Chief of Staff

Job Title & Grade: Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive G6, This role is full-time for 37 hours per week. It is reasonable to expect that work will occasionally need to be undertaken outside of normal business hours including evenings and weekends, due to the nature of the role and the demands of the office. This role is therefore not suitable for part-time or job share candidates. The Legal Aid Agency We are an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). We are responsible for operationally administering the criminal and civil legal aid schemes in England and Wales. Our people are at the heart of achieving excellence. Employing around 1,200 colleagues across England and Wales, we feel proud to have some of the best People Survey results in the Civil Service. The Office of the Chief Executive The Chief Executive Officer's (CEO) Office sits within the Corporate Services Directorate at the LAA. The postholder will lead the CEO's Office - a small cluster of corporate teams focussed on direct support to the CEO, Deputy CEO (DCEO) and Director of Transformation, and protecting and furthering the Agency's reputation. The CEO's Office is made up of the LAA Private Office (CEO, DCEO and Director of Transformation support function), the CEO's Correspondence and Parliamentary Engagement Team, Publications and Commissioning and the External and Internal Communications teams. The CEO reports to the MoJ Director General for Policy. We are a friendly and supportive team, working with colleagues and stakeholders across the LAA, MoJ and its agencies as well as colleagues across the wider government and legal sector., We are looking for an outstanding leader with excellent personal judgement to directly support the CEO and to head up the busy and high-performing teams that sit within the CEO's Office. As Chief of Staff to the CEO, you will thrive in a fast-moving, varied and reactive environment, leading and operating with discretion, conscientiousness and political awareness as the key point of contact between the CEO and the wider organisation. You will ensure the CEO's, DCEO's and DT's priorities are understood and driven forward, communicating these effectively at the highest levels across the LAA, MoJ Policy, MoJ Communications and across the wider department. You will also be the interface between the CEO and staff at all levels across LAA and MoJ, as well as with stakeholders across the Civil Service and externally. Cross-MoJ and justice systems collaboration, and prioritisation of reform and transformation, are pressing central priorities for senior leaders working in legal aid - you will support them to deliver this effectively through teams across the Agency. As CoS, you will provide overall leadership of the corporate teams that sit within the CE's Office, and which are responsible for agency reputation (External and Internal Communications, Publications and Commissioning and the CEO's Correspondence and Parliamentary Engagement Team). You will have direct line management of approximately five members of staff, and will provide development and pastoral support to them in addition to management cover for those reporting to you. You will also ensure robust contingency and succession plans are in place across the cluster to prevent any disruption to our corporate services, and will use your excellent interpersonal skills to keep the CEO, Deputy CEO and LAA senior leaders informed of potential change. This is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your ability to lead with confidence, contribute to the wider corporate agenda, and build a cohesive and supportive working culture across all of the teams delivering for the CEO, with high visibility across the LAA and MoJ. Key Responsibilities: The successful candidate will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

• Maintaining an overview of key issues requiring the CEO's, DCEO's and DT's attention, acting as a conduit for and working closely with the LAA's Executive Leadership Team (ELT), MoJ Policy and functional leadership Deputy Directors and with MoJ Press Office and Private Offices across the Department;
• Actively anticipating problems and solving issues as they arise, providing the CEO, DCEO and DT with early warning and the support and guidance they need. Adjust and develop plans accordingly, including horizon scanning and working with multiple stakeholders to manage and mitigate risks and maximise opportunities;
• Inspiring and shaping the CEO's Office and all its constituent parts to be an inclusive, high-performing and innovative team. Foster a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring team members understand roles and responsibilities and are able to take advantage of training and development opportunities which enhance the capability of the team, and in doing so, enhance the reputation of the LAA;
• Leading the CEO's Office to deliver a high-quality service, ensuring the CEO's, DCEO's and DT's time is properly prioritised and used effectively, and that they are well briefed on both existing and emerging issues;
• Support the CEO in their responsibilities associated with being Accounting Officer and Director of Legal Aid Casework, ELT Chair, LAA Board Member and member of other senior governance groups across the MoJ and wider Civil Service;
• Developing and maintaining strong stakeholder relationships across the MoJ - including with the offices of ministers, Group and other Directors General, CEOs and MoJ senior leaders - and employing effective communication skills to share and gather key information to support delivery of the LAA agenda;
• Supporting the CEO's cross-Whitehall work as appropriate, building relationships with key stakeholders and flagging emerging issues or priorities to the CEO with recommendations as appropriate;
• Communicating the CEO's views and decisions, and where appropriate, make evidence-based decisions on their behalf, ensuring they are kept fully informed. This can include representing the CEO at meetings to ensure their priorities are understood, acted upon and progressed;
• Supporting the CEO in their leadership and management, including in relation to direct reports and the LAA's senior leadership cadre, working with the HR Business Partner as appropriate;
• Supporting the Heads of Internal and External Communications to build and lead trusted and expert communications teams that work with colleagues across the LAA and wider with MoJ Communications, Policy and Digital colleagues to design, develop and deliver an insight-led strategic communications plans with a renewed focus on stakeholder engagement;
• Working with the External Comms team to ensure the team has both the capability and the capacity to deliver a range of services and products from providing advice to the CEO on handling high profile media issues or developing effective communications plans to support internal operational change, to leading on incident and contingency communications or external stakeholder relationships;
• Working with EC and the Executive Leadership Team to protect the independence and reputation of the CEO in their statutory remit as the Director of Legal Aid Casework, and identify any potential operational issues or cases of public interest, taking proactive steps to mitigate against the impacts of inaccurate or negative media; and
• Monitoring progress of the delivery of CEO, DCEO and DT objectives against plans throughout the year, and facilitate the reprioritisation of activities as required. Previous experience of a senior role within a private office or comparable environment would be an asset, 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.
As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role. Under the Equality Act 2010 a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months. If you are responding to a role within the Legal Aid Agency and would like to be considered under the guaranteed interview, please indicate this in your application and let us know of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the sift or later selection processes. The LAA's goal is to build an organisation that is open and inclusive and truly values and celebrates the diversity of its workforce. One that reflects and understands the needs of the diverse society we serve. This is regardless of social background, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, beliefs, disabilities or long-term illness or caring responsibilities. Reasonable Adjustments We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you have a disability or long-term condition (for example dyslexia, anxiety, autism, a mobility condition or hearing loss) and need us to make any reasonable adjustments to support you through the recruitment process, please let us know by adding the information to the applications system or emailing LAARecruitment@justice.gov.uk after you have applied so that we can discuss options with you. Complaints procedure If you have any complaints about this recruitment activity, please share your concerns by emailing LAARecruitment@justice.gov.uk initially. We aim to respond to any complaint within 10 working days. 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. 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., 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., 250 Seeing the Big Picture Leadership Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Experience We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods CV or Work History, Experience Questions Experience Questions Application Form Question Word Limit 250 Evidence of Experience CV or Work History, Experience QuestionsInterview stage assessments Interview Dates Expected: Interviews are planned for week commencing 5th October 2026 Behaviours Seeing the Big Picture Leadership Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing


• Excellent situational judgement, discretion and emotional intelligence;
• Ability to perform well in a demanding, unpredictable and fast-paced role, responding quickly and proportionately based on sound evidence or legal/policy advice.
• Proven track record of representing a senior official effectively, with the confidence to intervene and act as a trouble-shooter to quickly resolve issues and tensions with discretion and sensitivity;
• Management experience, particularly in an operational, sensitive and evolving area;
• Firm understanding of the work and requirements of civil servants and government ministers, and the differing remits of central government policy-making functions and operational delivery and implementation organisations (ie. ALBs and executive agencies);
• Ability to quickly assimilate and analyse material that may be unfamiliar, making sound judgements and recommendations;
• Able to operate strategically and with autonomy across a complex landscape, passionate about driving and delivering high-quality outcomes through others and able to deliver in a fast-paced environment;
• Significant experience of developing and maintaining effective working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders including managing competing interests;
• Excellent written, oral and presentation skills with an ability to confidently influence more senior stakeholders both internally and externally;
• Competent in reviewing, critiquing and clearing high-profile and short-notice briefing (and when necessary, drafting) to ensure the highest standard of material is presented to the CEO, Directors General, Permanent Secretary and Justice Ministers.
• Able to provide effective and inspiring leadership in pressured situations and react calmly and at speed in a wide range of circumstances;
• Proven ability to plan and prioritise own workload, and that of multiple teams, in a busy and unpredictable environment; and
• Confidence in decision-making, exercising sound judgement, and the ability to challenge others in a constructive manner appropriate to the situation.
Desirable Knowledge, Experience and skills
• Previous experience of a senior role within a private office or comparable environment would be an asset;
• Management experience, particularly in a fast-paced role with competing priorities; and
• Knowledge of the legal aid landscape or wider justice environment would be advantageous.
Assessment approach, Seeing the bigger picture Leadership Delivering at pace Communicating and influencing When submitting an example of a behaviour remember to include the situation, what you did and why, and what was the outcome / result.,
• Seeing the bigger picture
• Leadership
• Delivering at pace
• Communicating and influencing
Your Experience of implementing, promoting, or understanding diversity and inclusion policy - Diversity is the presence of difference, this can include one or more of the protected characteristics (Gender, Age, Race, Disability etc.) or it can be about working patterns, whether we like to jump into a task or reflect on it before acting. Inclusion is how we welcome, value, and celebrate diversity, giving everyone a voice, tapping into ideas, and enabling everyone to be themselves at work and achieve their potential. Grade 6 For this grade/ role we would expect the candidate to demonstrate understanding of the terms Diversity and Inclusion and be able to explain why they are important in a work environment. We would also expect examples of action they have taken to embrace diversity (e.g., increasing understanding for self or others) or improve inclusion at a cross departmental or organisational level.

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.