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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £41,463 - £45,276 London salary range is £47,657 - £52,040 Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Part Time
Vacancy Approach
Internal
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
16-Jul-2025
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
SEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
7419

Descriptions & requirements

Job description
Ministry of Justice: Public Bodies Centre of Expertise

Role

Senior Public Appointments Manager, Public Appointments Team

Group / Directorate

MoJ Public Bodies Centre of Expertise, Chief Operating Officer Group (COOG)

Reports to

Deputy Head of the Public Appointments Team

Location

National by default. The team is based in 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 and occasional travel to this site will be required.

Full / Part Time

This is a full-time role (37 hours). Any requests for alternative working patterns, including part time and job share, will be considered in line with business needs and accommodated where possible.

Contract Type

Permanent

Background to the Team


This is an exciting opportunity to deliver the public appointments that contribute to the achievement of Ministerial and Departmental priorities for services provided by and through the department’s public bodies.

Our public bodies deliver services that are critical to people’s lives from public protection to supporting the vulnerable and contributing to the effective running of the justice system. It is vital that each body is led by strong, effective, and diverse public appointees who reflect the societies they serve.

By joining the Public Appointments Team (PAT), you will play a key role in the leadership of the team and contributing to policy, and in supporting Ministers to make high quality appointments to the Boards of public bodies. Appointments are governed by the Governance Code for Public Appointments - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and the process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 

PAT is part of the MoJ’s Public Bodies Centre of Expertise (PB CoE). The PB CoE helps drive forward the department’s strategic and operational relationship with our public bodies and assure the delivery of services in line with ministerial priorities, the outcome delivery plan and the government’s public bodies strategy.

Key Responsibilities

This role is varied and provides fantastic opportunities to develop new, or strengthen existing, skills and competences, and engage with a varied and senior stakeholder network.

Stakeholder management

In delivering high quality public appointments you will work across MoJ and in partnership with our public bodies, you will regularly engage with senior stakeholders including Directors General, the Permanent Secretary and Ministers, as well as public body Chairs and Chief Executives.  You will also have regular contact with panel members from all walks of life including the judiciary and those in senior roles in the law, business and the third sector. 

There is regular interaction with other Government Departments including Cabinet Office and No.10.  The role requires strategic and political awareness, and strong stakeholder management skills, including the ability to deliver difficult messages The post holder will need to be flexible, proactive, and agile, with creative, stakeholder management, and communication skills.

Campaign work

Campaign work requires project management, strategic thinking, excellent drafting and a strong customer/delivery ethos.  You will manage high profile and significant MoJ public appointment recruitment campaigns, applying and interpreting the Governance Code, from the planning stages to Ministerial agreement of appointees. You will navigate complex and at times delicately balanced stakeholder relationships, proactively manage competing priorities, work collaboratively and to tight deadlines. You may also support the production of statistics relating to public appointment campaigns.

Diversity and Candidate Search


  • You will be expected to remain alert to opportunities to implement changes to the public appointments process that will enhance customer satisfaction, increase diversity in public appointments in MoJ, and improve the timeliness of campaigns.  
  • This may include supporting and developing our diversity and candidate search work, to expand our stakeholder networks and offer tailored outreach and social media strategies.  Identification of strong and diverse potential candidates is an important and growing area of our work and we are keen to develop our diversity strategy to ensure our public bodies fully reflect society.

Leadership and wider directorate work

You will play a key role in the shared leadership, of the PAT, and deliver joint leadership to support and embed a culture of excellence. In particular you may line manage one or more HEOs Finally, as a values-driven directorate, we have a strong focus on delivering meaningful change outside of our core deliverables and place a strong emphasis on staff development, collaboration and wellbeing. As a member of the team, you may be required to provide policy and/or change capability to ensure continuous improvement of the service provided to stakeholders and the efficiency of the public appointments process. You will also be expected to take on additional corporate activities and be invited to join our staff engagement groups.

If you believe you have the skills profile to join us, we look forward to hearing from you.

Person Specification

We are looking for someone who can:

  • confidently plan and deliver successful and timely multiple projects and/or programmes;
  • show a commitment to collaborative working;
  • manage, motivate and develop others;
  • solve problems, deal with challenges and deliver competing priorities under pressure using strong organisational skills;
  • provide robust challenge and scrutiny, and exercise due diligence with a keen eye for detail;
  • accurately analyse data on public appointments in the MoJ and confidently report on findings to propose informed changes
  • confidently engage with senior officials and develop and motivate a network of stakeholder relationships;
  • communicate well and accurately both verbally and in writing, including when under tight time pressure;
  • embed a strong customer service ethos and excellent delivery, including a strong commitment to equality and diversity; and
  • define success metrics and implement, track and report on these.

Desirable criteria

We may consider any evidence within the application form that demonstrates meeting the desirable criteria as set out in the job description. This will only be after essential criteria is scored and where there is a need to differentiate between closely scored candidates.

Assessment Process:

Applicants will be assessed using success profiles, through a blended approach of both behaviours and strengths.  To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please visit Success Profiles - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Application form stage

Behaviour

  • Delivering at Pace (lead behaviour) – 250 word example

Experience

  • Statement of Suitability - 750 word limit – Please set out your experience in relation to the person specification above.

Interview stage

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.

Behaviours

  • Delivering at Pace (Lead behaviour)
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Developing Self and Others

Strengths

  • Strengths will also be assessed at interview, but these are not shared in advance.

If you would like to take the opportunity to discuss the role in further detail, please contact Ashley Holliday Ashley.holliday@justice.gov.uk


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). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

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: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale.  This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity). 

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

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.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours 

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ 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 MoJ’s 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.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension 

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

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 employees.

Eligibility

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

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.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:

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 7419

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

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
Delivering at Pace
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 refer to the Person Specification in the job description.
Evidence of Experience
Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Expected early to mid August
Behaviours
Delivering at Pace
Communicating and Influencing
Managing a Quality Service
Developing Self and Others
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.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Level of security checks required
Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS)