Senior Disclosure Specialist - Clearance & Appeals (Ref: 16575)

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

Job Title: Senior Disclosure Specialist- Clearance & Appeals Group Profile: Information Services Division (ISD) Grade: Senior Executive Officer (SEO) Location: Branston, Jarrow or London Overview of Security and Information Directorate (SID) Security and Information Directorate (SID) is part of the Service Transformation Group (STG). The Group oversees the building of a strategic vision for modernising and digitising our legacy systems, generating a coordinated plan across the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and its agencies for transformation, and tracking delivery of this transformation. Security and information management are fundamental building blocks of enabling the department to deliver. We have highly skilled experts working collaboratively with the department, Government Security Group, Government Knowledge and Information Management (KIM) profession and other partners to enable the whole of the MoJ to function securely, lawfully and transparently. We identify, manage, and mitigate MoJ’s security, data protection and information risks, and provide assurance against those risks. We’re also home to the Counter Fraud Centre of Expertise. Part of our mission is to up-skill the department so that security becomes second nature to our people and partners. Overview of Information Services Division (ISD) Information Services Division (ISD) is responsible for ensuring the MoJ:

• Manages its information so that it knows what is held and where it is held.
• Holds its information in compliance with legislation and is accessible.
• Is clear who owns the information and that they understand their responsibilities.
• Holds its information securely.

We are one of the busiest information access teams in government, overseeing the timely, accurate, legal and proportionate processing of around 8,000 FOI and data protection cases a year. Overview of the Disclosure Team The Disclosure Team has overall responsibility for requests that fall under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), Environmental Information Regulations (EIR), Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and UK General Data Protection Regulations 2018 (GDPR). This includes subject access requests (SAR) from non-offenders. We offer expert advice and support to a network of Knowledge and Information Liaison Officers (KILOs) across MoJ. We also provide administrative support to ensure the MoJ fulfils its statutory obligations. The Clearance & Appeals section of the team manages high profile and complex information requests. This involves reviewing and escalating cases as required before a response is issued. It is also responsible for the allocation, handling and management of internal reviews and the MoJ’s responses to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Role Summary As a Senior Disclosure Specialist in Clearance & Appeals you will be responsible for making sure that high profile and sensitive disclosure activity is lawful and well handled. The work covers information requests for the whole of the department including high-profile offenders, security matters, and the work of Ministers. You will need to work closely with External Communications (Press Office), Private Office and the Senior Civil Service, providing advice on the handling of complex cases. You will also contribute to the department’s transparency agenda and the development of the new, innovate technology solutions to help manage the division’s business. You will have line management of three direct reports. This is a stretching role that will allow you to lead a team and deliver a quality service to internal and external customers. Responsibilities, Activities and Duties The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities, and duties:

• Advise and case manage complex sensitive disclosure requests, assisting other members of the team in the same endeavour. You will produce accurate, timely and succinct advice on disclosure matters in short timeframes and to an excellent standard.
• Coordinate information rights litigation across ISD, working in collaboration with the Government Legal Directorate (GLD).
• Managing and developing the team’s relationships with Press Office, Private Office and Special Advisors in relation to requests and ensuring the processes are reviewed and fit for purpose.
• Oversight of internal reviews and ICO cases ensuring these are timely and of a high standard.
• Carry out analysis of performance to show trends and highlight areas for improvement, being measured and considered with solutions to combat any concerns.

Skills & Experience

• Leadership: Strong leadership skills to support the team through change. This role requires significant interaction with key stakeholders and therefore your ability to influence and persuade their strategic direction and gain agreement and/or collaboration should be of a high level.
• Communication: Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills, providing guidance to colleagues and members of the public.
• Collaborative approach: Able to build strong relationships across boundaries, within team, across an organisation and with external stakeholders.
• Flexibility: Work flexibly across all parts of the team, undertaking tasks to meet short deadlines and respond to business needs. Ability to work to tight deadlines in a busy environment.
• Continuous Improvement: A strong commitment to delivering a high-quality service and regularly reviewing processes to identify opportunities to innovate and streamline approaches.
• Guidance, Training, and Development: Support the delivery of our expanding programme of guidance and training on FOI, EIR, and GDPR/DPA matters to staff across the department. Helping to ensure the department has the capability to meet legislative obligations.
• Working knowledge of Freedom of Information Act 2000, Environmental Information Regulations 2004, Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulations.

The role cuts across all aspects of the department and is an opportunity to gain an insight into the work of the MoJ. We are looking for individuals with excellent collaboration skills, who are approachable, enthusiastic, and wanting to deliver a quality service to our customers. Minimum Eligibility

• All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.
• All external candidates are subject to a minimum of 6 months’ probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within MoJ.

Application Process This vacancy will be assessed using Success Profiles to assess behaviours and strengths. The application process will require 250-word answers, using a STAR format, for 3 identified behaviours to evidence how you meet the criteria required for the role. In the event of many applications, there will be a sift based on the lead behaviour of ‘Managing a Quality Service.’ Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a panel interview which will assess candidates using behaviour and strengths questions. There will be a reserve list available, which will remain active for 12 months. Hours of Work/Working Pattern 37 hour working week (standard).

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,914, Ministry of Justice contributes £12,432 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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 Behaviours and Strengths.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

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 : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0345 241 5359

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/16575?entityId=16575