HM Courts and Tribunals Service 

Job Title:      Head of Board Secretariat and Deputy Head of Corporate Governance

Grade:           G7

Directorate: Strategy Analysis and Change (SAC)

Location:      National

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full-time. Flexible working arrangements may be considered, subject to business needs

Successful applicants will normally be expected to work from an HMCTS office for at

least 60% of their working time, subject to business needs, with monthly

travel to London.

Level of Clearance: To apply for this role, you will be required to successfully complete Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) as a condition of appointment. For further guidance click here

Introduction

HM Courts & Tribunals Service is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Our work supports the judiciary and helps people and businesses to access justice, often at significant moments in their lives. We are looking for individuals who are committed to public service and want to make a difference through the delivery of justice.

Job Description

This is an opportunity to lead Board governance at the heart of HMCTS, one of the largest and most complex operational organisations in government.

As Head of Board Secretariat and Deputy Head of Corporate Governance, you will serve as Secretary to the HMCTS Board, lead support to the Board, its committees, the Chair and Non-Executive Directors, and act as a trusted governance adviser to senior leaders.

You will shape strategic agendas, strengthen the quality of decision-making and ensure that governance arrangements support accountability, organisational performance and delivery. You will also act as the principal deputy to the Head of Corporate Governance on governance matters, leading significant improvement and reform work under delegated authority.

The role sits within an evolving function and will require flexibility, sound judgement and confidence operating with senior stakeholders. You will lead a multi-grade team and may oversee separate Board Secretariat and corporate governance portfolios as the future structure and priorities of HMCTS develop.

Your key responsibilities will include:

Key accountabilities

1. Leadership of HMCTS Board secretariat

The postholder will:

• Serve as Secretary to the HMCTS Board, providing authoritative advice on Board procedure, responsibilities, decision routes and escalation. Lead the effective operation and continuing improvement of the Board, its committees and senior executive governance.
• Focus the Board, its committees and senior executive governance on HMCTS’s key priorities by shaping strategic agendas and an integrated forward programme that anticipates dependencies, risks and capacity pressures.
• Ensure Board and committee papers meet the required standard and provide clear advice or challenge where submissions are not decision ready.
• Work with sponsors and senior leaders to assure clear, decision-ready governance proposals and eliminate duplication.

1. Strategic support for the Chair and Non-Executive Directors, and senior stakeholder influence

The postholder will:

• Provide dedicated support and governance advice to the HMCTS Chair and Non-Executive Directors, enabling their effective contribution to Board business and overseeing their appointment, induction, development and engagement.
• Build trusted relationships with Board and committee members, judicial office holders, Ministry of Justice colleagues and partners, providing impartial advice and influence to improve governance, manage sensitive issues and translate recommendations into practical improvements.

1. Deputy Leadership of Corporate Governance

The postholder will:

• Act as principal deputy to the Head of Corporate Governance and Board Secretariat, advising senior leaders and translating strategic direction into effective governance, accountability and decision-making arrangements.
• Lead governance improvement and effectiveness reviews arising from organisational or leadership change, using evidence, stakeholder feedback and good practice to strengthen decision-making and forum effectiveness.

1. Leadership and Management

The postholder will:

• Lead, develop and line manage a high-performing, inclusive and resilient multi-grade team, setting clear objectives, priorities, standards and accountabilities across strategic, delegated governance and operational secretariat delivery.

The accompanying Key Accountabilities document provides further detail on the responsibilities and expectations of the role.

The postholder will be expected to work flexibly across the Corporate Governance and Board Secretariat portfolio, and the scope and responsibilities of the role may evolve in response to changing organisational priorities and governance arrangements.

Essential skills

• A strong understanding of corporate governance, accountability and effective decision-making.
• Experience supporting senior decision-making bodies, shaping agendas and forward programmes, and producing high-quality governance products.
• Ability to provide authoritative, impartial advice and build trusted, influential senior relationships.
• Strategic judgement to identify priorities, risks, dependencies and governance routes, with discretion in handling sensitive or high-profile matters.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to analyse complex material and produce clear, concise and accurate advice.
• Experience of leading teams, setting standards and developing capability.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes in a fast-moving and ambiguous environment.
• Evidence of leading continuous improvement, organisational change or governance reform.

The following criteria are desirable. They will not be assessed as part of the main selection process but may be used as a deciding factor where candidates achieve equal scores.

Desirable skills

• Experience of working directly with a Chair, Non-Executive Directors, judicial office holders, Ministers or senior public servants.
• Knowledge of public body governance, departmental sponsorship or government accountability arrangements.
• Experience of Board or committee effectiveness reviews, developing governance frameworks, delegations and/or terms of reference.
• Knowledge of HMCTS, the Ministry of Justice or the wider justice system.
• Experience of using technology or artificial intelligence to improve governance or corporate services.

Application process:

Stage 1 - Sift:

To apply for this position, you must submit the following as part of your application:

• An anonymised CV, setting out your career history, key responsibilities and achievements. Your CV will be assessed against the essential criteria outlined within the Essential Skills section of this advert.

• A Statement of Suitability which should give us real life examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. We recommend following the STAR

Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift may be conducted on the Statement of Suitability Candidates who pass the pre-sift will be fully assessed on all the sift criteria.

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application Guidance

Stage 2 - Interviews:

Successful candidates who pass the sift will be invited to an in-person interview at, 102 Petty France, London, SW1H 9AJ (details to be shared along with your invite). At interview stage, you will be assessed against Strengths and Behaviours. Details can be found under the interview stage assessment section on the advert.  For further guidance on the interview process please click here

Important information

Level of Clearance

To apply for this role, you will be required to successfully complete Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) as a condition of appointment. To meet these requirements, you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3 years

For further information please click here

Salary details

New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum.

Existing Civil Servants applying on promotion, will usually be appointed on the salary minimum of the new pay band, or receive an increase of 10% on the current base salary, whichever is higher (This is restricted to the pay maximum of the new band).

Travel requirements

The role will require monthly travel to London and travel to other HMCTS sites in line with business needs.

Proud to Serve. Proud to keep justice goin