Senior Female Offender Policy Adviser

Ministry of Justice; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Flexible working

Pension schemes

Training & development

Job summary

Ministry of Justice in the UK is seeking a Senior Policy Adviser for the Female Offender Policy Team to support policy development and delivery aimed at reducing women in custody and improving outcomes for women in the justice system.

You will work with colleagues across MoJ, HMPPS and other departments, preparing clear advice for Ministers and senior leaders, and building relationships with stakeholders across government and the sector.

Qualifications

• Strong policy skills, including ability to gather and interpret evidence, identify key issues and develop clear options and recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, producing clear, concise advice, briefings and updates.
• Good stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills across government and external partners.
• Strong organisational skills with ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Sound judgement, curiosity and confidence to identify risks, issues and opportunities.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a supportive team and contribute to an inclusive culture.
• Some experience of working in criminal justice or gender policy.

Responsibilities

• Support development and delivery of policy options and ministerial advice.
• Prepare clear briefings for Ministers and senior leaders.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the justice system and wider government.
• Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Skills

Policy analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Written communication

Organisational skills

Judgement & initiative

Teamwork

Criminal justice policy experience

Job description

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

The national salary range is £42,914 - £46,182, London salary range is £49,325 - £53,081. Your salary will be dependent on your base location

Working Pattern

Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working

Vacancy Approach

Cross Government

Location

Leeds, London

Region

London, Yorkshire and the Humber

Closing Date

21-Sep-2026

Post Type

Permanent

SEO

Number of jobs available

1

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

21885

Descriptions & requirements

The Work ofFemale Offender PolicyTeam

The Female Offender Policy Team, within the Youth Justice and Offender Policy Directorate, leads the cross-system agenda to reduce the number of women in custody and improve outcomes for women in the criminal justice system. Women make up a small proportion of the prison population, but their pathways into offending, experiences of the system and needs often differ significantly from men’s. Addressing these distinct drivers requires a strategic, evidence-led approach across the criminal justice system.

The Government is committed to reducing the number of women in custody, with strong ministerial interest in building the understanding, partnerships and policy levers needed to support long-term reform. This is a pivotal moment to have an impact on the future direction of policy to improve outcomes for women in contact with the criminal justice system.

Our team is friendly, supportive and high-performing. We work closely with colleagues across MoJ, HMPPS, other government departments and the voluntary and community sector to develop and deliver policy that responds to women’s needs and supports better outcomes.

Senior Policy Adviser – Female Offenders Policy - the role

As a Senior Policy Adviser in the Female Offender Policy Team, you will support important and varied policy work to help reduce the number of women in custody and improve outcomes for women in the criminal justice system. You will develop your understanding of the evidence, policy and operational landscape, and contribute to work that supports ministerial priorities in this area.

The role will involve supporting the development and delivery of policy options, helping to prepare clear advice for Ministers and senior leaders, and working collaboratively with colleagues across the justice system and wider government. You will need to be organised, adaptable and comfortable working with some ambiguity, while knowing when to seek steers from senior colleagues. You will also help build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Depending on portfolio allocation, postholders may work across areas such as:

• Women's justice reform and cross-government strategy.
• Community provision, diversion and commissioning/funding.
• Female estate demand and capacity policy.

Skills and Experience

We are looking for candidates with excellent policy, analytical and communication skills who are keen to work in a complex and high-profile area. You will need to be able to use evidence, communicate clearly and work collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders.

We are interested in candidates who can demonstrate sound judgement, curiosity, strong organisational skills and a willingness to learn and contribute to a supportive team culture.

• Strong policy skills, including the ability to gather and interpret evidence, identify key issues and develop clear options and recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise advice, briefings and updates for different audiences.
• Good stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills, with the ability to build productive relationships across teams, government and with external partners.
• Strong organisational skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities, support delivery of projects or policy portfolios, and produce high-quality work to deadlines.
• Sound judgement, curiosity and confidence to identify risks, issues and opportunities, escalating where appropriate.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a supportive team, contributing to an inclusive and positive working culture.
• Some experience of working in criminal justice or gender policy.

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

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 roles:

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.

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.

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

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-rata 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.

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

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. 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.

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 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.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos .

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'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Female Offenders SEO JD Final.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

Please provide a Statement of Suitability of no more than 750 words stating what you would bring to the role, with reference to the Skills and Experience listed.

Evidence of Experience

CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates

Expected October 2026

Behaviours

Seeing the Big Picture

Communicating and Influencing

Delivering at Pace

Making Effective Decisions

Strengths

Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here .

Level of security checks required

Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS)

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 ourcandidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.