Find More Than 10K+
United Kingdom Jobs

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Rydym yn croesawu ac yn annog ceisiadau gan bawb, yn cynnwys grwpiau sydd wedi’u tangynrychioli yn ein gweithlu ar hyn o bryd, ac rydym yn ymfalchïo mewn bod yn gyflogwr o safon uchel sy’n denu llawer o ymgeiswyr. Ewch i https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity gael rhagor o wybodaeth am sut rydym yn hyrwyddo amrywiaeth a chynhwysiant yn y gweithle.

Job Title: Team Manager

Contract Type: Permanent

Grade: HEO

Please note that unless you are currently employed by the Civil Service and are earning more than the minimum above, if successful you will be offered the minimum for the grade depending on your location.

Location: Cardiff

Directorate: Case Management

Team: Civil Case Management

Working Pattern: The post is supported by the MOJ flexible working policy and includes colleagues who work flexibly, remotely, part time or as part of a job share etc.

If you are applying for a part time role, please note that in order to meet business demands we need cover for a minimum of 3 days per week.

Reporting to: Operations Manager and Business Improvement Lead

The Legal Aid Agency

We are an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). We provide civil and criminal legal aid and advice in England and Wales to help people deal with their legal problems.

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.

Our LAA commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

The LAA is committed to diversity and inclusion and we positively promote flexible working, including job shares.

We will consider all applications on merit regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, religion, ethnicity, preferred working pattern and except for exceptional circumstances your working location.

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 ensure that you attach the Disability Confident Scheme Form when you return your application. You can use the same form to let the recruiting manager know of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the sift or later selection processes.

Case Management

The Case Management Directorate is the operational delivery function of the LAA, and our staff ensure that each year in excess of 500,000 new clients are able to access the justice they require, and that their providers are fairly remunerated for the delivery of the legal aid. With staff based across multiple sites we deliver services for those facing both criminal and civil legal problems including family, immigration, mental health, housing, and exceptional funding cases.

Civil Case Management

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for making sure legal aid services from solicitors, barristers and the not-for-profit sector are available to the general public. Our work to administer legal aid is essential to the fair, efficient and effective operation of the criminal justice systems and we work closely with legal providers and the wider Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to achieve our purpose. This commitment is at the heart of our day-to-day decision making and our work to improve legal aid services. The engagement and commitment of our staff is crucial to achieving our purpose. Together we show openness, honesty, and commitment, and, of course, to deliver results.

Civil Case Management is responsible for the processing applications and claims for costs for legal aid and associated items of work.

Job Summary

Principally to effectively lead a team to meet Key Performance Indicators, analysing performance statistics and developing team members to ensure an effectively engaged team on a daily basis.

Key Responsibilities:

• Planning of internal resources to ensure all business targets are met, including individual quality and productivity targets, collating, and analysing data to inform decisions, escalating issues as they emerge and helping to find effective solutions
• Analysis of financial and performance management data to identify key issues and ensure appropriate action is taken to address areas of concern
• Setting and communicating a clear direction for the team in relation to the Agency’s aims, objectives, purpose, and vision to ensure understanding and engagement in the vision
• Supporting the internal transformation programme ensuring that teams are aware of proposed changes that affect them and feel supported throughout the process
• Ensuring performance meetings are held in line with the MoJ process and conversations are meaningful for both individuals and the LAA, providing constructive and honest feedback on performance
• Setting SMART targets and objectives for the direct reports in the team and for self to ensure effective performance management can take place
• Undertake succession planning for the team recognising the potential in team members and encouraging them to achieve their potential including conducting 1-2-1 meetings, touch point meetings, absence reviews, mentoring, coaching, setting objectives and developing training plans
• Ensuring that internal processes are fit for purpose and making recommendations for improvement, showing and awareness of risks inherent in internal processes, including Health and Safety and Information Awareness. Ensure risks are logged, relevant managers made aware and appropriate action taken.
• Take responsibility for the effective management of poor performance and absence issues on the team from both a team and individual perspective, understanding and addressing any issues as they arise in line with MoJ policies and procedures
• Take a leading role in the recruitment and selection of staff locally ensuring campaigns are run in line with MoJ Recruitment guidelines
• Encourage, handle, and respond to feedback from staff, customers, partners and suppliers to develop and improve services.
• Ensure actions are completed against team action plans arising out of the annual People Survey and engage team in actions
• Promote equality & diversity, treating everyone fairly and actively, encouraging ideas and contributions from all members of your team and across the case management teams
• Communicate effectively with people from across the business to foster effective and productive working relationships with all stakeholders
• Support team engagement and communication, delivering team briefings and cascading messages. Take a leading role in team meetings, encouraging the sharing of views, ideas, and solutions.

Essential Knowledge, Experience, and skills

• Experience of working within an operational environment and setting SMART objectives
• Experience of observing behaviours and performance and giving constructive feedback
• Effective communication skills both written and verbal
• Established problem-solving skills to achieve positive outcomes
• Experience of supporting Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace

Desirable Knowledge, Experience, and skills

• Experience of developing others
• IT Literate – a good knowledge of Microsoft office
• Health & Safety Awareness

Person Specification

• This role is suitable for someone who enjoys working in a leadership role in a fast-paced operational background

Assessment approach

Application Process

To apply please provide a statement of suitability showing how you meet the essential criteria in no more than 1250 words.

Your statement should demonstrate your ability to do all of the essential criteria listed, using examples can help strengthen your application.

Interview / assessment Process

If you are successful through the application stage, you will be invited to an interview / assessment centre in person or via Microsoft Teams where you will be assessed against the following:

• Strengths relevant to the role

Some or all of the following Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

• Your Experience of implementing, promoting, or understanding diversity and inclusion policy
• We will also assess the Making Effective Decisions behaviour by carrying out a role play scenario. You will be given time on the day to prepare for the role play.

Behaviours descriptions can be found below:

Leadership – Ensure colleagues and stakeholders have a clear understanding of objectives, activities and time-frames. Take into account different individual needs, views, and ideas, championing inclusion and equality of opportunity for all. Consider the impacts of own and team’s activities on stakeholders and end users. Role-model commitment and satisfaction with role. Recognise and praise the achievements of others to drive positivity within the team. Effectively manage conflict, misconduct and non-inclusive behaviour, raising with senior managers where appropriate.

Communicating and Influencing – Communicate in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner, choosing appropriate styles to maximise understanding and impact. Encourage the use of different communication methods, including digital resources and highlight the benefits, including ensuring cost effectiveness. Ensure communication has a clear purpose and takes into account people’s individual needs. Share information as appropriate and check understanding. Show positivity and enthusiasm towards work, encouraging others to do the same. Ensure that important messages are communicated with colleagues and stakeholders respectfully, taking into consideration the diversity of interests.

Delivering at Pace – Show a positive approach to keeping the whole team’s efforts focused on the top priorities. Promote a culture of following the appropriate procedures to ensure results are achieved on time whilst still enabling innovation. Ensure the most appropriate resources are available for colleagues to use to do their job effectively. Regularly monitor your own and team’s work against milestones ensuring individual needs are considered when setting tasks. Act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance. Allow individuals the space and authority to meet objectives, providing additional support where necessary, whilst keeping overall responsibility.

Making Effective Decisions – Understand own level of responsibility and empower others to make decisions where appropriate. Analyse and use a range of relevant, credible information from internal and external sources to support decisions. Invite challenge and where appropriate involve others in decision making. Display confidence when making difficult decisions, even if they prove to be unpopular. Consult with others to ensure the potential impacts on end users have been considered. Present strong recommendations in a timely manner outlining the consideration of other options, costs, benefits and risks.

Shortlisting is planned for week commencing 18th September 2023

Interviews are planned for week commencing 16th October 2023

If you would like more information on this opportunity, please contact – Lisa Jewitt [email protected]

Complaints procedure

If you have any complaints about this recruitment activity, please share your concerns by emailing [email protected] initially. We aim to respond to any complaint within 10 working days.

If you are dissatisfied with our response, we will forward your complaint to the Civil Service Commission, an independent body, for review.

Salary

£32,827 - £35,678

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). 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, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

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.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.

Benefits

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.

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 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.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm) or e mail [email protected]);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([email protected]);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. 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 SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.