Central Secretariat Team Manager

Ministry of Justice; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice invites applications for a high-profile governance role based in Birmingham with national scope. You will lead the Central Secretariat Team, ensuring planning, quality papers, and timely minutes across the OPG Board and Executive Committee.

You will work closely with senior leaders and Chairs to align governance with organisational priorities. This role offers hybrid working and significant exposure to strategic governance across MoJ and OPG, with opportunities to

Qualifications

• Experience of leading, supporting or developing colleagues.
• Ability to manage governance documentation and minutes.
• Strong interpersonal skills with senior stakeholders.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to deliver under deadlines.
• Proven written communication skills for governance records and briefings.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Central Secretariat team and end-to-end Board secretariat duties.
• Coordinate papers, agendas and meeting schedules for Board and Committees.
• Maintain governance records, decision logs and accurate minutes.

Skills

Leadership and people management

Quality Assurance

Senior stakeholder management

Organisation and delivery

Written communication

Judgement and constructive challenge

Digital capability

Microsoft 365

Tools

Microsoft 365

Job description

The successful candidate will join the OPG Central Secretariat Team, based in Birmingham, although the role can be undertaken from any national location. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a small team working at the heart of OPG's corporate governance arrangements. The postholder will manage the delivery of high-quality secretariat support to OPG's senior Boards and Committees, including the OPG Board and Executive Committee, working closely with the Public Guardian, Deputy Directors, Non-Executive Directors, Committee Chairs, the Public Guardian's Private Office and colleagues across the organisation. The role will provide leadership and oversight of the Central Secretariat Team, ensuring meetings are effectively planned and supported, papers are of a consistently high standard, decisions and actions are clearly recorded and followed through, and governance arrangements operate effectively. The postholder will also work with Chairs and senior stakeholders to develop forward plans and ensure Board and Committee business is focused on organisational priorities. The role provides excellent exposure to the breadth of work undertaken across OPG and an opportunity to develop strong relationships with senior leaders across the organisation. It offers a unique insight into the discussions and decisions that shape OPG's strategic direction and support the effective delivery of services to our customers.

• Act as the lead secretariat and governance contact for the OPG Board, taking responsibility for the end-to-end planning and delivery of Board business and working closely with the Chair, Chief Executive, Non-Executive Directors and senior leaders to develop forward plans, agendas and meeting schedules, coordinate high-quality papers and ensure effective follow-up of decisions and actions.
• Provide dedicated and professional support to Non-Executive Directors, Board and Committee Chairs and senior leaders, building effective relationships and responding confidently to sensitive or high-profile issues.
• Oversee the commissioning, coordination and quality assurance of Board and Committee papers, constructively challenging authors where papers do not meet required standards or governance requirements.
• Ensure governance processes comply with OPG, MoJ and Cabinet Office requirements, identifying governance risks and escalating issues where necessary.
• Maintain accurate governance records and decision logs, ensuring a clear audit trail of decisions, actions and approvals.
• Produce and quality assure accurate, concise and timely minutes, decision records, Chair's briefs and other governance documentation.
• Maintain oversight of decisions and actions arising from senior governance meetings, proactively following up with action owners and escalating overdue or significant matters where appropriate.
• Maintain and coordinate forward plans and annual meeting cycles, anticipating future requirements and ensuring appropriate sequencing of business across OPG's governance structure.
• Support the maintenance and regular review of Terms of Reference, membership, governance records and other key governance documentation.
• Line manage EO grade staff, taking responsibility for individual and team performance of staff, allocating work effectively, managing team and individual performance by setting clear expectations and providing quality assurance, coaching and support.
• Promote consistent standards and ways of working across the Central Secretariat team, ensuring resilience and effective cover across Boards and Committees.
• Identify and implement opportunities to continuously improve secretariat and governance processes, drawing on good practice and feedback from Chairs, members and senior stakeholders.
• Drive the effective use of Microsoft 365 and other governance tools to improve document management, action tracking, reporting and meeting administration.
• Handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately and exercise sound judgement when dealing with senior stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Any other duties commensurate with the HEO grade, as required.

Agreed expectations

The successful candidate will be expected to work from their base location on a weekly basis in line with current Civil Service requirements, outside of any reasonable adjustments. This role may include some travel to MoJ / OPG sites.

Statement of suitability

Statement of Suitability of no more than 1000 words, to demonstrate your experience against the essential skills required for this role.

Interview process

• Strengths relevant to the role
• The following Behaviours at Level 3 (HEO): + Leadership + Communicating and Influencing + Delivering at Pace

Hybrid working arrangements

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 role: 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.

Lead criteria

• Leadership and people management: Experience of leading, supporting or developing colleagues, with the ability to allocate and prioritise work, maintain high standards and build an effective team. Lead Criteria
• Quality Assurance and attention to detail: Demonstrate ability to maintain high level of accuracy and quality when managing governance documentation, meeting records and senior correspondence.
• Senior stakeholder management: Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the confidence and judgement to build effective relationships with senior leaders, Board/Committee Chairs, Non-Executive Directors and other stakeholders.
• Organisation and delivery: Excellent organisational skills, with demonstrable experience of managing competing priorities, planning and delivering high-quality work to tight and changing deadlines. Lead Criteria
• Written communication: Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to understand complex discussions and information and produce clear, concise and accurate minutes, briefings and governance records.
• Judgement and constructive challenge: The ability to assess information critically, identify gaps or issues and provide appropriate challenge to colleagues and senior stakeholders while maintaining effective working relationships.
• Digital capability: Strong working knowledge of Microsoft 365, with the ability to use and champion digital tools to improve document management, action tracking, meeting administration and information governance, ensuring efficient and effective ways of working.

Desirable skills

• Experience of working within a corporate governance, Board Secretariat or senior leadership environment.
• Experience of supporting Non-Executive Directors or equivalent senior independent stakeholders.
• Experience of improving governance, secretariat or administrative processes.

Office of the Public Guardian (OPG)

Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance. We are an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), set up in 2007 following the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act of 2005. OPG is responsible for registering lasting powers of attorney (LPA) and enduring powers of attorney (EPA) and supervising deputies who are appointed by the Court of Protection. OPG is a disability confident employer and is committed to developing a supportive and inclusive environment that reflects the diverse community we serve. OPG is currently delivering an ambitious transformation programme. This will change the way we provide services and help us meet the growing needs of our users, partners and our stakeholders. It will make sure our users experience a better level of support and will help us to respond to the changing needs of society. 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.

Salary

The national salary range is £35,335- £37,847. London salary range is £40,014 - £42,859. Your salary will be dependent on your base location.

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‑ratio 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.

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.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.

Complaints and appeals

• To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [e-mail]);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([e-mail]);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

Equal opportunity and diversity

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. A Great Place to Work for Veterans: The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.