Ministry of Justice UK
Head of HMCTS Corporate Governance and Board Secretariat (Ref: 19899)
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East Midlands (England), East of England, London (region), North East England, North West England, Scotland, South East England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands (England), Yorkshire and the Humber
Job Summary
This position is based nationally.
Job Description
This role leads the Corporate Governance and Board Secretariat team which forms part of HMCTS' central strategy division within its Strategy and Analysis Directorate. The directorate is responsible for shaping the present and future strategic direction of HMCTS.
The Head of HMCTS Corporate Governance and Board Secretariat is responsible for providing strategic leadership of organisational governance and accountability and the transparency and proprietary of its senior decision-making. This role establishes the governance operating model and directs ongoing enhancements to align HMCTS frameworks with Cabinet Office, HM Treasury, and departmental standards.
Operating as the principal authority on governance matters, the postholder is integral to supporting senior leaders in maintaining the reputation and integrity of HMCTS, fostering continuous improvement, and embedding a culture of excellence within the organisation. Additionally, the postholder functions as the lead for the Board Secretariat, providing support to the HMCTS Board, HMCTS Executive Team and formal sub-committees.
The complexity, strategic importance, and risk profile of governance within HMCTS requires someone with the authority to engage at executive level, influence both internal and external stakeholders, and drive compliance with constitutional, statutory and ministerial obligation – this is particularly important given HMCTS’s unique constitutional position.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the development and implementation of the organisation’s approach to governance, influencing organisational direction and ensuring alignment with Cabinet Office and HM Treasury standards.
- Lead and take responsibility for multi-year governance improvement and effectiveness plans and reviews including terms of reference reviews for boards/committees.
- Ensure governance arrangements enable the CEO, as accounting officer, to fulfil statutory obligations and adhere to best practice standards.
- Direct and strengthen the strategic oversight, decision-making, and accountability of senior governance bodies, including the HMCTS Board, Executive Team, and their committees, by ensuring rigorous processes, comprehensive documentation, and adherence to delegation thresholds.
- Direct the UK honours process within HMCTS, including candidate selection and engagement with Cabinet Office.
- Lead the recruitment of non-executives, managing outreach, sifting, panel composition, and approvals with HMCTS Principals, Cabinet Office, and No 10.
- Represent HMCTS in cross-government governance initiatives, such as public body reviews, working with senior stakeholders across MoJ, Cabinet Office, Treasury, and No 10.
- Own and mitigate governance risks at corporate level, including oversight of the assurance map and compliance with central government codes of good practice.
- Lead a multi grade governance and secretariat function with a structured programme of work (agenda pipelines, commissioning standards, and publication protocols), succession plans and talent development pathways and provide leadership across HMCTS on governance and secretariat matters.
- Promote transparency in corporate governance, both internally and externally, and champion ethical standards across HMCTS.
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Skills & Experience
- Extensive understanding of corporate governance in central government and public sector organisations – preferably with a professional qualification in governance/corporate governance in the public sector
- Ability to build and maintain effective collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders at a senior level, and to lead networks to deliver change.
- Experience of resolving conflict and ambiguity under pressure and being able to build consensus in complex environments.
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with the ability to convey difficult messages and / or complex technical issues with simplicity, gravitas and impact.
- Visible leadership skills – can motivate and enthuse others to achieve.
- Able to drive an ambitious performance and development culture and continually grow capability in the team and wider organisation.
Person specification
Please Refer To Job Description
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
Alongside your salary of £71,381, HM Courts and Tribunals Service contributes £20,679 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
- Access to learning and development
- A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
- A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
- Annual Leave
- Public Holidays
- Season Ticket Advance
For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.
Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ
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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
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)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and 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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
- Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
- Telephone : 0345 241 5359
Recruitment team
Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Further information
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/
https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/19899?entityId=19899
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