8068 - Deputy Director, Public Bodies Centre of Expertise

Ministry of Justice; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in the UK is looking for a Deputy Director for the Public Bodies Centre of Expertise. You will lead a team of 35, overseeing corporate sponsorship and public appointments, while collaborating across departments to ensure public bodies align with central guidance. The position offers opportunities to gain experience in finance and strategy within a public service context.

Qualifications

• Experience in managing teams and leading cross-departmental collaboration.
• Strong relationship-building skills with senior stakeholders.
• Understanding of public sector governance and appointment processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of 35 people in the Public Bodies Centre of Expertise.
• Oversee corporate sponsorship and conduct reviews of public bodies.
• Manage public appointments and ensure diverse candidate selection.

Job description

As Deputy Director for the Public Bodies Centre of Expertise, you will lead a team of approximately 35 people and directly line manage two G6s. These G6s manage the respective branches of the team:

1. Partnership, Strategy and Reviews – responsible for corporate sponsorship of 19 MoJ-sponsored public bodies and oversight of the sponsorship framework for all 35. This team fosters strong relationships between the department and public bodies, ensuring support and delivery. The MoJ Public Bodies Review team within this branch conducts high-profile reviews to ensure public bodies remain fit for purpose, efficient, and well-governed.
2. Public Appointments – manages the process for about 500 public appointments out of approximately 2,200, overseeing around 40 appointment and reappointment processes at any given time. It also manages the framework for the remaining 1,700 appointments, ensuring the selection of suitable candidates from diverse pools.

The role offers a unique position spanning the organisation, requiring collaboration across departments and Whitehall to ensure MoJ’s public bodies are well-represented and aligned with central guidance, including the Arm’s Length Bodies Sponsorship Code of Good Practice and the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

As Deputy Director, you will build and maintain relationships with Senior Sponsors (Directors General), senior leaders, Chairs and CEOs of public bodies, and colleagues in Cabinet Office and No10.

Sitting within the finance function, you will be an active member of the leadership of the Financial Strategy and Partnerships Directorate and the broader finance team. This role provides an excellent opportunity to gain experience in finance and strategy while working across various corporate functions.