11017 - Director of Strategy and Corporate Services

General Information

Salary The national salary range is £67,332 - £79,881 London salary range is £69,072 - £84,429 salary will be dependent on your base location Working Pattern Full Time Vacancy Approach External Location London, National Region London, National Closing Date 03-Nov-2025 Post Type Permanent Civil Service Grade Grade 6 Number of jobs available 1 Reserve List 12 Months Job ID 11017

Descriptions & Requirements

Job description Job Title       Director of Strategy and Corporate Services   Department       Strategy & Corporate Services        Team       Strategy & Corporate Services   Job Grade      Grade 6    Number of Posts    1   Reports to Job Purpose       Chief Executive Officer   The Director of Strategy and Corporate Services will report to the Chief Executive Officer to shape and deliver the vision, strategy and plans of the Parole Board whilst overseeing a high performing corporate services function.    In addition to being responsible for the delivery of the Board’s Strategy and business plan, you will oversee a number of critical services, including IT, human resources, recruitment, finance and commercial.    You will need to have strategic skills, be able to lead change, engage effectively with decision makers and foster a culture of continuous improvement.    Main duties and scope of responsibilities:     ·       Lead the development and delivery of the Parole Board’s strategy in line with its overall vision of being constituted as a court - ensuring the strategy is aligned with the business plan and KPIs.

·    Collaborate with the senior leadership team to define and deliver long term objectives and work closely with the COO in the delivery of the Board’s business plan. 
·    Create and communicate a clear roadmap for achieving strategic goals, including short-term priorities and long-term initiatives.
·    Work with partners across the Ministry of Justice to instil best practice in the governance of the Parole Board
·    Oversee the provision of the Board’s HR function, recruiting staff and members in line with projected case volume and ensuring that they have the support and resources to carry out their role.
·    Provide advice on finance and budgetary matters to the CEO & Accounting Officer, identifying efficiencies, ensuring VFM is maintained, and forecasts are accurate.
·    Work closely with the finance team to develop financial forecasts, budgets, and resource allocation plans that support strategic initiatives.
·    Oversee the Parole Board’s digital strategy, including development of AI (Artificial Intelligence)
·    Monitor financial performance, ensuring alignment between strategic objectives and financial goals.
·    Assess potential risks and challenges associated with strategic initiatives and develop mitigation strategies.
·    Analyse the Board’s performance and, working closely with the COO, recommend adjustments and improvements.
·    Drive change and transformation projects, including digital transformation, process improvements, and organizational change – working closely with the hub leads.
·    Lead cross-functional teams in implementing transformation programmes which improve efficiency and performance.
·    Act as a thought leader on key strategic issues, advising the leadership team on critical decisions.
·    Deputise for the Chief Operations Officer.

  Primary Deliverables       •    Strategic planning and delivery 

•     Transformation and Change Management
•     Risk Management and problem-solving 
•     Governance
•     Financial planning and budgeting
•     Oversee recruitment and workforce planning

  Person Specification    Essential       •    Strong track record of developing and executing successful strategies or business transformation.

•     Proven experience in a senior strategy role, such as Strategy Director, Head of Strategy, or similar.
•     Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and make strategic recommendations.
•     Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence and align cross-functional teams around strategic goals.

  Desirable       •    An understanding of the role, structure, and processes of the

• Parole Board;
•     Experience of working in Central Government, particularly an
• understanding of the Public Sector Expenditure framework
• and managing public money;
•     Experience of working in the Criminal Justice System.

About the Parole Board:

 
The Parole Board is an independent court-like body that carries out risk assessments on prisoners to determine whether they can be safely released into the community We do that with great care and public safety is our number one priority.
 
All Parole Board decisions are solely focused on whether a prisoner would represent a significant risk to the public after release. Not all decisions Members make are popular, but they make these decisions fairly and objectively.
 
The Board is made up of about 240 secretariat staff based in our London Head Office and approximately 350 Members who make decisions on risk and hold hearings virtually or at prisons around the country.
 
The Parole Board is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. Staff who work for the Parole Board Secretariat are Public Servants and not Civil Servants.
 
About the role:
 
This is an exciting role on the Senior Leadership Team of the Parole Board, reporting directly to the CEO. We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Director of Strategy and Corporate Services to lead the development and delivery of the Parole Board’s Strategy over the next 3 to 5 years. You will work closely with the leadership team to define and implement medium and long term objectives, manage risk, and drive change and transformation both in response to external change and to ensure the Parole Board is continuously improving. You will also oversee the delivery of the corporate services function, working closely with the Head of Corporate Services who you will line manage, to ensure that the provision of HR, finance and IT functions to staff and members is of a high quality and good governance is maintained. 

Main Duties:

  As set out in the job description above.   Behaviours   We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: 

•    Leadership 
•    Managing a Quality Service
•    Communicating and Influencing
•    Changing and Improving
 
Security:
 
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Security Cleared.

Accessibility

The Parole Board is a disability confident recruiter. Accessibility requests will be carefully considered and, where reasonable, actioned.
Whilst the Parole Board office is principally located in London, and, for the purposes of organisational management and administration, it is not required to conduct business in Welsh. However, the Parole Board welcomes applications from candidates who speak Welsh and English as part of its commitment to treat both languages on a basis of equality in the conduct of public business and administration of justice in Wales, as far as is both appropriate and reasonable, and to reflect the community it serves.

Office requirements 

This role is hybrid. You will be required to spend 20% of your time in the office. For some meeting, you will be required to attend in person in the Parole Board’s London office.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. At the interview stage you will be assessed against Behaviours, Strengths and Presentation.    

Additional Information

• Annual Salary: £67,333 to £84,429 depending on experience and where the candidate is situated. 
• Start date: The expected start date is 1st April 2026.
• The Parole Board offers a range of benefits:

For nationally advertised campaigns, candidates will be appointed to their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) on the completion of pre-employment checks.

The Parole Board offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. Parole Board 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 Parole Board’s Flexible Working policy.

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 Parole Board 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.

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.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.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information

Moj:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference

Hmpps

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference

Job Description Attachment

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Application Form Stage Assessments

Behaviours A sift based on the lead behaviour, Changing and Improving, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered. Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit 500 Changing and Improving Experience We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods Statement of Suitability Statement of Suitability Guidance for the Statement of Suitability Referring to the essential and desirable criteria in the job description, demonstrate your suitability for the role. Evidence of Experience Statement of Suitability

Interview Stage Assessments

Interview Dates Expected W/C 17th November 2025 Behaviours Leadership Managing a Quality Service Communicating and Influencing Changing and Improving 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.

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used? Presentation Level of security checks required DBS Standard

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.  Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.