Head of Corporate Service

Ministry of Justice; Wirral; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave

LGPS pension

Training & development

Employee networks

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice is seeking a senior leader to provide strategic direction for Corporate Services across the North West region. You will lead regional business planning, governance, HR, finance, and IT services to support frontline operations and ensure alignment with national policies.

As a member of the Senior Management Team, you will develop short and long-term plans, manage budgets, and drive continuous improvement while engaging with Headquarters and Shared Services.

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership experience in regional corporate services and governance.
• Proven track record in budget management and performance reporting.
• Strong understanding of HR, Finance, Health and Safety and data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead Regional Business Plan development and manage regional risks.
• Ensure corporate governance is embedded and monitored.
• Oversee regional budget delivery and programme spend.
• Direct business partner activity and regional communications.
• Provide strategic leadership for Corporate Services across the region.

Skills

Leadership

Governance

Budget management

Data analysis

Communication

Education

Level 5 Diploma in Business Administration

Tools

MS Office

HR systems

Job description

This post is responsible and accountable for leading and delivering high quality corporate services on behalf of the Regional Probation Director. As a member of the Senior Management Team, the post holder is required to lead effective Business Planning activity and NPS corporate functions, manage and direct business partner activity within the region, and take full responsibility for ensuring critical business services across the region are strategically aligned. This post will be responsible for providing services that directly support front line operational staff. An understanding of the wide range of probation policies and procedures across the organisation is required., The purpose of the role is to manage the delivery of corporate support services on behalf of the Regional Probation Director. The job holder will be accountable for developing and delivering short, medium and long-term strategic business plans for the region, with overall responsibility for implementation. These plans must ensure opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness are proactively pursued. The job holder will put in place appropriate governance arrangements to oversee the delivery of corporate services, identify and manage corporate risks, and escalate any significant issues to the attention of the Regional Probation Director. They will be accountable for ensuring adequate management/financial contracts and processes are in place for the region. Responsible for representing the region in the development, improvement and implementation of collaborative working arrangements for corporate services polices and processes, including engagement with Headquarters and Shared Services. The job holder will directly manage and co-ordinate the activity of Business Managers across the region (including litigation and inquests), and teams responsible for ICT, Complaints, the Divisional Support Hub, Equalities and Staff Engagement to ensure a consistent approach is deployed across all business units. The job holder will also oversee and provide strategic direction for the delivery of functional leadership services such as HR, Finance, Learning and Development, Health and Safety and Business Strategy and Change, to ensure that all corporate services operate effectively across the region.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

• Accountable for the development and delivery of the Regional Business Plan and business risk registers, with overall responsibility for implementation.
• Accountable for ensuing corporate governance is embedded, monitored and reviewed in the region.
• Accountable for delivering all objectives within delegated budget including for specific programmes of work (e.g. regional learning and development budget).
• Monitor and control the overall use of the regional budget, ensuring there are appropriate governance frameworks in place to promote accountability.
• Responsible for ensuring management information systems are in place to monitor, analyse and report on corporate performance across the region identifying operational, resource or organisational issues that may impact on performance or increase business risk e.g. Health and Safety, L&D.
• Lead business partner activity across the region, taking a collaborative approach and ensuring the Regional Probation Director is updated with timely progress reports.
• Lead Business Manager activity across the NPS region ensuring compliance with policy and process in corporate activities.
• Lead the development of regional corporate support systems, policies and processes in response to business need in order to review and assess effective practice in business services.
• Responsible for ensuring the delivery of strategic employee communications utilising a range of techniques to suit the needs of the audience, the message and the objectives of active engagement.
• Provide leadership and management of the Regional Complaints Team ensuring compliance with policy and process.
• Identify opportunities for more efficient delivery of business services and develop proposals to convert those opportunities into new ways of working.
• Ensure effective HR systems are in place to manage and develop staff in line with organisational HR policies and procedures in order to achieve performance objectives and enhance productivity.
• Liaise with staff to receive, collate and analyse corporate performance information, developing systems and compiling reports as necessary.
• Develop and utilise data to identify trends and take appropriate action to maintain and enhance performance.
• Plan, implement and manage systems for the exchange of sensitive information, data and intelligence.
• Accountable for ensuring all risk assessments are undertaken in line with Health and Safety and staff are made aware of their personal responsibility to ensure Health, Safety & Fire compliance.
• Lead a culture within the region that promotes equality and values diversity through the effective development and implementation of systems, policies and processes.
• Providing strategic leadership and direction for Corporate Services across the North West region.
• Supporting the Regional Probation Director and senior leadership team through effective governance, assurance and performance oversight.
• Leading and coordinating key corporate functions, including Workforce, Estates and Facilities Management, Risk, Health and Safety, and other regional priorities, to support safe, effective and consistent operational delivery.
• Working collaboratively with PDU Heads, regional leads and national colleagues to resolve issues, manage risk and drive improvement.
• Ensuring corporate services are responsive to regional priorities, business planning requirements and emerging operational pressures.
• Promoting a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture across the Corporate Services function.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

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). 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, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks. 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. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS 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 HMPPS' Flexible Working policy.

A sift based on the lead behaviour, Leadership, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.

Behavioural Competencies

• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Ability

• The post holder will need to be an influential and visible senior leader, able to confidently engage staff and motivate, challenge and change behaviours. They will need to role model inclusive behaviours and have the communication and influencing skills required to develop effective relationships with staff across the region. They will need to be highly resilient and decisive when making finely balanced judgements. They will need negotiation skills both for reconciling differences in opinion between senior leaders within the region and managing competing demands for limited resources.
• The post holder will need to have significant corporate expertise and awareness, understanding both the vision of the wider NPS and HMPPS. They will need to manage the impact of decisions and actions on the reputation of the organisation and maintain financial and political awareness when making decisions.

Experience

• Detailed understanding and extensive experience of the wide range of probation procedures and policies both operationally and at HQ.
• Extensive experience of delegated budget management, business planning, business risk management, senior management, leading and delivering change programmes, and data analysis.
• Significant understanding of Equalities and Health and Safety legislation, and all other relevant legislation.

Technical

• Level 5 Degree/Diploma in Business Administration or equivalent or equivalent professional/managerial qualification or willingness to study for such.

Eligibility

• 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.

Benefits

• Annual Leave – Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years' service, plus public holidays. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
• Pension – The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF). Please visit www.gmpf.org.uk for further information. Please note: Any current Civil Servant who is a member of the PCSPS, by accepting an offer of employment to the National Probation Services will be opted out of the PCSPS and auto enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• 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.

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:

To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5358 (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)

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.

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'.