21978 - Counter Terrorism Policy Adviser in London

Grade 7

Prisons Directorate

The Prisons Directorate is recruiting permanently for a grade 7 Counter Terrorism Policy Adviser.

This campaign is open to current civil servants on level transfer and suitable candidates on promotion.

Candidates are reminded that to be eligible for this campaign; you must still be employed as a civil servant at the point of accepting the role. If you resign or your FTA contract ends before you are made and accept an offer, you will become ineligible and you will be withdrawn from the process.

Location:

Successful candidates will have the option to be based at one of the following locations:

• 102 Petty France, London
• 5 Wellington Place, Leeds

If based in Leeds, then occasional travel between the two locations will be required, including to attend meetings and access higher classification materials. We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your base location (102 Petty France or 5 Wellington Place Leeds).

Ways of Working

At the MoJ we believe and promote alternative ways of working. This role is available as:

• full-time or
• part-time (we can only consider candidates who can work at least 29.6 hours pw (Equivalent to 0.8 FTE based on a 37-hour week); and
• flexible working pattern.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Salary

Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.

Security Clearance

This role requires DV clearance.

To be eligible to apply for this role you should have been present in the UK continuously for the past 10 years and already be SC cleared (evidence of SC clearance will be requested prior to interview).

Given the length of time DV clearance takes to attain, if the successful candidate does not hold DV we will look to request to onboard at risk pending DV being confirmed, though this cannot be guaranteed. Candidates should be aware that if they fail DV they will not be able to remain in this role if they have started at risk.

You can find more information by reviewing the information held in the following links:

United Kingdom Security Vetting: Applicant - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The vetting charter - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

MoJ is the largest government department, employing over 90,000 people with a budget of approximately £10 billion. Each year, millions of people use our services across the UK - including at 500 courts and tribunals, and 133 prisons in England and Wales.

Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

The work of the National Security Policy Team

The National Security Policy Team sits within the Safety, Security, Prisoner Behaviour and National Security (SSB&NS) Division in the Prisons Directorate. We are a friendly, ambitious and highly collaborative team, united by a shared commitment to protecting the public and strengthening the justice system.

Our work is both challenging and rewarding. We work at the heart of some of the Ministry of Justice's most complex and high-profile issues, bringing together policy, operational delivery and national security expertise to tackle threats posed by those who seek to undermine public safety. We work closely with partners across government and the criminal justice system to deliver meaningful change, improve outcomes and ensure the justice system remains resilient in the face of evolving threats.

We place a strong emphasis on creating an inclusive and supportive working environment where colleagues feel valued, empowered and able to thrive. We are committed to personal and professional development and encourage all team members to build their skills, broaden their experience and fulfil their potential.

The National Security Policy Team is one of three Grade 6-led teams within the division. Our work supports the Department's objective of protecting the public from offenders of national security concern and operates across a fascinating and strategically important policy landscape. The team leads within Ministry of Justice’s Policy Group on work relating to counter-terrorism and counter state threats, working across the entire criminal justice system, from prisons and probation to the courts. We provide expert advice to Ministers and senior leaders on some of the most sensitive and high-profile national security issues facing government today.

Counter Terrorism Policy Team Leader - the role

This is a unique opportunity to take on a leading role at the centre of the Ministry of Justice's counter-terrorism agenda.

Working as one of two Grade 7s within the National Security Policy Team, the successful candidate will lead on a broad portfolio of counter-terrorism policy. The role offers significant scope to shape policy, influence strategic decisions and drive delivery across some of the Department's highest-profile priorities.

You will work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, engaging regularly with Ministers, senior officials and operational partners across government. The role is ideally suited to someone who enjoys tackling complex problems, building expertise quickly and influencing outcomes across organisational boundaries.

The team works closely with colleagues across Policy Group, HMPPS, including the Joint Extremism Unit, and other government departments, particularly the Home Office. You will also engage with a range of external stakeholders, including Counter Terrorism Policing, legal professionals and independent reviewers.

This is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to national security policy at a strategic level while developing a deep understanding of the justice system and its role in protecting the public from evolving threats.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will lead and contribute to a diverse portfolio of work, including:

Independent Review of Separation Centres

• Leading delivery of specific recommendations arising from Jonathan Hall KC's recent Independent Review of Separation Centres.
• Driving reforms to strengthen the separation centre framework, including measures to mitigate vexatious litigation from high-profile offenders.
• Coordinating with implementation teams and supporting ministerial engagement and reporting.

Legislation and Implementation

• Working with Home Office partners to develop and implement legislative measures relating to terrorist offending in custody.
• Leading implementation of key provisions from the Crime and Policing Act 2026, including measures relating to polygraph testing for certain terrorist offenders.

Post-Legislative Scrutiny

• Delivering a comprehensive post-legislative scrutiny memorandum examining major reforms to the sentencing and release of terrorist offenders.
• Providing robust analysis and evidence to assess the effectiveness of legislative change.

Litigation and Legal Strategy

• Supporting the Department's response to legal challenges relating to terrorist sentencing and release reforms.
• Working closely with legal advisers to provide policy expertise and strategic advice.

Strategic Policy and Projects

• Leading discrete projects and policy development to strengthen the justice system's response to emerging and complex areas of terrorism threat.

Stakeholder Engagement and Representation

• Representing the Ministry of Justice at a range of counter-terrorism and national security boards and forums.
• Building strong relationships across MoJ, HMPPS and wider government to enhance collaboration and influence.

Leadership and Team Development

• Providing leadership, coaching and development support to a high-performing team.
• Directly line managing two SEO policy advisers and fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusion and continuous improvement.

As a senior leader within the Directorate, you will also play an active role in contributing to the wider success of SSB&NS, helping to shape an inclusive, innovative and supportive working environment while role-modelling MoJ values.

Skills and Experience

Essential

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate:

• Experience of leading complex work across organisational boundaries and building effective relationships with senior stakeholders, operational partners, legal advisers, other government departments and external bodies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex and sensitive issues into clear, concise and impactful advice for a range of audiences.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining attention to detail and delivering at pace.
• The ability to think strategically while responding effectively to immediate challenges, using evidence, insight and judgement to inform decision-making.
• Strong programme or project leadership skills, with experience of driving delivery through influence and collaboration.
• An inclusive and empowering leadership style, with a passion for developing others and helping teams perform at their best.

Desirable

• Experience of working in a high-profile, ministerially focused policy environment.
• Experience of working on legislation.
• Experience of working on counter-terrorism, national security or related policy areas.
• Knowledge of the criminal justice system, including prisons, probation or sentencing policy.

Additional Information

• If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.
• Candidates applying from HMPPS should note that the Ministry of Justice does not have the same conditions of employment as HMPPS. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful.
• The MoJ is proud to be Level 3 Disability Confident. Disability Confident is the approach through which we offer guaranteed interviews for all people with disabilities meeting the minimum criteria for the advertised role as set out in the job description.

Application process

You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.

You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV and statement of suitability, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Experience

You will be asked to provide a CV during the application process to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role.

You will also be asked to upload 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 above.

Should we receive a large number of applications, we will sift primarily on the Statement of Suitability. Successful applicants will then be invited to an interview, testing both behaviours and strengths.

Candidates invited to Interview

Please note that interviews will be carried out remotely.

At interview you will be assessed against behaviours where you will be asked to provide examples of how you have demonstrated them. In addition, you will also be asked strength-based questions.

Behaviours:

The following Behaviours will be tested at interview:

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed or a situation you have been in and use the WHO or STAR model to explain:

• WHO - What it was? How you approached the work/situation? What the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? Or
• STAR - What was the Situation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you take? What were the Results of our actions?

Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:

Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK

Strengths:

It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role. While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this. Further information on Civil Service Strengths can be found via this link Success Profiles: Strengths - GOV.UK

Interviews are expected to take place in October 2026.

Contact information

If you would like to know more about this role, please contact the Policy Group central recruitment team via their functional mailbox: PolicyGroupRecruitment@justice.gov.uk

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.

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.

Benefits

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.

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 Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
• 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.

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.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

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) 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
• 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

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