Deputy Director of Legal Policy

Job summary

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is pleased to announce the opportunity to apply for the position of Deputy Director of Legal Policy.

The CPS sits at the heart of the criminal justice system (CJS), working with partners to help keep the public safe. We prosecute criminal cases that have been investigated by the police and other investigative organisations in England and Wales. Our duty is to make sure that the right person is prosecuted for the right offence, and to bring offenders to justice wherever possible. These offences include all types of serious crime including murder, rape, burglary, terrorism, domestic abuse and multi-million-pound fraud cases. We also work across borders to tackle cybercrime, human trafficking, and drugs smuggling, and use our powers to confiscate the proceeds of crime at home and abroad.

This is an exciting and fast-paced role with a real opportunity to make a difference.

This role can be based in any CPS office in England and Wales. Regular travel will be required as part of your role. The role is subject to the CPS hybrid working policy.

You can find out more about our role and CPS locations by visiting our website: About CPS , The Crown Prosecution Service

Job description

The Deputy Director of Legal Policy (DDLP) will advise the Director of Policy (DP) on co-ordinating the creation, development and implementation of CPS legal policy and guidance.

You will lead and manage the legal policy team, including parliamentary strategy and research. Set clear performance expectations and hold people to account to those expectations and standards of delivery. Line manage the policy team, delivering on all aspects of people management for them.

You will develop strong working relationships across the DG Legal team to ensure legal guidance is effectively developed across the Directorate. Represent the CPS in discussions with senior officials, ensuring that CPS interests are reflected in policy and legislation.

You will actively lead on ensuring that staff within the unit have the opportunity to develop as future leaders within the CPS and wider civil service. Promote diversity and equality of opportunity inside the CPS and across the Civil Service.

Please refer to the attached candidate pack below for the full job description.

Person specification

You must clearly demonstrate evidence of the following essential criteria, which are assessed throughout the selection process, including at the shortlisting and interview stages.

Essential criteria:

• Qualified practising solicitor or barrister
• Evidence of technical legal expertise, with depth and breadth of exposure and experience gained
• Experience of strategic legal policy formulation
• Proven experience of providing legal policy advice, input and decision-making
• Proven experience of leadership
• Experience of building strong, trust-based relationships with a range of demanding internal and external stakeholders

Qualifications

Legally Qualified: The post holder must be a qualified practising solicitor or barrister and must hold a valid Practising Certificate for England and Wales.

Academic: Law degree, Common Professional Examination, Graduate Diploma in Law.

Professional: Legal Practice Course or Bar Professional Training Course and have completed the relevant pupillage and training contract (or have received full exemption from the relevant professional regulatory body, either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board).

OR

If you have qualified through Cilex could you please contact us in order to establish your eligibility for this role.

If you apply AND are found not to possess any of the above any offer of employment will be withdrawn, or contract terminated.

Please note the qualification as stated is required for this role and equivalent qualifications will not be accepted.

If you are unsure about your eligibility please contact SCS.RelationshipsTeam@cps.gov.uk

Memberships

The successful applicant must have a valid practising certificate for England and Wales or be eligible to obtain a valid practising certificate issued from either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board.

If CILEx qualified, must hold a ‘general qualification’ within the meaning of s.71 (3) (c) Courts and Legal Services Act 1990.

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Qualified practising solicitor or barrister

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £81,000, Crown Prosecution Service contributes £23,465 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Crown Prosecution Service is passionate about ensuring that we are a top performing organisation and a great place to work. We are committed to be an equal opportunities employer, creating a culture where you can bring their whole self to work and individuality is truly appreciated.

We want to ensure you can thrive at work and home and offer a range of support to achieve a balance. This includes where possible, flexibility of working hours, flexibility to support caring responsibilities and a flexible approach to deployment, which means that where you work (a court, an office, or a remote setting such as your home) is based on the kind of work you are undertaking.

This culture of inclusion is underpinned by our staff networks covering disability, faith and belief, LGBTQI+, race, social mobility alongside our mental health first aiders programme and wellbeing sessions.

The Crown Prosecution Service is passionate about ensuring that we're a top performing organisation and a great place to work. We're a committed equal opportunities employer, creating a culture where you can bring your whole self to work, and individuality is truly appreciated.

The CPS commits to offer employees the following experience

• You can do impactful, purposeful work that’s making a difference to your local communities.
• You are able to learn and grow, with access to the right opportunities and resources.
• We care about your wellbeing.
• We want you to feel valued, trusted and included.

We also offer the following range of benefits:

• Civil Service contributory pension of up to 28.9%
• 25 days’ leave, increasing to 30 days after 5 years
• an extra privilege day to mark the King's birthday
• £350 each year to spend on personal development
• lawyer training programme for all new prosecutors
• competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave
• flexible working including flexitime, and a family friendly approach to work
• Cycle2Work scheme, employee savings.

Diversity at the Crown Prosecution Service is about inclusion, embracing differences and ensuring our workforce truly reflects the communities we serve. We want you to feel that you belong and can thrive, whatever your background, identity or culture. As a Disability Confident employer, we're happy to support requests for reasonable adjustments and improve your recruitment experience. If you'd like any reasonable adjustments made to our recruitment process, let us know within your application. You can find out more about reasonable adjustments and the Disability Confident Scheme at Civil Service Reasonable Adjustments and Disability Confident Scheme.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

The recruitment process will consist of an online application, followed by a number of assessments (virtual and in-person – please refer to the candidate pack for details), and an interview held in person.

Application

When you are ready to apply, please click on 'Apply' at the top of this page. Applications must be submitted no later than (12:00 pm) Midday on Wednesday 25 March 2026.

Your submission should include:

• A personal statement (maximum 1,250 words), outlining how your personal skills, qualities, and experience demonstrate your suitability for the role. Please include relevant examples to demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.
• Attach your current CV of no more than two A4 sized pages with your educational and professional qualifications and full employment history, explaining any gaps in your employment history, giving details where applicable, of budgets and numbers of people managed, highlighting relevant achievements in recent posts.
• Details of your current remuneration package.
• The names of at least two referees who may be contacted at short-list stage (before the final interview), describing in what capacity and over what period of time they have known you. Please note, referees will not be contacted without your consent.

Your personal statement and CV/experience are used to assess your suitability at the application stage. If you do not submit all required documents, the panel has only limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

It is your responsibility to provide the specified application information in the requested format to ensure that you are considered for the post.

Assessments

If you are shortlisted, you undertake a number of assessments (individual leadership assessment, and staff engagement exercise) prior to your final interview.

These assessments do not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, they are designed to support the panel's decision-making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview. Further details about what the assessments will entail can be here l SCS Assessments , (scs-assessments.co.uk).

Interview

If you are shortlisted, you attend a panel interview following the individual leadership assessment, and staff engagement exercise. This provides an opportunity for a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the essential criteria set out in the person specification.

You also deliver a presentation at interview; full details of the process are provided to shortlisted candidates.

For further information on how to apply and the selection process, please refer to the attached candidate pack below.

Key dates

• Application deadline: 25 March 2026, 12:00 pm
• Individual leadership assessment (online): between w/c 13 April 2026 or w/c 20 April 2026
• Staff engagement assessment (in person): 16 April 2026
• Interview (in person):13 May 2026

Your co-operation in making yourself available during this time is much appreciated. We always offer as much flexibility as possible, but unfortunately, it is not possible to provide alternative dates for assessments or interviews. You are therefore asked to note the timetable set out below or in the candidate pack and exercise flexibility throughout the recruitment and selection process in order to meet the given dates. Please note that these dates may change. Refer to the candidate pack for the full timeline.

Use of artificial intelligence

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.

Checks

If you are successful at interview, you undergo pre-employment screening, including a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check provides information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences and also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued.

You are required to complete a conflict of interest declaration form if shortlisted. Documentation from unsuccessful candidates is securely disposed of.

References and open-source due diligence checks may also be undertaken. You should expect these to include searches of previous public statements, social media, blogs, or any other publicly available information. If shortlisted, you complete a candidate information form.

For further details regarding the required checks, please refer to the attached candidate pack.

Clearance required

The appointment will be subject to satisfactory completion of checks on health, security and other matters.

If successful you must hold, or be willing to obtain, security clearance to SC level before taking up post.

The role of the Deputy Director of Legal Policy is a non-reserved post.

More information about the vetting process can be found at the following link: Security Vetting

Current civil servants

If you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further:

• Formal discipline action
• Any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance
• Any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitably similar vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview.

Civil Service Commission

If you are dissatisfied with the recruitment process and wish to make a complaint, please contact SCS.RelationshipsTeam@cps.gov.uk with your concerns.

If you remain dissatisfied and wish to make a further complaint, please click on the following link to the Civil Service Commission complaints page Recruitment Complaints - Civil Service Commission

Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles can be found at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/

Details of the Civil Service Nationality Rules are located at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Candidates are subject to UK immigration requirements. For the most up-to-date information on the requirements of working in the UK, please go to the UK Visas and Immigration website at https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : SCS Relationships Team
• Email : SCS.RelationshipsTeam@cps.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : SCS.RelationshipsTeam@cps.gov.uk

Attachments

Deputy Director of Legal Policy - Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1934kB)