General Information
Salary The national salary range is £32,483 - £37,265, London salary range is £34,281 - £41,836. Your salary will be dependent on your base location Working Pattern Full Time, Flexible Working Vacancy Approach External Location London, National Region London, National Closing Date 09-Aug-2026 Post Type Fixed Term Civil Service Grade HEO Number of jobs available 1 Reserve List 12 Months Job ID 20391Descriptions & requirements
Job description
Strategy Advisor
About the Parole Board
The Parole Board is a court-like body that determines if someone is safe to release from prison. 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, although not all decisions members take are popular and they try to do this as fairly and objectively as they can.
The Parole Board is made up of approximately 230 members of staff based in our London Head Office and approximately 300 nationally based Parole Board Members, who make decisions on risk by assessing cases at the point of referral from the Secretary of State and attending hearings at prisons across the country.
The Parole Board offers an excellent flexible working policy which allows employees to have an effective work, home life balance. We are committed to the development of employees and how to support their learning. We therefore promote staff participating in apprenticeships and wider learning. The Parole Board currently exceeds the government target of employees on apprenticeships.
About the role
The post holder will support the Strategy Hub by helping to develop evidence-based strategy, coordinate defined strategic workstreams, gather insight from internal and external sources, support stakeholder engagement and produce clear analysis and briefing to inform senior decision-making. The role is aligned to the Civil Service Policy Profession standards and will particularly require the ability to see the bigger picture, work together across boundaries and deliver at pace.
• Supporting the development of the Parole Board’s corporate strategy, business planning cycle and strategic forward look.
• Engaging across the organisation and with external partners to gather evidence, understand impacts, test proposals and support delivery of strategic priorities.
• Supporting and coordinating defined strategic workstreams, including court ambition, digital strategy and transparency, under the direction of the Strategic Change Manager.
• Maintaining the strategic forward look, action logs and supporting products so that priorities, risks, dependencies and decision points are visible.
Person specification
The post holder will be part of the Strategy Hub and report to the Strategic Change Manager. They will bring curiosity, sound judgement and enthusiasm, helping the organisation understand strategic choices, explore new ideas and develop evidence-based solutions to complex organisational challenges. They will be expected to see the bigger picture, work collaboratively, communicate clearly and deliver high-quality work at pace.
Main Duties
Your role will be to support the Strategy Hub to strengthen the Parole Board’s strategic capability. You will help the organisation understand the wider policy and justice context, build evidence, engage stakeholders and develop clear options and advice to support senior decision-making. The role is suitable for an HEO developing as a policy and strategy professional, with support and direction from the Strategic Change Manager.
Strategy Development
Support the development and delivery of the Parole Board’s corporate strategy, business planning cycle and strategic forward look, ensuring work is aligned to the organisation’s purpose, statutory responsibilities and wider justice system priorities.
Support and coordinate defined strategic workstreams, including court ambition, digital strategy and transparency, helping to clarify objectives, develop plans, identify dependencies and track progress.
Help develop clear problem statements, objectives, options and success measures for strategic projects, ensuring proposals are proportionate, evidence-based and focused on the outcomes the organisation is seeking to achieve.
Stakeholder Engagement
Build effective working relationships with colleagues across the Parole Board, including operational, legal, policy, digital, communications, governance, member-facing and corporate services teams.
Support engagement with external stakeholders, including Ministry of Justice policy, sponsorship, digital, commercial and reform colleagues, to ensure strategic work is informed by wider government priorities and justice system developments.
Plan and support workshops, meetings and engagement sessions to gather views, test proposals, understand operational impacts and support collaborative strategy development.
Horizon Scanning and Insight
Monitor relevant political, legislative, policy, operational and digital developments across the justice system and wider public sector, identifying issues that may create risks, opportunities or choices for the Parole Board.
Draw together information from internal data, project updates, stakeholder feedback, external publications and policy developments to build a rounded evidence base for strategic decision-making.
Evidence, Options, Analysis and Advice
Develop and maintain evidence bases for key strategic priorities, ensuring proposals are supported by clear analysis, relevant data and an understanding of benefits, risks, costs and delivery implications.
Support options analysis for strategic decisions by identifying viable choices, assessing trade-offs, clarifying assumptions and presenting balanced recommendations for senior consideration.
Draft clear briefings, submissions, discussion papers and presentations that explain complex issues in a concise and accessible way.
Planning, Governance and Delivery Support
Maintain and update relevant strategy plans, action logs, forward looks, project trackers and other working documents to ensure progress is visible and well managed.
Resources and evaluation
Support the Strategic Change Manager to assess delivery progress, capture learning, evaluate outcomes and provide information for effective decision-making.
• Other ad hoc tasks appropriate to the role and grade as assigned from time to time by the Strategic Change Manager, Director of Strategy and Corporate Services or Chief Executive.
• To undertake these responsibilities in line with current legislation, Parole Board policies, and the key documents listed below.
Learning and development opportunities will be given to the successful candidate.
Skills and experience required for the post
• Ability to see the bigger picture by understanding how the Parole Board’s work fits within wider justice system priorities and the public interest.
• An awareness of the standards of the Civil Service Policy Profession and an interest in developing as a policy and strategy professional.
• Ability to gather, assess and present evidence from a range of sources to support options analysis, recommendations and senior decision-making.
• Ability to work together with operational, policy, legal, digital, finance, governance and corporate services colleagues to understand issues and develop practical solutions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear briefings, notes and presentations.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and maintain clear records of actions, risks and decisions.
• Able to deliver at pace in a fast-moving environment, managing competing priorities and producing high-quality work under pressure.
• Able to work independently within clear parameters, escalating risks, issues and decisions appropriately.
• Experience of supporting projects, policy work or strategy development with multi-disciplinary teams to deliver results within fixed timeframes and limited resource.
• Experience of establishing simple processes, maintaining trackers or action logs and working to deadlines.
Desirable skills
• Policy, strategy, project management or continuous improvement training.
• Experience of using collaborative working tools to support planning, workshops or project delivery.
• Experience in facilitating project meetings, workshops or engagement sessions
• Experience of drafting briefings, discussion papers, options analysis or senior-level presentations.
Assessment
Applicants will be assessed against the following behaviours during the selection process:
• Seeing the Bigger Picture
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
Security
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Check.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Strengths. At the sift stage you will be assessed against Behaviours and Experience.
Should a large number of applications be received, the initial sift may be conducted using a lead behaviour. This will be the behaviour which is listed first in the job advert.
Additional Information
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 20391
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
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Application form stage assessments
Behaviours A sift based on the lead behaviour, Seeing the Big Picture, 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 250 Seeing the Big Picture Experience We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability Statement of Suitability Guidance for the Statement of Suitability Please refer to the essential and desirable criteria to evidence your suitability for the role. Evidence of Experience CV or Work History, Statement of SuitabilityInterview stage assessments
Interview Dates Expected w/c 17 August, w/c 31 August, w/c 7 September Behaviours Seeing the Big Picture Working Together Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing 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 DBS BasicUse 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.