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This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.

General Information

Working Pattern
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
Cross Government
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
03-Jun-2026
Post Type
Expression of Interest
Civil Service Grade
SCS 3
Number of jobs available
1
Job ID
17967

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

The Director General Probation (DG Probation) is the senior operational authority responsible for leading, stabilising and transforming the Probation Service across England and Wales. The role provides end-to-end leadership for a service of c. 21,000 FTE staff, responsible for the supervision, assessment and rehabilitation of offenders in the community and the effective management of risk.

This DG Probation role provides the Probation Service with the singular, dedicated leadership it requires at a time of unprecedented operational demand, national scrutiny and structural change. The Probation Service is simultaneously facing significant performance pressures, workforce challenges, rising caseload complexity, and must implement a major transformation programme in response to the Independent Sentencing review and forthcoming changes arising from the Sentencing Act. The DG Probation role brings together operational delivery and system transformation into one leadership post, ensuring the clear accountability for performance sits alongside the strategic redesign of how probation operates. 

The postholder will ensure that the Probation Service maintains resilience and professional standards, while overseeing the transformation required to modernise risk assessment, digital systems, case management, workforce capability and the delivery of rehabilitative interventions. As a member of HMPPS Leadership Team, DG Probation plays a critical role in shaping organisational strategy, advising Ministers and senior officials, and ensuring Probation’s needs are understood and appropriately prioritised across MoJ and HMPPS. 

As a member of HMPPS Leadership Team, this role is essential to shaping organisational strategy, advising Ministers and senior officials, and ensuring Probation’s needs are understood and appropriately prioritised across MoJ and HMPPS. 

Please see attached candidate pack for further details.

Additional Information

Terms of Appointment: 

  • 9 month appointment
  • Level/Temporary Promotion
  • This role is being offered on a temporary basis for an anticipated period of 9 months.
  • The successful candidate will return to their home business unit at the end of the period.

Eligibility - You cannot apply if you were recruited via one of the following options: 

  • Via exceptions 1-4 of the CS Commission’s Recruitment Principles - this means you were not recruited via open and fair competition.
  • If you are a Contractor or Agency worker - this is because you are not a substantive civil servant.
  • If you are seconded into the MoJ from an outside (non-Civil Service) organisation.
  • If you are on Loan into MoJ (including Executive Agencies)

Contact Information
If you require any assistance please contact us on scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk. Please quote the job reference in your email to enable us to support you more quickly.

Application form stage assessments

Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Experience Questions, Statement of Suitability
Experience Questions Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Statement of Suitability
Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Your Personal Statement (no more than 750 words) should explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the 'person specification' sections
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Experience Questions, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
From w/c Mon 8th June
Experience
Your Experience for this role will be assessed at interview. To learn more about Experience and how they are assessed please click here.
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
Experience Questions

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?
Presentation
Level of security checks required
DBS Standard
Security Clearance (SC)

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.