This permanent Grade 6 post heads the Eligibility and Family Legal Aid Policy Division at the Ministry of Justice. The postholder leads two teams, on legal aid means testing and family legal aid, and drives eligibility and fee reform. The role also owns the litigation strategy for means-related challenges and works closely with the Legal Aid Agency. Open only to serving civil servants and accredited NDPB staff, the cross-government campaign requires candidates to stay employed until they accept an offer.
What the job involves
- Lead the eligibility and family legal aid programmes, including reform of how family legal aid fees are set and structured
- Deliver proposed changes to legal aid financial eligibility across civil and criminal legal aid
- Finalise and implement the department's approach to legal aid means testing, including the legal aid implications of the Courts and Tribunals Bill
- Develop a litigation strategy for financial eligibility policy, with a robust government position and mitigation of high-rated litigation risks
- Give strategic direction and set priorities for the Eligibility team and the family legal aid policy team, and develop their members
- Lead development and implementation of eligibility and family legal aid policy supporting ministerial and wider government priorities
- Oversee strategy for and handling of means-related legal aid litigation with the Government Legal Department, the Legal Aid Agency, First Treasury Counsel and analysts
- Collaborate with Legal Aid Agency operational and digital colleagues to transform how legal aid services are delivered
- Ensure fast-paced delivery takes account of significant legal and reputational risks to the department
- Work with other departments, notably DfE and DWP, and with cross-government policy teams and the Legal Aid Agency
- Build a culture of using evidence, data and information in an iterative, agile and innovative way to steer policy and delivery
- Engage legal aid stakeholders, including representative bodies, third-sector organisations and legal aid providers
What’s required
Experience
- Demonstrable experience and career achievements relevant to the role, evidenced in a CV
Skills & knowledge
- Strong policy development and implementation, including proposals that are robust and defensible
- Inclusive leadership of a diverse team across several deliverables
- Excellent stakeholder engagement, building confidence and relationships across Government and externally
- Strategic thinking and sound judgement on complex policy and delivery challenges
- Strong written and oral communication, giving clear, evidenced advice to senior stakeholders and Ministers
- Project and programme management in a fluid environment where priorities change quickly
Checks & eligibility
- Employed as a civil servant or accredited NDPB employee appointed on merit at the point of accepting an offer
- Able to work only in the UK, not overseas
Other
- Ability to work in fast-paced environments and deliver complex work at short notice
- Demonstrated Leadership, Seeing the Big Picture, Delivering at Pace and Making Effective Decisions behaviours at Grade 6
What’s offered
- 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 after five years' service, with an option to buy or sell up to three days a year
- Public holidays plus one privilege day
- Choice of Civil Service pension schemes
- Extensive training and development opportunities
- Employee-run networks
- Hybrid working, with a minimum of 60% of working time in an office
- Family-friendly policies including reduced hours and job share, paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave
- Flexible benefits and discounts, and free annual sight tests for computer users
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Contact Details:
The Methodist Church in Britain Recruitment Team
