Head of Strategic Engagement and Place Policy

This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.

General Information 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

Working Pattern Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working

Vacancy Approach Cross Government

Location Edinburgh, London

Region London, Scotland

Closing Date 01-Sep-2026

Post Type Loan

Grade 6 Number of jobs available 1

Reserve List 12 Months

Job ID 21146

Descriptions & requirements The Role: We are seeking an experienced, strategic and inclusive leader to join the Scotland Office's Local Growth and Place Division as the Head of Strategic Engagement and Place Policy.

The Local Growth and Place Division is acting as the Scotland Office's place-based delivery and local insights hub. To achieve this, it is composed of four teams overseen by the Deputy Director for Local Growth and Place:

The Local Growth Team: leading the delivery of Scottish City and Regional Growth Deals and the Scottish Local Growth Fund; and supporting the delivery of wider UK Government place-based local growth funds in Scotland.

• The Strategic Engagement Team: implementing the cross-Scotland office engagement and events strategy alongside stakeholder insights tracking.
• The Social, Rural and Fiscal Policy Team: Account Management of MHCLG, DfE, DCMS, Defra, DHSC, MoJ and HMT to amplify Scottish delivery opportunities.

Project Management Lead: ensuring SO project and delivery management reflect Government best practice.

The Head of Strategic Engagement and Place Policy would oversee and drive the work of the Strategic Engagement Team, the Social, Rural and Fiscal Policy Team, as well as the Project Management Lead.

We are looking for someone with impeccable organisational and prioritisation skills, confidence in their own judgement and a track record of translating ministerial priorities into tangible, implementable action.

They will possess the proven ability to deliver through others with kindness and compassion and demonstrate an ability to manage a demanding workload whilst horizon scanning and responding swiftly to emerging priorities.

They will also have experience in establishing and maintaining effective relationships with external stakeholders - including by establishing and maintaining an insights tracking system that supports the department's policy influencing agenda. Further, they will have a strong understanding and experience of Government spending, project management and delivery best practices. Experience with / understanding of MHCLG, DfE, DCMS, Defra, DHSC, MoJ and HMT policy priorities and ways of working is desirable.

In return, they will be welcomed into a social, experienced and fast-paced team that places collaboration, challenge, innovation and high-quality outputs at the centre of what we do.

The role holder will lead the teams at a crucial moment in time. The Local Growth and Place Division has been restructured and stood up in its current form following a wider departmental reorganisation in June. The post holder will therefore have to balance effective BAU delivery across teams activities, while also supporting the Deputy-Director Local Growth and Place in designing and kickstarting the set-up, ways of working arrangements and longer term work planning for the teams in line with organisational transformation outcomes - embedding engagement throughout our work and pioneering the approach to matrix working in SO. Working creatively to drive continuous improvements and to lead processes and ways of working changes in-flight will be a key feature of this role.

Key responsibilities Key responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Work closely with the DD Local Growth and Place to embed organisational transformation outcomes - including through long-term work planning, embedding engagement throughout our work; and pioneering the approach to matrix working in SO.

Work creatively to drive continuous improvements in how the team operates and is structured - including by supporting cross-departmental capability building as relevant.

Overseeing the work of the Strategic Engagement team, the Social Rural and Fiscal Policy team, and the Project Management Lead to ensure effective BAU delivery of (a) cross-Scotland Office engagement, visits and events activity; (b) ensuring MHCLG, DfE, DCMS, Defra, DHSC, MoJ and HMT opportunities for Scotland are considered; and (c) delivery of project management best practice workshops and supporting documentation.

Work closely with the Policy DDs, policy leads, and the engagement team to implement an updated Scotland Office engagement strategy - aligned with organisational transformation outcomes.

Work closely with the DD Local Growth and Place to stand up a new engagement insight sharing process and CRM recording system that drive the department's policy influencing agenda.

Person Specification Proven strategic thinking and practical delivery skills, with the intellectual curiosity to understand the wider context within which you work.

Excellent written and verbal communication, and confident working closely with senior leaders/ministers.

Experience of providing policy and/or engagement advice to government ministers or senior leaders and demonstrated ability to pick up new topics quickly.

Ability to work confidently and credibly with a range of colleagues, external partners and ministers, and to influence and prioritise direction of work.

Ability to be creative and innovative, coming up with new ideas to tackle problems.

Thorough experience in stakeholder engagement and Government visits and events.

Experience of successfully leading teams through times of change and transition, including by building capability.

Experience in working with MHCLG, DfE, DCMS, Defra, DHSC, MoJ and HMT.

Understanding of the policy, delivery and stakeholder landscape in Scotland.

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.

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.

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

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.
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