Head of Prison Estate Evaluation and Evidence Programme

We welcome applications from candidates based across the UK and can be based in either our London or Leeds headquarters, with flexible working arrangements, or in a local Justice Collaboration Centre or Satellite Office (see map for details). Alternative locations may also be considered and agreed following successful completion of pre-employment checks. Interviews are expected to take place in July/August 2026 and will be held via MS Teams. A merit list will be held for 12 months for candidates who successfully pass the interview but are not immediately appointed. Background The Prisons Analysis Unit leads on developing evidence-based solutions to make prisons safer, more effective, and more efficient. Our work spans everything from forecasting prison capacity to improving how prisons operate day to day. We work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, tackling complex challenges with a strong focus on innovation and impact. In this role, you will provide senior leadership for the Prison Estate Evaluation and Evidence Programme. You will oversee the delivery of a complex, multi-strand evaluation strategy across the Prison Capacity Portfolio - including new prisons, major refurbishments, and houseblock programmes. Your leadership will ensure high analytical standards, strong coordination across teams, and clear communication of findings. This work will directly shape the evidence base on prison design and outcomes, informing key decisions and supporting the delivery of modern, effective prison places., This is a senior leadership role with a strong strategic focus. You will lead the evaluation of one of the most significant infrastructure programmes in government - the delivery of 20,000 additional modern prison places. You will:

• Set direction: Lead the overall Evaluation Strategy, ensuring clear governance, strong analytical standards, and a coherent approach across programmes.
• Oversee delivery: Manage three Grade 7-led teams, ensuring work is joined-up, well-prioritised, and responsive to stakeholder needs.
• Influence decisions: Work closely with policy and operational colleagues to ensure evaluation findings inform key decisions and shape strategic priorities.
• Champion evidence: Ensure outputs are high-quality, timely, and clearly communicated to senior stakeholders across MoJ and wider government.
• Build capability: Recruit, develop, and support a high-performing and inclusive team.
• Collaborate widely: Work with analytical networks across government to ensure alignment with cross-government evaluation standards and best practice., Your Statement of Suitability should be no more than 1000 words and should give us examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. Consider giving examples that cover all the requirements in the essential criteria section and use work you have completed to demonstrate how you meet each one.
There will be an initial sift of applicants through comparing submitted evidence against the 'essential criteria'. This usually takes two weeks, depending on the number of applications. Those who make it through the initial sift will be invited to a Civil Service Success Profile interview. In the Civil Service we use Success Profiles to help us find the right person for the job. We will be using a mixture of methods to assess your experience, technical skills, and behaviours. We highly recommend learning about Success Profiles and using the Situation, Task, Action, Result and Reflection (STARR) framework when structuring your answers., 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., Your Statement of Suitability should be no more than 1000 words and should give us examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. Consider giving examples that cover all the requirements in the essential criteria section and use work you have completed to demonstrate how you meet each one. Evidence of Experience CV or Work History, Experience Questions, Statement of SuitabilityInterview stage assessments Interview Dates Expected July/August 2026 Behaviours Leadership Communicating and Influencing Seeing the Big Picture Managing a Quality Service Technical
• Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skills
• GSS - Data Analysis.
• GORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques.
• GES - Analysis of Data.
• GSR - Knowledge and application of GSR technical skills
• Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact
• GSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively.
• GORS - Achieving impact with analysis.
• GES - Effective communication.
• GSR - using and promoting social research
Level of security checks required DBS Basic

You will need to demonstrate the following skills and experience (or the potential to develop them):
• Analytical leadership: Experience designing and delivering evaluation programmes, with the ability to structure complex problems and allocate resources effectively.
• Programme oversight: Strong track record of setting governance and assurance processes, managing risk, and tracking delivery across multiple projects.
• Team leadership: Experience leading teams through competing priorities, maintaining pace while supporting collaboration and flexibility.
• Strategic thinking: Ability to make sound decisions on evaluation design and prioritisation to maximise impact.
• Communication and influence: Ability to translate complex analysis into clear, compelling messages for senior stakeholders.
• Inclusive leadership: Commitment to building a positive team culture that supports wellbeing, development, and high performance.
• Collaboration: Strong ability to work across organisational boundaries and bring people together to deliver outcomes.
Desirable:
• Experience in external procurement and/or managing contractors.
• Experience of evaluation related to prisons or large-scale capital/infrastructure programmes.
Why Join Us?
• Be at the heart of prison reform, influencing decisions that have real impact.
• Lead a talented, multi-disciplinary team in a supportive and flexible working environment.
• Benefit from strong opportunities for professional development, including leadership growth and operational insight., Your work history should meet the following criteria: well structured, succinct, and written in clear language., 1. Leadership
2. Communicating and Influencing 3. Seeing the Bigger Picture 4. Managing a Quality Service For existing analysts from all professions, as well as the four civil service behaviours stated above, you will be assessed two sets of competencies on the following professional competencies at interview.
• Professional Competency (1) Knowledge & Skills
• GSS - Data Analysis.
• GORS - Knowledge and application of OR Skills and Techniques.
• GES - Analysis of Data.
• GSR - Knowledge and application of GSR technical skills
• Professional Competency (2) Influence & Impact
• GSS - Presenting and disseminating data effectively.
• GORS - Achieving impact with analysis.
• GES - Effective communication.
• GSR - using and promoting social research
  
  The national salary range is £71,381 - £80,419, London salary range is £75,674 - £85,257. Your salary will be dependent on your base location, For more information regarding Technical Skills assessment part of the interview, please refer to the analytical profession internet links below. Please note that some aspect of the professional competency may overlap with the MoJ competencies listed above.
We therefore recommend that in providing evidence for the professional competency, candidates focus on the technical and methodology aspects of the competencies that are specific to the profession. We will use evidence presented for the MoJ competencies in assessing the wider skills candidates have.
• Government Statistician Group (GSG):Further information, including a user guide, can be found within the link below:
GSG-competency-framework-2021-reviewed-february-2023.odt
• Government Social Research Service (GSR):Further information can be found within the link below:
GSR Competency Framework 2022
• Government Operational Research Service (GORS): Further information can be found within the link below:
GORS_Technical_Framework_2025.pdf
• Government Economic Service (GES): Further information can be found within the link below, 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.