Legal Aid Agency Chief Executive Officer Ministry of Justice

SCS Pay Band 2

Closing Date: 23:55 Sunday 3rd January 2021

Protecting and advancing the principles of justice Move your mouse pointer over the buttons Contents below and click for more information

This is an interactive document and is best viewed using Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here to download. Introduction

Welcome to the Ministry of Justice

Thank you for your The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) sits at the heart of The successful candidate will also be appointed the justice system, administering a fund of around as the Accounting Officer for the Legal Aid Fund, interest in this role at the £1.8bn to help provide legal representation to meaning you will be accountable to Parliament for Legal Aid Agency hundreds of thousands of people every year. the LAA’s use of tax payer funding. The agency has a strong reputation for delivering Finally, as Director of Legal Aid Casework, a performance through highly engaged and diverse statutory position, you will be expected to ensure and inclusive teams. that independent decision making on funded cases meets the highest standards of propriety and We are looking to appoint a Chief Executive objectivity, often against a backdrop of intense whose shares these values and who is capable of public scrutiny and challenge. successfully leading the Agency through the next phase of its development. This pack sets out the responsibilities of the post in more detail. If you have the skills and experience to This is an exciting time to be joining the LAA, lead this brilliant organisation successfully, I would and the wider Ministry of Justice family. The welcome your application. Agency sits at the leading edge of digital delivery in Government and has pioneered the use of Best wishes, technology to deliver credible smarter working James McEwen choices for our teams. You will be challenged to Chief Financial Officer, Ministry of Justice continue this digital transformation. Introduction

About the Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice is a major The organisation works together with other Our 4 strategic priorities to deliver our vision are: government departments and agencies to bring • A prison and probation service that reforms government department at the heart the principles of justice to life for everyone in offenders. of the justice system. We deliver society. From our civil courts, tribunals and family some of the most fundamental law hearings, to criminal justice, prison and • A modern courts and justice system. probation services. public services including courts, • A Global Britain that promotes the rule of law. We work to ensure that sentences are served, and tribunals, prisons, legal aid, youth offenders are encouraged to turn their lives around • A transformed department that is simpler, justice, probation services, and and become law-abiding citizens. We believe the smarter and more unified. attendance centres. principles of justice are pivotal and we are steadfast For more information on who we are and what we in our shared commitment to uphold them. do, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/ Our vision is to deliver a world-class justice system organisations/ministry-of-justice. that works for everyone in society. Introduction

About the Legal Aid Agency (LAA)

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA/the Agency) is relationships with the relevant representative As an of the MoJ, the LAA benefits responsible for administering the Legal Aid Fund bodies such as the Law Society, Bar Council, the from the functional leadership model. This means (the Fund) in England and Wales, in accordance with Legal Aid Practitioners Group and the Criminal Bar professional services, including finance, digital rules that are set by Parliament. The Agency spends Association, as well as with professional standards and technology, HR, some legal services, estates around £1.8bn per annum; employs around 1200 bodies like the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the and facilities, commercial, project delivery and people; and has digitalised nearly all of its services. Bar Standards Board and the . communications professionals are delivered by centres of excellence hosted by Ministry of Justice The work of the Agency to administer the Fund is The LAA is a key partner to the wider justice system itself. Maintaining good relationships with these essential to the fair, efficient and effective operation in England and Wales, working closely with other functions is crucial to the delivery of LAA’s mission. of the civil, family and criminal justice systems in agencies within the MoJ family such as HM Courts The successful candidate will be key in further England and Wales. The LAA plays a crucial role in and (HMCTS), HM Prison and maturing these relationships and taking functional ensuring that the fulfils his duties to Probation Service (HMPPS) and more broadly leadership to the next step in its journey. ensure access to justice. across Government with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the police, the Home Office, the Finally, the Agency works in close co-operation with Legal aid is largely delivered by a network of over Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and a cluster of other justice delivery agencies to share 2000 providers working across 13 categories of law beyond. A strong relationship with the independent expertise, best practice and to capture the wider covered by the Fund. In addition, the Agency’s Public judiciary is also important. benefits of closer working. Defender Service directly delivers representation in specific areas of England and Wales. The LAA works closely with the MoJ policy teams to ensure that the Lord Chancellor and Ministers Strong relationships with providers of legal aid – understand the operational implications of policy both solicitors and the independent Bar – are initiatives and to implement any changes in the central to the work of the LAA and the post holder most effective way for users, providers, justice will be expected to build and sustain constructive partners and LAA staff. The Role

About the role

Job Title The Role Legal Aid Agency Chief Executive Officer This is an exciting time at the LAA, and we are The challenge for the Chief Executive is to work offering an opportunity for a talented individual with our stakeholders to agree the next phase of Location to provide the inspirational leadership necessary the LAA’s organisational development and to make National to ensure the LAA fulfils its mission to provide it a reality. simple, timely and reliable access to legal aid, while Please note the requirements for travel and level of Since 2018, the LAA has ranked amongst the maintaining the expectations Parliament sets for flexibility available as set out in the FAQs section. top organisations in the Civil Service for its staff the proper use of public funds. engagement. The LAA has been at the forefront Salary For the last two and a half years the LAA has been of smarter working, accommodating a range of The salary for this post is set within the Senior Civil digitising and simplifying the delivery of legal aid working patterns, remote working and supporting Service Pay Band 2 range. through its Agency Transformation Programme. the innovative use of technology to communicate Looking ahead, the LAA is proactively and creatively and work together. External candidates should expect their salary upon seeking further opportunities to improve the user appointment to be up to £120,000 per annum, The LAA’s success is rooted in these approaches experience for the people who apply for legal aid, depending on skills and experience. and any Chief Executive will need to demonstrate the providers who deliver the services and for the a close alignment to these ways of working and the Existing Civil Servants will be appointed in line with Agency staff who administer the schemes. wider values that surround them. the Civil Service pay rules in place on the date of their appointment. Contract Type This role is being offered on a permanent basis. The Role

More widely the Chief Executive will be accountable Key Responsibilities for delivering against four outcomes, to: • providing inspirational leadership, building truly • taking responsibility for implementing 1. Provide simple, timely and reliable access to legal diverse and inclusive teams. government policy and priorities. aid; • setting the strategic direction of the LAA, • as part of the wider senior leadership team of 2. Build strong relationships across Government including the operation of the Public Defender the Ministry of Justice play an active role in the and the justice system – across the MoJ; Service. ongoing management and development of the department. 3. Secure value for money for the taxpayer in all • as Accounting Officer for the Legal Aid Fund, that it does; ensuring that public expenditure is committed in Across the civil service, we expect all our senior line with Parliament’s expectations. leaders to be: 4. Achieve its full potential through being fair, proud and supportive. • as Director of Legal Aid Casework, ensuring that • Inspiring – about our work and its future independent decision making within the Agency • Confident – in our engagement with others meets the highest standards of propriety and regularity. • Empowering – to allow our teams to deliver • commissioning and oversight, including assurance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil- and contract management, of legal aid providers service-leadership-statement and provision of services across England and Wales. • building strategic relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders to promote closer working and greater efficiency within the civil and criminal justice systems. The Role

Organogram

Chief Executive Officer, LAA SCS2

Head of Central Head of Civil Head of Contract Head of Head of Commissioning & Head of Agency Head of Public and Crime Case Management & Exceptional and Corporate Centre Service Transformation Defender Service Management Assurance Complex Cases SCS1 Development SCS1 SCS1 SCS1 SCS1 SCS1 SCS1 Person Specification

Person Specification

It is important through your CV and Statement of The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate: Suitability that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the selection Essential criteria: criteria detailed. • Track record of building highly capable and high performing teams, delivering results through inspirational and inclusive leadership; • A successful track record in leading business transformation using digital solutions; • Excellent influencing skills across multiple levels of the organisation with the ability to apply an external perspective when needed; • Experience of effectively managing front-line operational delivery in a complex customer-facing organisation, implementing complex policy changes effectively; • The ability to successfully operate in a political environment and at Board level; • Experience of taking difficult decisions, free from undue influence with the ability to apply sound judgement and objective scrutiny. Benefits

Benefits of working for the Ministry of Justice

Whatever your role, we take your career and in the workplace. Our commitment to creating a development seriously, and want to enable you to diverse and inclusive workforce is reflected in all of build a really successful career with the Ministry our people policies and strategies, and we offer our of Justice (MoJ) and wider Civil Service. It is crucial employees access to: that our employees have the right skills to develop • Diverse talent programs; their careers and meet the challenges ahead, and you’ll benefit from regular performance and • Mentoring schemes; development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a MoJ employee, you’ll be entitled to a • Family friendly policies including generous large range of benefits. parental and special leave options; Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing • Flexible working options – including a varied working pattern and flexibility to choose how and Our departmental values - purpose, humanity, where you work; openness and together - are at the heart of our commitment to create a culture where all our • Workplace adjustment support; people can thrive and flourish in the workplace. • Wellbeing support, including access to our We want to attract and retain the best talent from Employee Assistance Provider; diverse backgrounds and perspectives. We want everyone to be the best of themselves, to feel • Special leave for active duty reservists; supported and have a strong sense of belonging • Volunteering days. Benefits

Ministry of Justice have diversity champions, Pension Childcare Benefits senior civil servants appointed by our Permanent Your pension is a valuable part of your total The government has introduced the Tax-Free Secretary, who work to drive forward and embed reward package. Childcare (TFC) scheme. Working parents can open equality, diversity and inclusion as a core part of an online childcare account and for every £8 they A competitive contributory pension scheme that both our business delivery and in how we support pay in, the government adds £2, up to a maximum you can enter as soon as you join where we will our people. of £2000 a year for each child or £4000 for a make a significant contribution to the cost of disabled child. Parents then use the funds to pay for The Ministry of Justice’s champions each advocate your pension; where your contributions come out registered childcare. More information about the for a specific strand including Race, Disability, of your salary before any tax is taken; and where Tax Free Childcare Scheme can be found on GOV.UK Carers, Gender, LGBTQI, Faith and Belief, Age and your pension will continue to provide valuable or Childcare Choices. Social Mobility. benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to They work closely with our diversity staff network continue to work or die before you retire. Visit www. Onsite facilities groups and help to shape and build our sense of civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk for more details. Opportunity to use onsite facilities including fitness community across the Ministry of Justice. The Generous Annual Leave and centres and staff canteens (where applicable). Ministry of Justice staff network groups provide Bank Holiday Allowance care and support for their members, offer our policy Season Ticket and Bicycle Loan makers challenge and critical friendship, champion 25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost opportunities, help change our culture and celebrate sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle. everything that makes our people who we are. in addition to 8 public holidays. Sick Pay The department also has an employee health and This will be complemented by one further day paid Occupational sick pay. wellbeing strategy which details the wide range privilege entitlement to mark the Queen’s Birthday. of support available to staff. The strategy focuses on four key wellbeing areas; mental wellbeing, lifestyle including physical wellbeing, financial wellbeing and workplace environment – culture and physical workspaces. Recruitment Process

The Recruitment Process

Application 3. As part of the application process you will be Should you encounter any issues with your Please ensure you apply by no later than required to complete your diversity information. application please get in touch with SCS 23:55 on Sunday 3rd January 2021. All monitoring data will be treated in the Recruitment via: [email protected]. strictest confidence and will not be provided to Selection Process To apply online for this post, you will need to visit the selection panel. We capture this information https://jobs.jobvite.com/mojscscareers, to upload to monitor our internal vacancy filling processes Jane Burgess, a Civil Service Commissioner, will chair your CV and supporting statement. with a view to ensuring that we continue to build the process. The Civil Service Commission has two a talented workforce with diverse perspectives primary functions: Document details: and backgrounds. • Providing assurance that selection for 1. A CV setting out your career history, with key 4. In addition to diversity information, you will be appointment to the Civil Service is on merit responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure asked whether you wish to apply for the role as on the basis of fair and open competition. For you have provided reasons for any gaps within part of the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. For the most senior posts in the Civil Service, the the last two years. more information about the scheme, please see Commission discharges its responsibilities directly 2. A Statement of Suitability (no longer than the FAQs section. by overseeing the recruitment process and by a two pages) explaining how you consider your Commissioner chairing the selection panel. Please submit and complete all of the documents personal skills, qualities and experience provide listed so that the panel will have all the required • Hearing and determining appeals made by civil evidence of your suitability for the role, with information on which to assess your application servants under the Civil Service Code which particular reference to the criteria in the person against the criteria in the person specification. sets out the Civil Service values – Impartiality, specification. Please note failure to submit a CV and Statement of Objectivity, Integrity and Honesty – and forms Suitability will result in your application not being part of the relationship between civil servants considered for this role. and their employer. Recruitment Process

More detailed information can be found on the The timeline later in this pack indicates the date Offer Civil Service Commission website. by which decisions are expected to be made, and Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all all shortlisted candidates will be advised of the In addition to Jane Burgess, the other panel candidates as soon as possible after the final outcome as soon as possible thereafter. members will be: interview. Assessment • James McEwen, Chief Financial Officer, Ministry of Justice; and If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a series of assessments which could include • Nick Goodwin, Chief Executive Officer and Public psychometric tests and a staff engagement exercise. Guardian of the Office of the Public Guardian These assessments will not result in a pass or fail • Roshnee Patel, Deputy Director, Legal Support decision. Rather, they are designed to support the and Fees Policy. panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview. All assessments and discussions, including the final selection panel interview – for this role will be You may also have the opportunity to speak to undertaken by phone or video conferencing. some senior members of the organisation prior to the final interview to learn more about the role and Shortlist the organisation. Please note this is not part of the You will receive an acknowledgment of your formal assessment process. application through the online process. You will be asked to attend a panel interview in The panel will then assess your application to select order to have a more in-depth discussion of your those demonstrating the best fit with the role by previous experience and professional competence considering the evidence you have provided against in relation to the criteria set out in the Person the criteria set out in the ‘Person Specification’ Specification. This may include a presentation as section. Failure to address any or all of these may part of the interview process. affect your application. Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates. Recruitment Process

We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for assessments or interviews. You are therefore asked to note the below timetable, exercising flexibility Expected Timeline through the recruitment and selection process, in order to meet the dates given. Please note that these dates may be subject to change.

The anticipated timetable is as follows:

Advert Closing Date 23:55 on Sunday, 3rd January 2021

Shortlist Meeting Week commencing 11th January 2021

Assessments 18th – 29th January 2021

Fireside Chats Week commencing 18th and 25th January 2021

Interviews Week commencing 1st February 2021 FAQs

FAQs

Can I apply if I am not currently a civil servant? Where will the role be based? • The Commonwealth* Yes. This role is open to suitably qualified people in If successful, your Office location will be based • A European Economic Area (EEA) Member State the external market and to existing civil servants on your residing location. LAA has offices and those in accredited Non-Departmental Bodies. in Nottingham, Leeds, South Tyneside and • Switzerland Westminster (London). Is this role suitable for part-time working? • Turkey This role is available for full-time or flexible working Unfortunately, relocation costs will not be Certain family members of EEA, Switzerland and arrangements (including job share partnerships). reimbursed. Turkish nationals are also eligible to apply regardless If you wish to discuss your needs in more detail, Can I claim back any expenses incurred during of their nationality. please get in touch with the named point of the recruitment process? (*Commonwealth citizens not yet in the UK, who contact in this pack. No. Unfortunately we will not be able to reimburse have no right of abode in the UK and who do not Will the role involve travel? you, except in exceptional circumstances and only have leave to enter the UK are ineligible to apply.) when agreed in advance. Some travel may be required for this role. For further information on whether you are eligible What nationality do I need to hold in order to apply, please visit Gov.UK. to apply? Reserved for UK Nationals To be eligible for employment to this role you must This is not a reserved post. be a national from the following countries: • The • The Republic of Ireland FAQs

Is security clearance required? Do you offer a Guaranteed Interview Scheme What do I do if I want to make a complaint? Yes. If successful you must hold, or be willing for Disabled Persons? The law requires that selection for appointment to to obtain, security clearance to SC level. More Disabled applicants who meet the minimum the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and information about the vetting process can be selection criteria in the job specification are open competition as outlined in the Civil Service found here. guaranteed an interview. Selection will be on merit. Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you wish to claim a guaranteed interview under What reasonable adjustments can be made if If you feel your application has not been treated in the Disability Commitment, you should complete I have a disability? accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and the relevant section of the online application. It is you wish to make a complaint, you should contact We are committed to making reasonable not necessary to state the nature of your disability. adjustments in order to support disabled [email protected] in the first instance. Will this role be overseen by the Civil Service job applicants and ensure that you are If you are not satisfied with the response you Commission? not disadvantaged in the recruitment and receive from the Department, you can contact the assessment process. Yes. As this role is one of the more senior posts Civil Service Commission. within the Civil Service, a Commissioner will If you feel that you may need a reasonable oversee the recruitment process and chair the What should I do if I think that I have a adjustment to be made, or you would like to discuss selection panel. conflict of interest? your requirements in more detail, please contact Candidates must note the requirement to declare [email protected] in the first instance. More detailed information can be found on the any interests that might cause questions to be Civil Service Commission website. raised about their approach to the business of the Department. If you believe that you may have a conflict of interest please contact SCS Recruitment on [email protected] before submitting your application. FAQs

Data Sharing

We will ensure that we will treat all about working in the civil service can inform 2. Processing is of a specific category of personal decision taken to improve these experiences, and data and it is necessary for the purposes personal information in accordance ultimately organisation performance. of identifying or keeping under review the with data protection legislation, existence or absence of equality of opportunity Sensitive personal data is personal data revealing or treatment between groups of people with a including the General Data racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or view to enabling such equality to be promoted philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, Protection Regulation and Data or maintained. and the processing of genetic data, biometric data Protection Act 2018. for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural 3. Please note if you are successful in your Data Sharing person, data concerning health or data concerning a application your sensitive personal data will be natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation. used as part of the on-boarding process to build To process your application your personal data your employee record. will be shared with the Ministry of Justice SCS The legal basis for processing your sensitive Recruitment Team, campaign Panel Members personal data is: For further information please see the GDPR Privacy Notice. and anyone else necessary as part of the 1. Processing is necessary for reasons of recruitment process. substantial public interest for the exercise of a The legal basis for processing your personal function of the Crown, a Minister of the Crown, data is: or a government department: it is important to know if groups of staff with specific Processing is necessary for the performance of a demographic characteristics have a better task carried out in the public interest. Personal or worse experience of working for the Civil data are processed in the public interest because Service, so that appropriate action can be taken understanding civil servant experiences and feelings to level this experience; Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity & Inclusion

We pride ourselves on being an We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring in terms of their culture, ethnicity, employer of choice and encourage race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, applications from talented gender identity or expression, religion or belief, candidates irrespective of identity, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor. background, life experience or Click here to find out more about how we circumstances, and particularly from champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace. BAME and disabled candidates who are currently under-represented at Senior Civil Service level in the MoJ. It’s vital that our justice system is as diverse as the society we serve. Contact us

Should candidates like to discuss the role in more detail before applying, please contact SCS Recruitment on [email protected].

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Gold Standard 2020