This is a rewarding and challenging role as Head of Director's Office and Governance Lead, ensuring priorities are met, reporting mechanisms are functioning smoothly and departmental governance requirements are managed effectively. Based within the Private Office, you will report to the Deputy Principal Private Secretary - who also leads the Ministerial Office - and will deputise for them as necessary to give support to the wider team.
The Wales Office is the face of the UK Government in Wales and the voice of Wales in Westminster. We support the Secretary of State for Wales and the Ministerial team in representing Wales at the heart of Government. With offices in London and Cardiff, we work in partnership with other Government Departments and stakeholders to deliver a stronger Wales within a strong and prosperous United Kingdom.
About the job
This is an exciting time to take on the leadership of the Director's Office and to lead on departmental governance. With the Wales Office recruiting a new Director for the first time in 13 years, this is an opportunity for an outstanding candidate to shape the way in which a new Director engages with the wider department, across government and with key stakeholders.
You will play a crucial part in ensuring the new Director is able to hit the ground running by developing effective communication lines between the Director and the ministerial offices, the senior leadership team, and the wider department. You will need to be confident in your approach as you support them to develop ways of working and institute change across the Department following the outcome of the Spending Review.
Leading on governance, you will work directly with the senior leadership and ministerial teams, to provide expert support, advice, and guidance. You will have responsibility for the business planning process (including the Outcome Delivery Plan), working collaboratively with colleagues and coordinating internal and external reporting with the Cabinet Office and No10. In addition, you will provide support to the Departmental Board and Committees. You will have responsibility for overseeing the department's strategic risk register.
You will need to be decisive and confident, working autonomously to drive forward departmental objectives often at pace. You will need solid decision‑making skills and be proactive at taking your own initiative, with the ability to work in an environment that is subject to ongoing change.
Key responsibilities
* Lead the Director's Office, communicating the priorities of the Director to the wider department effectively.
* Ensure a coherent governance programme for the Department, providing support and co‑ordination across the Boards and Committees.
* Contribute to the design, delivery, and upkeep of strategic products such as the Department's Outcome Delivery Plan, Strategic Risk Register, and the Department's reporting trackers.
* Prepare and maintain a set of regular reporting products for the Departmental Board, Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, Cabinet Office, and Number 10.
* Lead on cross‑cutting departmental policy issues such as resilience and civil contingency planning.
* Manage the Director's time to ensure that meetings and engagements are relevant and productive, and commission briefings that are focused and appropriate.
* Work with Permanent Secretaries' Offices across Whitehall to gather intelligence, insight and increase awareness of policies and priorities.
* Act as an interlocutor between the Director's Office and the Ministerial Offices.
* Build strong internal relationships with Ministers, SpAds and departmental teams; and externally across UK and Welsh governments, and with key stakeholders to gain credibility for the Secretary of State for Wales and the Department.
* Line management responsibilities may be required.
* Act as a leader - helping to develop the right culture and behaviours - and support individuals to do well in their roles.
* Be a visible team player by pitching in and helping out with whatever might need doing around the office.
* Contribute to corporate activities outside your immediate sphere of responsibility.
You will need to be prepared to work some evenings and weekends as part of a Private Office rota, and as such this role attracts an SEO Private Secretary allowance currently set at £7,149.
This role will involve regular travel between the London and Cardiff offices and across Wales. To support wellbeing and encourage collaboration, there is an expectation for staff to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time working face to face with their colleagues either at the office or on official business.
Person specification
Please evidence in your Statement of Suitability, how closely you match the essential criteria, We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Communicating and Influencing
* Managing a Quality Service
* Delivering at Pace
* Seeing the Big Picture
This vacancy is using Success Profiles ... and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
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 security check (opens in a new window).
* See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
* People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
* UK nationals
* national 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)
Desired skills & qualifications
* Strong inspiring leadership, working in collaboration with a range of colleagues whilst enabling colleagues to deliver
* Ability to adapt to changing demands and conditions, and a readiness to make decisions, take the initiative and take action where needed
* Ability to operate with political understanding in a complex environment of change and uncertainty
* Attention to detail with an ability to produce work with a high level of accuracy.
* Ability to think strategically, prioritise, problem solve and set direction.
* Experience in analysing, assessing, and reporting on governance and departmental activity.
* Relevant qualification in corporate governance / planning
* Welsh Language skills.
Employment details
The Wales Office is not an employer in its own right and staff recruited to work at the Wales Office will be employees of the Ministry of Justice who provide employment services on our behalf.
£42,914 - £46,182 (National) / £49,325 - £53,081 (London) (plus £7,149 Private Secretary allowance), This role requires SC level clearance. Applicants for National Security Clearance (SC) must be resident in the UK for 5 years immediately prior to their application for Security Clearance. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years), you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why. If you do not meet the above requirement, you may still be considered for the role if, for example: You have been serving overseas with HM Armed Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government. You were studying abroad. You were living overseas with parents.
Alongside your salary of £42,914, Wales Office contributes £12,432 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
* 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
Recruitment information
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
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