Head of Policy Development and Private Office in City of Westminster

You will be responsible for providing a high-quality, private office service to the Ministerial Team and wider Department. You will develop a deep understanding of Ministers' core priorities - and how they want them articulated and implemented. This will allow you to credibly represent the Minister with the wider Department. In so doing, you will support the Department to understand what ministers are working towards - including their reasoning and their views on implementation. You will support Ministers to set priorities and scrutinise policy and delivery plans.

You will lead through others, starting with highly collaborative relationships with private Secretaries, Deputy Private Secretaries and others in Private Office who are responsible for commissioning the Department and work closely with policy and operational teams. You will support them to reflect ministerial priorities in their work. Your relationships with Policy Officials and Senior Leaders in the MoJ's agencies will be critical. You will be trusted with information and recognised as someone who will listen and problem solve as well as provide challenge where needed. This may mean drawing connections across issues, policy teams and delivery agencies - helping unlock issues when they become 'stuck', including removing barriers standing in officials' way.

You will work closely with Special Advisors (SpAds) in the Department. You will focus largely on longer-term ministerial priorities, working closely with the Department to deliver them. Having developed a deep relationship with SpAds you will help the Department understand the political steers behind ministerial priorities. Alongside longer running pieces of work - likely to be focused on large delivery or reform programmes - you will undertake short, sharp pieces of work. These might be focused on rapidly emerging, high-profile issues which demand close ministerial attention - or when there are opportunities that ministers want a quick response to.

In all these areas, your role will not be to do the work of Private Secretaries or the wider Department, but rather to ensure that Ministerial priorities are reflected in policy, financial allocations and delivery plans. The role is about leading through others outside of your hierarchy, including working directly with the most Senior Leaders in the MoJ and its agencies. The role does not include line management at present though there may be scope for this in the future. You will also contribute to improving the life of the wider Directorate and/or Department through a corporate objective.

• Lead on policy coordination for the Minister's portfolio, ensuring alignment with departmental objectives.
• Work closely with Special Advisers and senior officials to manage priorities and deadlines.
• Provide strategic advice on emerging issues, risks, and opportunities.
• Represent the Minister and Private Office in senior meetings and maintain strong relationships across directorates.
• Mentor and support junior staff within the Private Office.

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. Describe a specific event or situation with enough detail to understand the context.
• Task - Explain what you aimed to achieve and why.
• Actions - Describe what you did, how you did it, and why, focusing on your contribution. Use first person where possible.
• Results - Quote specific facts and figures and explain how the outcome benefitted the organisation. If not entirely successful, describe what you learned and what you would do differently next time.

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is informal, non-contractual flexible working blending base location, MoJ sites and/or home. This role can only be worked in the UK. All employees are expected to spend a minimum of 60% of working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity. Arrangements will be discussed with the successful candidate(s) and are subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles: appointment will be to the nearest viable office to the candidate's home postcode, at a HQ building, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) as applicable. National Office Network roles may relocate within terms of service. Flexible working hours: standard 37 hours per week; MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing patterns.

Security level: Security Clearance (SC). The postholder will need to demonstrate the listed skills and behaviours. MoJ is committed to Diversity and Inclusion and to being a Disability Confident employer. The MoJ team covers Ministerial Priorities Unit (MPU) within Ministerial Private Office.

• Full-time or the option to job share.
• Flexible working patterns and arrangements between base locations and home.
• Flexible benefits and access to family-friendly policies.
• Paid parental leave and other family-related policies.
• Competitive pension options and training opportunities.
• Interviews are expected to take place in February 2026. You will be asked to provide a CV and a Statement of Suitability up to 750 words. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to meet Directors General informally before their interview. Interviews will assess Behaviour and Strengths per the CS Behaviours framework.