Female Offender Policy Lead (up to 3 posts available) in Leeds

General Information

The national salary range is £58,511 - £65,329, London salary range is £63,343 - £70,725. 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

25-Sep-2026

Post Type

Detached Duty, Loan

Grade

7

Number of jobs available

3

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

22139

Descriptions & requirements

The Work of the Female Offender Policy Team

The Female Offender Policy Team, within the Youth Justice and Offender Policy Directorate, leads the cross-system agenda to reduce the number of women in custody and improve outcomes for women in the criminal justice system. Women make up a small proportion of the prison population, but their pathways into offending, experiences of the system and needs often differ significantly from men’s. Addressing these distinct drivers requires a strategic, evidence-led approach across the criminal justice system.

The Government is committed to reducing the number of women in custody, with strong ministerial interest in building the understanding, partnerships and policy levers needed to support long-term reform. This is a pivotal moment to have an impact on the future direction of policy to improve outcomes for women in contact with the criminal justice system.

Our team is friendly, supportive and high performing. We work closely with colleagues across MoJ, HMPPS, other government departments and the voluntary and community sector to develop and deliver policy that responds to women’s needs and supports better outcomes.

G7 Policy Lead – Female Offenders Policy - the role

As a G7 Policy Lead, you will provide strategic leadership across a high-profile policy portfolio, setting direction, shaping priorities and driving delivery through others. You will be expected to bring clarity to complex and sensitive issues, use judgement to make sound recommendations, and provide confident advice to Ministers and senior leaders.

Depending on portfolio allocation, postholders may work across areas such as:

• Women's justice reform and cross-government strategy.
• Community provision, diversion and commissioning/funding.
• Female estate demand and capacity policy.

The role will require you to operate with a high degree of autonomy, manage competing priorities and lead work across organisational boundaries. You will need to build and maintain strong relationships across MoJ, HMPPS, other government departments and external partners, using influence and judgement to secure progress in a fast-moving policy environment.

Postholders will be expected to take ownership of a portfolio, translate ministerial and senior priorities into deliverable plans, and provide visible leadership to colleagues working across the policy area. Roles will involve line management of at least one SEO Senior Policy Advisor.

Skills and Experience

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate strong leadership, sound judgement and the ability to lead delivery through others. Successful candidates will be able to set direction on complex policy issues, make effective trade-offs, influence senior stakeholders and create the conditions for others to deliver high-quality work.

• Ability to provide strategic leadership on complex policy issues, turning evidence and analysis into clear, deliverable recommendations.
• Ability to lead through others, including setting direction, commissioning and assuring work, and developing colleagues.
• Strong judgement and decision-making in complex and ambiguous environments, including navigating risks, trade-offs and competing priorities.
• Ability to build influence and drive progress across organisational boundaries where there may be differing objectives or interests.
• Excellent communication skills, including providing clear and persuasive advice to Ministers and senior leaders.

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

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.

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.

Benefits

• 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.

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.

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 the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

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.

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:

• 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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
• 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

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

Female Offenders G7 Temporary Final.docx(Job Description Attachment)

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

Please provide a Statement of Suitability of no more than 750 words stating what you would bring to the role, with reference to the Skills and Experience listed in the job advert.

Evidence of Experience

CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates

Expected: October 2026

Behaviours

Leadership

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 please click here.

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. 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 ourcandidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.