Prison Estate Strategy and Priority Project Lead

The Prison Directorate is recruiting permanently for a Grade 7 to head up the prison estates strategy and priority projects function. 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resign or your FTA contract ends before you are made and accept an offer, you will become ineligible and you will be withdrawn from the process., The Prisons Directorate is responsible for advising Ministers on all aspects of prison policy. Our priorities include ensuring there is sufficient prison capacity to meet demand for places, improving safety and security across the prison estate and ensuring prisons enable rehabilitation. The Workforce, Estates and Digital team has a central role in the directorate looking at options to increase prison capacity, improve standards and resilience of the estate, as well as owning policy on the prison workforce, pay and digital technology. Prison Estate Strategy and Priority Project Lead - the role This is a high-profile and rewarding opportunity to lead strategic policy on one of the Ministry of Justice's highest priorities. The Ministry of Justice and HMPPS face sustained demand for prison places and are designing and delivering an ambitious programme of estate expansion. Alongside increasing prison capacity, we must develop long-term solutions that improve the resilience, sustainability and effectiveness of the estate. This role offers the opportunity to influence decisions that will shape the future of the prison system for years to come. As Prison Estate Strategy and Priority Project Lead, you will sit at the centre of the prison estates portfolio, leading work that cuts across different policy areas, leading on discrete estates projects and providing strategic oversight of key ministerial priorities. You will be responsible for shaping and coordinating complex policy development, driving delivery across multiple teams, and ensuring the prison estate is equipped to meet both immediate operational pressures and long-term challenges. You will work closely with three other Grade 7 teams to ensure a joined up and strategic approach to prison estate policy. The work is varied; recent work has included coordinating the prison estates contribution to Spending Reviews, working with No 10 on prison supply options and leading policy engagement on the Independent Review into the Prison System. The priorities of the role will continue to evolve, offering exposure to some of the most important and fast-moving issues facing the department. This role would suit a confident and adaptable policy professional who enjoys working at pace, can quickly build expertise in new subject areas, and is comfortable operating in a highly visible environment with significant ministerial, parliamentary and cross-government interest. Due to the nature of the role, key responsibilities will flex and develop over time, but key elements are likely to be:

• Leading and coordinating the prison estates approach to future Spending Reviews.
• Overseeing policy development and departmental responses relating to the Independent Review into the Prison System.
• Delivering high-priority, time-bound strategic projects across the estates portfolio, including work on accommodation requirements for specific cohorts.
• Providing high-quality advice, submissions and briefing to senior leaders, Ministers and Parliament.
• Responding effectively to emerging issues, ministerial commissions and other time-critical priorities.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships across MoJ, HMPPS, other government departments and external stakeholders.
• Line managing at least one SEO, providing leadership, support and development opportunities.
• Playing an active role within the Estates Senior Management Team and contributing to an inclusive, supportive and high-performing team culture., 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, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, 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 in order 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 1,000 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:
• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
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 your 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 Please do get in touch with natasha.beebe1@justice.gov.uk if you would like to know more about the role or what it is like working in our team. 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., Interviews are expected to take place in October 2026 Behaviours Leadership Delivering at Pace Making Effective Decisions Seeing the Big Picture Strengths Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here. Level of security checks required Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS)

Essential:
• The ability to rapidly understand complex issues and develop high-quality, evidence-based policy at pace.
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to work effectively across organisational boundaries.
• Excellent drafting, briefing and presentation skills, with experience communicating complex issues to senior audiences.
• The ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes under pressure.
• Strategic thinking and the ability to set direction across teams and stakeholders.
• Experience of influencing and collaborating with senior leaders, operational partners, other government departments and external organisations.
• Strong leadership skills, with a commitment to delivering through others, developing individuals, empowering colleagues and fostering high performance.
Desirable:
• Experience working on prison and/or Criminal Justice System policy
• Experience using analytical evidence to inform policy development and decision-making.
  
  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.
  
  The national salary range is £58,511 - £65,329, London salary range is £63,343 - £70,725. Your salary will be dependent on your base location, Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department's pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules., 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.