Senior Policy Adviser on Child Proceedings Policy - Reading, Berkshire

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

Salary

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

31-Jul-2026

Post Type

Detached Duty, Loan

Civil Service Grade

SEO

Number of jobs available

1

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

19855

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Senior Policy Adviser on Child Proceedings Policy

SEO

Civil, Family, Tribunals, and Administration of Justice Directorate

The Civil, Family, Tribunals, and Administration of Justice Directorate is recruiting temporarily for SEO Senior Policy Adviser on Child Proceedings Policy. This campaign is open to current civil servants on level transfer and suitable candidates on promotion.

The role is being offered on Detached Duty for staff within the Ministry of Justice or Loan terms for staff in HMPPS or from other government departments.

Location:

Successful candidates will have the option to be based at one of the following locations:

• 102 Petty France, London
• 5 Wellington Place, Leeds

Occasional travel between the two locations may be required. We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your base location (102 Petty France or 5 Wellington Place Leeds).

Ways of Working

At the MoJ we believe and promote alternative ways of working, these roles are available as:

• Full-time, part-time or the option to job share
• Flexible working patterns

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit:

Salary

Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

MoJ is the largest government department, employing over 90,000 people with a budget of approximately £10 billion. Each year, millions of people use our services across the UK - including at 500 courts and tribunals, and 133 prisons in England and Wales.

Further information can be found at

The Work of Family Justice Policy Unit

The Civil, Family, Tribunals and Administration of Justice Directorate sits at the heart of the Department’s policy agenda. It is responsible for the cross-partner family and civil justice and tribunals systems as well as the administration of justice and irregular migration. We are areas of high ministerial interest and work ly with ministers and across-government to make sure that the government continues to deliver vital public services. The directorate is friendly, inclusive and supportive and has adopted flexible working practices designed to ensure personal wellbeing and a genuine work/life balance.

The Family Justice Policy Unit is responsible for the policy and legal framework for the family justice system, aiming to ensure that it is a safe and supportive environment for members of the public and is responsive to the needs of all those who go through it, in particular victims of domestic abuse including children. We are responsible for the private family law - resolving disputes within families (for example proceedings about divorce or child arrangements) and public family law (w the state, usually a local authority, intervenes to protect a child at risk of significant harm).

Senior Policy Adviser on Child Proceedings Policy - the role

Do you want to make a real difference to parents and children at one of the most difficult times of their lives? This role provides a unique chance for a high performing policy professional to work on a priority area for ministers and the department.

Our team works on various fast-paced and high-profile areas. We are reforming the family justice system through designing a new approach for public family law cases, w the state is intervening in the lives of vulnerable children. We are changing the legislation that underpins how decisions around child welfare are made to ensure that child welfare remains the priority. We are working through complex policy issues such as how to improve information sharing and transparency in the family courts.

We engage with a range of high-profile stakeholders from across the judiciary, operational organisations and the domestic abuse sector. Much of our work also involves engagement with ministers.

The exact job description will be decided in collaboration with the successful applicant but it will involve:

• Leading on repeal of the presumption of parental involvement throughout the remaining stages of the Courts and Tribunals Bill.
• Working with cross-system partners to identify and deliver changes to guidance and practice to support the objectives of repeal.
• Taking leadership over the aim of improving transparency in family courts.
• Developing complex policy at pace, working with analysts, lawyers, operational partners and external stakeholders.
• Drafting clear and well-written submissions for Ministerial decisions.
• Producing and delivering high-quality written and oral briefings and correspondence for senior officials and ministers.
• Proactively creating and maintaining positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of high-profile stakeholders and officials both within MoJ and people within and outside the organisation.

Skills and Experience

Essential:

• Experience of developing and delivering complex policy and working with lawyers.
• Ability to maintain keen attention to detail whilst keeping one eye on the bigger picture.
• Ability to identify and analyse relevant information from a range of sources.
• Ability to adapt to variations in work and situations and remain effective.
• Experience of drafting complex, high-quality written material.
• Experience of delivering within a fast-paced environment, meeting deadlines and escalating emerging issues and risks.
• Proven ability to lead as a ‘self-starter’ and to devise creative solutions to unforeseen challenges whilst dealing with ambiguity.
• Ability to quickly build positive relationships with cross-government colleagues, operational partners and stakeholders.

Desirable:

• An understanding of the family justice system.
• Experience of working on primary legislation.
• Experience working on vulnerable person policy.

Candidates applying from HMPPS should note that the Ministry of Justice does not have the same conditions of employment as HMPPS. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful.

The MoJ is proud to be Level 3 Disability Confident. Disability Confident is the approach through which we offer guaranteed interviews for all people with disabilities meeting the minimum criteria for the advertised role as set out in the job description.

Application process

You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.

You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Experience

You will be asked to provide a CV during the application process in order to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role.

You will also be asked to upload a Statement of Suitability of no more than 500 words stating what you would bring to the role, with reference to the Skills and Experience listed above.

Behaviours

During the application process you will be asked to provide an example of how you have met the following behaviour(s) (see Annex A for more information):

• Seeing the big picture
• Communicating and influencing
• Making effective decisions

Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:

Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK

Should we receive a large number of applications, we will sift primarily on the Statement of Suitability and communicating and influencing behaviour. Successful applicants will then be invited to an interview, testing both behaviours and strengths.

Candidates invited to Interview

Please note that interviews will be carried out remotely.

You will be assessed against the following behaviours at the interview stage w you will be asked to provide examples of how you have demonstrated them. In addition, you will also be asked strength-based questions.

Behaviours:

• Seeing the big picture
• Communicating and influencing
• Making effective decisions

It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed or a situation you have been in and use the WHO or STAR model to explain:

WHO - What it was? How you approached the work/situation? What the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? Or

STAR - What was the Situation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you take? What were the Results of your actions?

Strengths:

It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role. While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this. Further information on Civil Service Strengths can be found via this link Success Profiles: Strengths - GOV.UK

Interviews are expected to take place in w/c 10 August.

Contact information

Please do get in touch if you would like to know more about the role or what it is like working in our team.

Annex A - The STAR method

Using the STAR method can help you give examples of relevant experience that you have. It allows you to set the scene, show what you did, and how you did it, and explain the overall outcome.

Situation - Describe the situation you found yourself in. You must describe a specific event or situation. Be sure to give enough detail for the job holder to understand. W are you? Who was t with you? What had happened?

Task - The job holder will want to understand what you tried to achieve from the situation you found yourself in.

What was the task that you had to complete and why? What did you have to achieve?

Actions - What did you do? The job holder will be looking for information on what you did, how you did it and why. Keep the focus on you. What specific steps did you take and what was your contribution? Remember to include how you did it, and the behaviours you used. Try to use “I” rather than “we” to explain your actions that lead to the result. Be careful not to take credit for something that you did not do.

Results - Don’t be shy about taking credit for your behaviour. Quote specific facts and figures. Explain how the outcome benefitted the organisation or your area. Make the outcomes easily understandable.

What results did the actions produce? What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your goals? Was it a successful outcome? If not, what did you learn from the experience?

Keep the situation and task parts brief. Concentrate on the action and the result. If the result was not entirely successful describe what you learned from this and what you would do differently next time. Make sure you focus on your strengths.

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements w 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.

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, w 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.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

T 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. T 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.

Eligibility

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.

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 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail );

To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ();

To the Civil Service Commission (details available)

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.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wver 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'.

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:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• 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)
• 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
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Reserve list

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

Contact Information

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail

Please quote the job reference 19855

HMPPS:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail

Please quote the job reference 19855Job Description Attachment

Senior Policy Adviser on Child Proceedings Policy JD.docx (Job Description Attachment)

Select new file

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours

A sift based on the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing, 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, w all behaviours will then be considered.

Behaviours

Application Form Question Word Limit 250

Communicating and Influencing Experience

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

A Statement of Suitability of no more than 500 words stating what you would bring to the role, with reference to the Skills and Experience listed in the job description.

Evidence of Experience

CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 10 August

Behaviours

Communicating and Influencing

Seeing the Big Picture

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.

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. W 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.