Head of Strategy for Data Foundations

We’re recruiting for a Head of Strategy for Data Foundations here at Justice Digital, Data and Science, to join the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), working within Data Foundations and to the Chief Data Architect. You will be responsible for shaping and driving the strategy for the foundational data capabilities that enable the Ministry of Justice to make better, safer and more effective use of data.

OCTO sets technical direction across the organisation. It defines standards, shapes shared platforms and ways of working and supports teams to build and operate systems that are secure, reliable and sustainable.

Data Foundations brings together strategic capabilities including the Justice Data Platform, Integration Hub, AI Gateway, Justice Redact and Data Architecture. Together, these provide the shared platforms, patterns and technical foundations that enable data to be securely moved, accessed, governed, transformed and used across the department.

The postholder will lead the development of the overall Data Foundations strategy and roadmap, ensuring these capabilities evolve as a coherent portfolio and respond to the needs of services, domains and users across MOJ.

Working closely with technical, product and delivery leaders, the postholder will translate departmental and data priorities into clear strategic objectives, investment priorities and plans. They will identify where common capabilities should be developed centrally, where greater reuse and standardisation can reduce duplication, and where Data Foundations needs to evolve to meet emerging organisational and technology needs.

A key part of the role will be connecting Data Foundations with the wider organisation: building partnerships with business areas, digital teams, data leaders and other government departments; understanding future demand; driving adoption of shared capabilities; and ensuring investment in Data Foundations delivers measurable value across MOJ.

The postholder will work closely with the Chief Data Architect and Data Foundations leadership team, providing the strategic capacity to look across and beyond individual platforms and programmes and shape the longer-term direction of the portfolio.

This role aligns against the Service owner role from the Government Digital and Data Framework, Strategy and Leadership:

• Lead the development and execution of the Data Foundations strategy, setting a clear long-term direction for the shared data capabilities required across MOJ.
• Own and maintain an integrated Data Foundations strategic roadmap, bringing together the evolution of the Justice Data Platform, Integration Hub, AI Gateway, Justice Redact and Data Architecture.
• Develop the strategic case for investment in Data Foundations, articulating the outcomes, benefits and value of shared platforms and capabilities to senior decision-makers.
• Work with technical, product and delivery leaders to ensure individual platform and capability roadmaps support a coherent overall direction for Data Foundations.
• Identify opportunities to standardise, simplify and reuse data capabilities across MOJ, reducing duplication and making it easier for teams to securely access, move, integrate and use data.
• Develop the strategy for increasing adoption and reuse of Data Foundations capabilities across MOJ, working with domains and services to understand demand, barriers and future requirements.
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders across MOJ, including digital, data, operational and policy communities, ensuring Data Foundations priorities reflect wider organisational needs.
• Build strategic partnerships across government, identifying opportunities to reuse common capabilities, collaborate with other departments and influence cross-government approaches to data platforms, integration and emerging technology.
• Maintain a forward view of emerging technology, government strategy and organisational demand, identifying where Data Foundations needs to evolve or invest in new capabilities.
• Define and track the outcomes and measures that demonstrate the impact of Data Foundations, including increased reuse, faster delivery, reduced duplication and improved ability to securely use data across organisational boundaries.
• Lead strategic workforce and capability planning for Data Foundations, working with professional leads to identify the skills and capabilities required to deliver the future strategy.
• Support the Data Foundations leadership team in portfolio-level prioritisation, helping make clear choices about where to invest, what to stop or consolidate, and how capabilities should evolve over time.
• Represent Data Foundations in senior governance, investment and strategy forums across MOJ and wider government.
• Contribute to the wider leadership of the Office of the CTO, ensuring Data Foundations is aligned with broader technology strategy and helping shape the department’s overall strategic direction.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, inclusivity, accountability and continuous learning across Data Foundations and wider OCTO.

If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!, * Answers to 3 criteria (no more than 250 words each) which should outline your experience and skills, giving clear examples of work undertaken. Your answers should specifically address the three criteria listed below:

• Significant experience developing and delivering strategy in a large, complex organisation, translating organisational priorities and emerging needs into clear strategic objectives, roadmaps and actionable plans. (Experience)
• Strong track record of working across organisational boundaries and influencing senior stakeholders, building partnerships across business, digital, data, technology and delivery teams to create alignment and drive adoption of shared capabilities. (Behaviours: Communicating and influencing)
• Ability to understand complex technology and data landscapes and translate them into clear strategic direction, communicating complex concepts simply and credibly to both technical and non-technical audiences. (Behaviours: Seeing the big picture)

A diverse sift panel will review the information in your CV and answers to assess the sift criteria specified above. We operate an anonymous shortlisting process. Please ensure your CV does not include your name or any other identifying details.

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application Guidance

Stage 2 - Interviews:

Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a panel interview held via Microsoft Teams. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements - Experience, Technical and the following Behaviours:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a 7-minute presentation that assesses your “experience shaping and prioritising a portfolio of products, platforms or capabilities, making evidence-based recommendations about investment, priorities, dependencies and where to standardise, consolidate or reuse capabilities”. Further details will be provided if successful at sift.

Appointments are made strictly in merit order. In the event that two or more candidates receive identical interview scores, the experience (first criterion) will be applied as the primary lead criterion to determine the final merit order.

Should you be unsuccessful in the role that you have applied for but demonstrate the capability for a role at a lower level, we reserve the right to discuss this opportunity with you and offer you the position without needing a further application.

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, from which further appointments may be made.

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.

Terms & Conditions

Please review our Terms and Conditions which set out how we recruit and provide further information related to the role and salary 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 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, 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., 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 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’.

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., Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit 250 Communicating and Influencing Seeing the Big Picture Evidence of Experience CV or Work History, Experience Questions

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates Expected w/c 26 October Behaviours Changing and Improving Communicating and Influencing Seeing the Big Picture

• Significant experience developing and delivering strategy in a large, complex organisation, translating organisational priorities and emerging needs into clear strategic objectives, roadmaps and actionable plans.
• Strong experience shaping and prioritising a portfolio of products, platforms or capabilities, making evidence-based recommendations about investment, priorities, dependencies and where to standardise, consolidate or reuse capabilities.
• Ability to build compelling strategic and investment cases, clearly articulating the outcomes, benefits and organisational value of technology and data capabilities and defining how their impact will be measured.
• Strong track record of working across organisational boundaries and influencing senior stakeholders, building partnerships across business, digital, data, technology and delivery teams to create alignment and drive adoption of shared capabilities.
• Ability to understand complex technology and data landscapes and translate them into clear strategic direction, communicating complex concepts simply and credibly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for BPSS clearance.

The national salary range is £71,381 - £80,419, London salary range is £75,674 - £85,257. Your salary will be dependent on your base location, You’ll receive a range of excellent benefits when you join our department, including:

• A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
• 25 days of annual leave, (increasing to 30 days once you have reached 5 years of service), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday.
• Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive work-life balance.
• Employees are allocated 10% of their working time for personal and professional development.
• A £1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best-in-class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms.
• Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!, Base salary for this role is from £71,381 to £80,419 (National) or from £75,674 to £85,257 (London).
• Existing Civil Servants moving on a level transfer will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the pay band for the role, whichever is higher.
• Existing Civil Servants who are promoted will either move to the bottom of the new grade’s pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase.
• Candidates may also be eligible for a non-pensionable Government Digital & Data Allowance of up to £9,151 per year (London). This is a temporary allowance, reviewed annually and may be retained, amended, or withdrawn.

The final offer will reflect the skills and experience you demonstrate during the assessment process., 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.

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.

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., Your Experience for this role will be assessed at interview. To learn more about Experience and how they are assessed please click here. We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods Experience Questions Level of security checks required DBS Standard