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General Information

Salary
£61,201 - £69,338
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
Cross Government
Location
London
Region
London
Closing Date
18-Jul-2025
Post Type
Fixed Term
Civil Service Grade
Grade 7
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
7490

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

About us  

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our service users and colleagues, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice.  We are looking for individuals who are committed to public service and want to make a difference in people’s lives in delivering justice. If you are interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply. 

About the role 

Magistrates form a key part of the justice system and play a critical role in supporting the government to tackle priorities, including addressing the backlog of cases in the criminal courts. The vast majority of criminal cases start in a magistrates’ court and around 95% will be completed there. 

A new and exciting opportunity has arisen to join a newly formed cross-departmental team consisting of officials from MoJ, HMCTS and the Judicial Office.  

Magistrates form a key part of the justice system and play a critical role in supporting the government to tackle priorities including addressing the backlog of cases in the criminal courts. The vast majority of criminal cases start in a magistrates’ court and around 95% will be completed there. 

We are looking for a passionate, resilient, and resourceful individual with experience of working with magistrates to join this new cross-departmental team. The role holder, on behalf of HMCTS, will co-manage our cross-departmental project team working closely with officials from the MoJ and Judicial Office. The team will oversee key Magistrates recruitment reform. The newly formed team will take a holistic approach to recruitment, covering the full process from target setting through to onboarding. 

This comes at a particularly critical juncture: magistrates already hear the majority of criminal cases in England and Wales, as well as many vital family cases, but Ministers have been clear on their ambitions for the lower courts to play a critical role in reducing the crown court back log. As demand increases, pro-actively safeguarding the resilience of the magistrates’ court is a top priority.  

The new cross-departmental team will also be responsible for delivering recommendations already approved by Ministers whilst making further new recommendations as needed. The team will have responsibility for establishing new governance arrangements (including Ministerial reporting) for recruitment; considering how the current recruitment systems can be strengthened and how approved Spending Review money can be utilised to improve such systems / processes.  

Your role as the Senior Magistrates Reform Manager encompasses several key aspects (but not limited to): 

  • Take an active lead on policy development and have oversight of implementation of agreed policies with responsibility for the stage-by-stage review. 
  • Work closely with the marketing team with policy steers to ensure effective campaigns, now and in the future.  
  • Work closely with analysts to establish a multi-year deployment model that will ensure it suits our needs for current forecasted workload but also for outcomes suggested through the independent Review of Criminal Courts. 
  • Working with HMCTS, JO and private office to establish new governance and oversight arrangements. 
  • Leading on broader ad hoc and cross-cutting policy areas including; responsibility for the Lord Chancellor’s Directions for Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace. 
  • Providing high quality, timely and effective advice and briefing to Ministers. 
  • Leading on and supporting engagement with senior officials, stakeholders, and Ministerial Private Offices. This will also include close working with the judiciary and other policy, operational, and legal colleagues across MoJ on a range of related policy issues.   

Who are we looking for? (Person Specification) 

The ideal candidate for this position should demonstrate:  

Essential  

  • A strong understanding of the criminal justice system with experience of working with magistrates 
  • Ability to understand complex issues and communicate them effectively to a range of audiences, including senior officials, ministers and senior judges. 
  • A proven track record of collaborative working. 
  • Ability to think strategically and keep one eye on the bigger picture while maintaining keen attention to detail. 
  • Experience of working in a fast-paced environment, with strong prioritisation skills and a record of delivery projects at pace. 
  • Planning skills, and the ability to drive a portfolio of work. 
  • Ability to understand and analyse large quantities of data to identify and summarise key themes, risks, and implications, and adapt accordingly 
  • Knowledge of the role and governance structures of lay justices (magistrates). 

How to apply  

Application Stage  

Please submit a Statement of Suitability demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria (up to 750 words) 

Please ensure you cover both ‘what’ you do but also ‘how’ you do it. (i.e., the effective skills, knowledge & experience needed to undertake the role) 

Interview Stage 

If successful at sift, you will be invited to attend a remote interview, via Microsoft Teams. During your interview, you will be assessed against the following Civil Service Success Profiles which will include:  

Questions in relation to the following Civil Service behaviours 

  • Working Together 
  • Delivering at Pace 
  • Seeing the Big Picture 
  • Changing and Improving 

Further details  

Working pattern 

This is a full-time position only, due to the nature of the role.  

Travel requirements 

There will be a requirement to travel occasionally to any HMCTS site in line with business needs.  

Location  

The successful candidate will be based at 102 Petty France, London, SW1H 9AJ

Fixed Term Appointments (FTA) on Promotion  

MoJ employees may apply for FTA opportunities in MoJ that are advertised at a higher grade than their current substantive grade. Where an employee accepts an FTA on promotion, this promotion will be temporary, and the employee will revert to their substantive grade upon return to their home business area, as per the loan policy for OGD loans. Before applying, employees must seek approval from their line managers to ensure they can be released for the duration of the FTA and can return to their substantive role at the end. If there is no role available at the end of the FTA, the employee will be subject to redeployment and potentially redundancy procedures. 

About our benefits 

We reward our people for their hard work and commitment. We have a number of family 

friendly and flexible working polices that will help you achieve a healthy work-life balance. In addition, we offer a range of employee benefits which include generous annual leave, a highly competitive contributory pension scheme, childcare benefits, season ticket and bicycle loans. 

Proud to Serve. Proud to keep justice going.

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 7490

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 7490

Application form stage assessments

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 submit a Statement of Suitability demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria (up to 750 words).

Please ensure you cover both ‘what’ you do but also ‘how’ you do it. (i.e., the effective skills, knowledge & experience needed to undertake the role).
Evidence of Experience
Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Expected beginning of August onwards, subject to change
Behaviours
Working Together
Delivering at Pace
Seeing the Big Picture
Changing and Improving
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
DBS Standard