the developmental, partnership-based approach required in grant management.

The role will be directly managed by the HMPPS Third Sector Partnerships and Programmes Team, but will require a close collaboration with the MoJ Female Offenders Policy Team, who led on the design of the new grant.

The post offers excellent opportunities to gain exposure to a wide range of women’s sector services and providers, and build expertise, delivery skills and confidence within a supportive, collaborative environment.

About the Custody Improvement Team

The Third Sector Partnerships and Programmes Team is working closely with the Female Offenders Policy Team in the MoJ to design and deliver the new Women’s Diversion Fund.

The Women’s Diversion Fund is a multi-year grant programme designed to reduce the number of women entering and remaining in the criminal justice system, by investing in community-based support delivered by voluntary and community sector organisations. It will deliver c. £26m in funding between January 2027 and March 2029.

The Female Offender Policy Team, based within the Youth Justice and Offender Policy Directorate, leads the cross-system agenda to reduce the number of women in custody and improve outcomes for women in the criminal justice system.

Although women make up just 4% of the prison population, their pathways into offending, experiences of the system, and support needs differ significantly from men’s. Addressing these distinct drivers requires a strategic, evidence-led approach across the criminal justice system. The Government remains committed to reducing the number of women in custody, with ministerial interest in supporting long-term, system-wide reform.

Key Responsibilities:

•           Coordinate governance and performance meetings, including setting agendas, preparing papers, circulating materials, and producing accurate and timely minutes and action logs.

•           Collate and maintain provider performance data, identify emerging risks or areas for improvement, and support work with providers to develop and monitor action plans.

•              Contribute to the management of a grant arrangement, applying appropriate governance, assurance, and performance management techniques for each funding model.

•              Assist in preparing high quality briefings, reports, and advice for senior officials and Ministers.

•           Leading on delivery progress reporting. This includes collating, reviewing, analysing and monitoring outcomes and financial data for grant activities, identifying risks of over or under spend, escalating concerns where necessary.

•           Ensure prompt and accurate processing of provider payments, maintaining clear audit trails, monitoring invoicing/grant claim accuracy, and working with finance colleagues to resolve any issues swiftly.

•           Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation, including risk registers, and contract/grant variations.

•           Contribute to continuous improvement by gathering insights from providers, stakeholders, and service users, and feeding learning into future commissioning cycles.

•           Support colleagues to ensure all project activity complies with MoJ, Cabinet Office, and HM Treasury guidance, including grant standards, procurement rules, and relevant assurance processes.


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). 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.

Benefits

Annual Leave

-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.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays

-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays.

Pension

-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance

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

Season Ticket Advance

-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

Childcare Vouchers

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

Training

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

Eligibility

-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

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

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.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

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

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
  • 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 moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference

HMPPS

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 20300

Please contact Rosie.McNamee@justice.gov.uk if you have any questions regarding this vacancy.

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Delivering at Pace, 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.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Seeing the Big Picture
Working Together
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
To be confirmed
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Seeing the Big Picture
Working Together
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Level of security checks required
DBS Standard

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.