Senior Responsible Owner – Charging Evolution Programme

Job summary

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is pleased to announce the opportunity to apply for the position of Senior Responsible Owner –Charging Evolution Programme.

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 CPS has an ambitious and wide-ranging transformation programme underway, dedicated to further improving the way charging is undertaken with policing and successfully positioning the Service for further changes arising from current Reviews, external scrutiny and Government initiatives. Reporting to the Director of Transformation and Change, the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) will deliver the Charging Evolution Programme and provide strong and visionary leadership across all its various component parts

Established in the summer of 2025, the Charging Evolution Programme has several pilot projects ‘in-flight’ already, along with other work strands that are currently in development stages. This role will lead the programme, ensuring it is aligned with CPS 2030 and year-on-year CPS Annual Business Plans. The work involves complex stakeholder management with key criminal justice partners and internal stakeholders and the ability to lead and manage a wide ranging set of deliverables.

The Charging Evolution Programme SRO will be the principal advisor to the Director General, Legal Delivery who is the Executive Sponsor for this work and Lead Director of Legal Services with responsibility for Charging. The SRO will ensure that the programme is delivered to time, cost and quality against programme plans and will be accountable for setting the programme priorities and ensuring all deliverables are successfully achieved.

The SRO will lead and embed sustainable programme management capability within the programme working with the Operational Change Unit within the Transformation and Change Directorate in accordance with Project Delivery standards and Profession as set by the wider Civil Service to deliver programme and project management excellence.

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:

• Knowledge of programme governance, tools, processes, systems and relevant controls and assurances, including agile methodologies.
• Demonstrable expertise and a track record of achievement in customer-led service design within complex, multi stakeholder environments. Evidences the ability to embed KPI’s, behaviours and best practice across an organisation; with financial and commercial acumen to support investment decisions.
• Evidence of transformation leadership at a comparable scale as well as the ability to build a compelling and engaging narrative that supports and enables positive change.
• High degree of political acumen and judgment and a good understanding of how relevant policy areas impact customer experience within public sector organisations.
• Highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills. Evidences the ability to build effective relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders at senior levels and to maintain these during times of pressure.

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 all our employees 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 its 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 recruitment process is being supported by Vereduson behalf of the CPS, for the pre-sift stage.

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

Application

When you are ready to apply, please click on the link below to access the Veredus application page. Applications must be submitted no later than midday (12:00pm) on Monday 26 January 2026.

Candidates should apply for this role at Opportunities , Veredus quoting reference : 996.

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.
• A conflict of interest form. If you are unsuccessful, the documentation will be securely disposed of.
• 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.

Interview

If you are shortlisted, you attend a panel interview which will be held in person. 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: Monday 26 January 2026, (12:00 pm) Midday
• Interview (in person): Tuesday 3 March 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 Senior Responsible Office – Change Evolution Programme is non-reserved post.

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

Current civil servants

Please note that 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 Contact Us - Civil Service Commission or https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/

Civil Service Commission recruitment principles can be found here –

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 will be 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: 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 2 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

SRO Charging Evolution Programme - Candidate Pack - Final Opens in new window (pdf, 2136kB)

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