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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £54,148, London salary range is £57,580 - £59,366. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
Internal
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
15-Sep-2026
Business Unit
Prison Estate Transformation Programme
Post Type
Fixed Term, Detached Duty, Loan
Civil Service Grade
SEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
21694

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Introduction to the role

Help shape the future delivery of prison services across England and Wales.

This is a unique opportunity to join the Private Prison Expiry & Operator Competitions Team, supporting the delivery of some of the most high-profile and complex prison operator competitions in Government.

Initially aligned to the team's Continuous Improvement (CI) workstream, with opportunities to support live competitions and mobilisation activity, you will play a key role in helping the programme work smarter by identifying opportunities to improve processes, simplify ways of working, embed lessons learned, and drive innovation across the team and wider organisation. You will be encouraged to explore and implement digital, automation and AI-enabled solutions that improve efficiency, collaboration and delivery outcomes.

This is not a traditional project management role. Whilst you will contribute to governance, planning and delivery activities, the role is heavily focused on stakeholder engagement, business improvement, problem-solving and collaboration. You will work alongside colleagues from across HMPPS, the Ministry of Justice and external organisations to design solutions, influence decision-making and deliver meaningful change.

Alongside supporting live competitions and mobilisation activity, you may also take ownership of a cross-cutting thematic area, helping to shape the team's approach to key priorities, develop expertise, and drive programme-wide improvements.

Why join us?

This role offers the opportunity to:

  • Influence nationally significant programmes that will help shape the future delivery of prison services.
  • Work with senior stakeholders across HMPPS, MoJ and external organisations.
  • Lead meaningful improvement initiatives that have a tangible impact on delivery.
  • Explore innovative approaches, including the use of digital tools, automation and AI.
  • Develop expertise across operational, commercial, strategic and change-focused activities.
  • Make a visible contribution within a fast-paced and supportive team environment.

This role would suit someone who enjoys solving complex problems, building strong stakeholder relationships, driving continuous improvement and turning ideas into practical solutions.

Key Responsibilities for the Role (from the Job Description)

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

  1. Day to day management of the project, project theme or workstream.
  2. Ensures project delivers to quality, time and budget within agreed tolerances.
  3. Prepare appropriate project documentation in conjunction with any Project Assurance roles and agree them with Project Boards.
  4. Plan, monitor and control the project in order to achieve programme/project objectives.
  5. Create a mechanism to identify, measure and report risks and mitigation.
  6. Ensure that progress is appropriately reported, controlled and maintained.
  7. Identify the resources and processes necessary to deliver each stage of the project's lifecycle.
  8. Responsibility for change control and any configuration management.
  9. Act as a central point of contact and source of information for stakeholders.
  10. Prepare and report to the Project Board through Highlight Reports or other relevant documentation.
  11. Help lead and motivate the project management team.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Whilst the responsibilities above are aligned to the Project Delivery profession, this role applies them within a unique environment that combines prison operator competitions, continuous improvement, stakeholder engagement and business change.

Dedicated Project Delivery and PMO colleagues support formal project controls, programme governance, project planning and reporting. As a result, a significant proportion of your time will be spent working collaboratively with stakeholders, shaping solutions and driving improvements across the programme.

Examples of day-to-day activities include:

  • Leading or supporting workstreams, thematic areas and improvement initiatives that cut across multiple competitions and projects.
  • Identifying opportunities to improve ways of working, simplify processes, embed lessons learned and deliver sustainable change.
  • Supporting innovation projects and exploring the use of digital tools, automation and AI-enabled solutions to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Building trusted relationships with stakeholders across HMPPS, MoJ, Commercial, Legal, Contract Management, operational prison teams, suppliers and external partners.
  • Bringing together stakeholders with different priorities and perspectives to solve problems and achieve shared outcomes.
  • Supporting the design and refinement of competition processes, service requirements and bidder-facing documentation.
  • Engaging subject matter experts to ensure competition requirements, service expectations and evaluation approaches reflect operational needs and organisational priorities.
  • Managing Requests for Information (RFI) processes, ensuring information is gathered, validated and shared effectively.
  • Producing governance papers, briefings and recommendations to support informed decision-making by senior leaders and programme boards.
  • Monitoring delivery progress, dependencies, risks and issues, and working with colleagues to identify practical solutions.
  • Supporting evaluation and moderation activities as part of prison operator competitions.
  • Communicating progress, risks, issues and recommendations to stakeholders in a clear and engaging manner.
  • Deputising for senior colleagues when required and contributing to the development of wider programme priorities and strategy.

The duties and responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and are not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and will be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

SELECTION PROCESS

This vacancy is using the Civil Service Success Profiles framework and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience. Further information on Success Profiles can be found on the GOV.UK Success Profiles page.

The selection process will consist of two stages:

SIFT

We will assess candidates against the following Success Profile behaviours:

  • Delivering at Pace (Lead Behaviour)
  • Working Together
  • Making Effective Decisions

When completing your behaviour statements (500 words), we recommend using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format to clearly demonstrate your experience and contribution.

Please ensure you provide specific examples which demonstrate your personal role, actions and impact.

In the event of a large number of applications, the initial sift may be conducted on the lead behaviour, Delivering at Pace.

INTERVIEW

Candidates who are successful at sift will be invited to attend an interview, which will consist of:

Behaviour Questions

The following behaviours will be assessed:

  • Delivering at Pace 
  • Working Together
  • Making Effective Decisions

Strengths Assessment

You will also be assessed against a number of strengths relevant to the role.

Strengths are the things that motivate you, that you enjoy doing and that you do well. Unlike behaviour questions, strengths questions are designed to capture your instinctive response, so we do not expect candidates to provide detailed STAR examples. Instead, we are interested in understanding how you naturally approach situations and what energises you.

Presentation

As part of the interview process, candidates will be required to deliver a short presentation.

The presentation topic and any associated instructions will be provided to candidates who are invited to interview. The presentation will be designed to assess skills and experience relevant to the role.

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: 21694

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: 21694

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
500
Delivering at Pace
Working Together
Making Effective Decisions

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Expected: October 2026
Behaviours
Delivering at Pace
Working Together
Making Effective Decisions
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.

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?
Presentation
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.