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General Information

Salary
£51,203 - £56,111
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
Internal
Location
Poole
Region
South Central, South West
Closing Date
19-Aug-2026
Business Unit
AGY - NOMS Agency
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
Other
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
20775

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Probation Service Band 6

Job Summary: Deputy Head of Change Delivery at HMPPS.

The change delivery and system team oversee the HMPPS governance for change referred to as the Gateway Management System (GMS). The GMS is used to triage/approve change activity through to delivery and completion.

The Deputy Head of Change Delivery is a senior role that plays a pivotal part in the strategic and operational management of HMPPS change initiatives at an area, prison group and probation regional level.

Working directly to the Head of Change Delivery, this role involves working closely with senior leaders so that their team can drive forward local strategic change priorities whilst overseeing and supporting the successful area implementation of nationally led change projects in alignment with the organisation’s vision and goals.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership: Provide strategic input and oversight for change at an area/prison group/probation regional level using the systems and intelligence available to and maintained by the Change Delivery Team. Contributing to the development of area/regional/group led strategic planning such as business plans, risk management etc as required. Leading or supporting on specific national strategic activity on behalf of all areas/wider change directorate as required.

Team Leadership: Manage and inspire their Change Delivery staff, providing clear guidance and holding them accountable for their roles and responsibilities regarding the Gateway Management System and change management best practice. Lead on recruitment for the team and supporting team development and performance, ensuring that objectives are met, and workloads are managed effectively. Develop a team identity that is built on professional role modelling, inclusivity, consistency of approach and collaborative leadership.

Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the regional probation/prison group face of change delivery, engaging actively with senior stakeholders through reporting, consultation and overseeing tiered change delivery support. Proactively managing local relationships by participating in regional/group/area governance forums and priority change project meetings with internal/external stakeholders including in person in establishments and probation offices. Deputising for the Head of Change Delivery in area/national meetings as required. Providing link between Area and national Change Systems and Delivery colleagues for the purposes of escalation/feedback and providing clear direction to their team.

Compliance: Ensuring compliance with the GMS is a critical aspect of the role. The Deputy Head of Change Delivery will uphold the professional standards within their team confirming we are working according to national expectations as defined in our service level agreement and protocols for GMS and PftW. Ensuring our change reporting is accurate and comprehensive when presented to senior stakeholders or used nationally.

Change Management Excellence: The Deputy Head of Change will ensure their Change Delivery Team utilise best practice methodology in change management through the use of training, continuous professional development and supervision. A flexible tailored approach will be utilised for change delivery based on the tiering principle that resources follow complexity working to nationally defined expectations. By exception, the Deputy Head may lead on or co-manage high priority complex change initiatives.

Performance Monitoring and Reporting: Providing formal reporting at an Area/regional/probation senior leadership level, offering assurance of change load and delivery progress. The Deputy will also use this information to monitor and manage team performance offering assurance of data quality.

Risk Management and Continuous Improvement: The Deputy Head of Change Delivery will build a culture within their team that identifies effective risk management strategies and Continuous Improvement to ensure change is implemented and embedded successfully. Using the methods and systems available to change delivery teams, the Deputy will use reporting outputs to get senior leader engagement. Working with the Change System Team in the ongoing development of the GMS and associated systems/protocols.

Additional Information

In line with our hybrid working policy, employees must be present in the office for at least 60% of their working hours, which generally equates to three days per week. 

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.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service, plus public holidays. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis

Pension

The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF).  Please visit www.gmpf.org.uk for further information.

Please note: Any current Civil Servant who is a member of the PCSPS, by accepting an offer of employment to the National Probation Services will be opted out of the PCSPS and auto enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

Support

  • A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

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.  

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
Candidates can contact Chris Clarke via email: Chris.Clarke1@justice.gov.uk for further information / discussion of role in advance of applying.

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 20775

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 20775

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Changing and Improving
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Leadership
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
Statement of Suitability
Statement of Suitability
Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Please outline why you believe your experience, skills and abilities make you a suitable candidate for the role, referring to the job description and additional role information within the job advert.
Evidence of Experience
Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Face to Face Interviews to take place in Queensway House, The Hedges, St Georges, Worle, BS22 7BB. Dates TBC.
Behaviours
Changing and Improving
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Leadership
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.