24028 - Deputy Director, Criminal Justice System Strategy and Reform (Job Share)

Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB); Deputy (IN); On-site; USD 107,000 - 147,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice is seeking a senior leader to headline the Criminal Justice System Strategy and Reform Directorate. You will shape a shared vision, align priorities, and provide strategic oversight across multiple agencies to improve system performance.

You will lead a team of 15–20, work with ministers and senior officials, and drive cross‑system policy including devolution and SR27 readiness.

Qualifications

• Strong track record of providing visible, inclusive and supportive leadership in a complex environment.
• Experience translating strategic ambitions into practical programmes with ownership and risk management.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills to advise ministers/senior officials and align partners.
• Experience integrating policy, operational, analytical, financial and stakeholder perspectives to support decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Provide visible and inclusive leadership across the Directorate and a team of ~15–20 FTE.
• Lead development and delivery of a shared vision, strategy and outcomes for the criminal justice system.
• Combine political priorities, evidence and long-term trends to inform strategic choices.
• Advise ministers and senior officials on complex cross‑system issues, including risks and trade‑offs.
• Build trusted relationships with senior leaders across MoJ, Home Office, and partners.
• Develop a horizon scanning and insights function for emerging challenges and opportunities.
• Lead cross‑system work to prepare for SR27.
• Lead cross‑CJS policy development on devolution.

Skills

Leadership in complex environments

translating strategic priorities into

Communication & influence

Cross‑organisational collaboration

Job description

Job ID: 24028

Location: Leeds, London

Region: London, North East

Closing Date: 21-Nov-2026

Post Type: Permanent

Civil Service Grade: SCS 1

Number of jobs available: 1

Reserve List: 12 months

Job Description

The Criminal Justice System Strategy and Reform Directorate provides strategic leadership to make the criminal justice system work better as a whole. It connects partners, develops a shared system view, supports evidence‑led prioritisation, surfaces and resolves cross‑system issues, and creates the conditions for departments and agencies to deliver reform effectively. We're a relatively new, small team, with two Deputy Director‑led divisions.

This is a senior leadership role at the heart of the Government's work to strengthen collective leadership across the criminal justice system.

The role will evolve over time, as we organise ourselves to align with the emerging priorities of the Government, but priorities are likely to include:

• Leading the development and implementation of a shared vision, strategy and outcomes for the Criminal Justice System;
• Building a whole‑system view of performance, demand, capacity, risk and delivery;
• Leading cross‑CJS preparations for the next Spending Review;
• Using data, analysis and operational insight to inform strategic choices;
• Supporting devolution and place‑based reform from a whole system perspective.

The portfolio will be managed flexibly between the job‑share partners, allowing each partner to bring their experience and strengths while ensuring clear, seamless and resilient leadership.

You will be a key member of the Directorate's senior leadership team collectively responsible for its strategy, people, culture, resources and corporate contribution to the Ministry of Justice.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing visible and inclusive leadership across the Directorate, and in particular a team of ~15‑20 FTE, setting clear priorities and creating the conditions for teams to perform at their best.
• Leading development and delivery of a shared vision, strategy and outcomes for the criminal justice system.
• Bringing together political priorities, evidence, operational insight and longer‑term trends to support coherent strategic choices.
• Advising ministers and senior officials on complex cross‑system issues, including priorities, dependencies, risks and trade‑offs.
• Building trusted relationships with senior leaders across the Ministry of Justice, Home Office, Attorney General’s Office, criminal justice agencies, the judiciary, policing and other partners.
• Leading work to develop a CJS horizon scanning and insights function so that the system is better prepared for emerging challenges and opportunities.
• Leading cross‑system work to prepare for SR27.
• Leading cross‑CJS policy development on devolution.

Essential Experience

• Lead Criteria: A strong track record of providing visible, inclusive and supportive leadership in a complex environment, setting a clear direction and enabling multidisciplinary teams to deliver high‑quality outcomes. A track record of doing this in the criminal justice system is highly desirable.
• Experience of translating strategic ambitions or political priorities into clear outcomes, practical programmes of work and deliverable plans, with effective arrangements for ownership, sequencing, risk management and review.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the credibility to advise ministers or senior officials, present complex issues clearly, build a persuasive shared narrative and encourage partners to act collectively across organisational or professional boundaries, including where you do not have direct authority.
• Experience of bringing together policy, operational, analytical, financial and stakeholder perspectives to provide rigorous advice and support decision‑making.

Additional Information

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.

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.

Contact Information

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

Job Description Attachment

• (SCS1) Deputy Director CJSSR Candidate Information Pack.docx (Job Description Attachment)

Level Of Security Checks Required

Security Clearance (SC)

Use of Artificial Intelligence

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 our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

References

• https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-plan-2024-2027
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-diversity-and-inclusion-strategy-2022-to-2025