6875 - Deputy Director, Criminal Appeals Policy & Miscarriages of Justice

Ministry of Justice; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice seeks a Deputy Director to lead the Criminal Appeals Policy and Miscarriages of Justice division, responsible for high-profile policy issues affecting the criminal justice system. Candidates should demonstrate exceptional political judgement and strong leadership skills, inspiring inclusivity while navigating complex challenges.

Qualifications

• Ability to develop policy collaboratively under time pressure.
• Excellent communication skills to inspire confidence.
• Strong leadership with strategic vision.

Responsibilities

• Set and oversee strategic work programmes in Criminal Justice.
• Drive reforms and policy advice on miscarriages of justice.
• Lead a team of approximately 21 staff and manage the budget.

Skills

Political judgement

Leadership

Communication

Inclusiveness

Data appreciation

Job description

Full Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working

Vacancy Approach

External

Location

Leeds, London

Region

London, Yorkshire and the Humber

Closing Date

30-Jun-2025

Post Type

Permanent

SCS 1

Number of jobs available

1

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

6875

Descriptions & requirements

Our directorate sits within the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) Policy Group and we are at the heart of the department’s policy agenda. We are responsible for policy on the Criminal Justice System and Criminal courts, as well as projects related to the effectiveness of courts and tribunals across Criminal, Family and Civil jurisdictions. Our focus is ensuring justice is delivered swiftly and effectively so that people are treated fairly and have confidence in the justice system.

Miscarriages of justice are rare but devastating to those who are affected. They also undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system. The work of the Criminal Appeals Policy and Miscarriages of Justice division directly changes the lives of those who have suffered miscarriages of justice, and the focus is to actively prevent future wrongful convictions. The division is made up of both policy and casework teams and includes the Miscarriages of Justice Application Service (MOJAS) where individuals can apply for compensation if they have suffered a miscarriage of justice.

We are recruiting a Deputy Director to take on the leadership of the division. This is a high-profile area generating significant ministerial, media and parliamentary interest and the successful candidate will have the opportunity to play a central role in responding to our ministers’ priorities.

Reporting into the Director for Criminal Justice and Courts, your responsibilities will be:

• To set and oversee a strategic work programme for the team which reflects political priorities, working closely with Special Advisers, press and private offices and with ministers as well as with operational and policy senior leaders.
• Continue delivery of the implementation of legislation overturning Post Office Horizon convictions.
• Drive reform through the ongoing development and delivery of miscarriages of justice policy advice.
• Provide senior policy sponsorship of Criminal Cases Review Commission and the Andrew Malkinson Inquiry.
• Build strong and effective relationship building across functions, departmental boundaries and with operational partners, including HMCTS and the Police.
• Represent the MoJ at senior levels with senior partners, including the judiciary, as well as with the centre of Government, including HM Treasury, the Cabinet Office and No10. This will include regularly presenting to large official meetings of very senior stakeholders within the Civil Service (Director General level and above).
• Management of the allocated budget and leadership, support and upskilling of a team of approximately 21 staff from AO to Grade 6.
• Contribute to the wider corporate landscape in the MoJ and, as part of the CJCD senior leadership team, have collective responsibility of corporate issues and decisions which impact the directorate.

For more information on the key responsibilities for this role, please refer to the Candidate Information Pack attached to this advert.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity .

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 .

For those interested in finding out more about the role, we encourage applicants to attend the information session on Friday 20th June, 3-4pm.
Laura Weight, Director for Criminal Justice and Courts Policy, and an HR Lead will be present to discuss the position in more depth, as well as provide information about what you can expect while working in The Ministry of Justice Policy Group.
The session will also give you the chance to ask any questions you may have before applying to the role. To attend the session please join using this link:

If you require any assistance please contact us [e-mail] . Please quote the job reference in your email to enable us to support you more quickly.

Job Description Attachment

Accessible Candidate Information Pack Miscarriage of Justice.docx(Job Description Supporting Documents 2)

Candidate Pack - DD Criminal Appeals Policy and Miscarriages of Justice.docx(Job Description Attachment)

We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods

CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Statement of Suitability

Guidance for the Statement of Suitability

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the below in their Statement of Suitability:Essential criteria• The ability to develop policy collaboratively with a wide variety of stakeholders under significant time pressures, and navigate high-profile policy issues with ministerial, parliamentary or media interest while demonstrating exceptional political judgement.• The ability to work with Ministers or senior stakeholders to navigate complex policy issues, confidently influencing competing perspectives whilst maintaining resilience under pressure.• Excellent leadership skills with strategic vision and high levels of integrity, able to inspire staff, foster engagement and build capability to deliver results.• Excellent communication skills and the ability to articulate a vision and inspire confidence in those around them.• The ability to inspire inclusiveness and contribute to a culture that recognises and makes use of diverse experiences and values.• A strong appreciation of the role of data and evidence to inform policy development.Desirable criteria• Experience of casework.

Evidence of Experience

CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates

Assessments: 14th July, Interviews week commencing 28th July

Behaviours

Seeing the Big Picture

Making Effective Decisions

Leadership

Communicating and Influencing

Working Together

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?

SEE

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.