Engagement and Strategy Manager

We're recruiting for Engagement and Strategy Managers here at Justice Digital, Data and Science to be part of our warm and collaborative Connecting Criminal Justice Data programme team, within the CJS & Victims Data Division As an Engagement and Strategy Manager you will lead on engagement initiatives and storytelling across the CJS and help shape our ways of working/culture. You will be proactive and adaptable, working with the Strategy and Engagement Lead to help promote and socialise the new Connecting Criminal Justice Data programme. This role would suit someone who can operate in a fast-paced environment, enjoys variety, and can build high-quality relationships with stakeholders across a wide stakeholder landscape. The Connecting Criminal Justice Data programme is looking to tackle cross-cutting CJS data and technology challenges through delivery of projects such as; Justice ID, a single identity that allows us to reliably recognise and link the same individual so that the right information follows them through the system; and a flagship linked dataset that brings together data from police, CPS and courts to improve how we understand journeys through the justice system. This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing multidisciplinary team working across professions, departments, agencies and the wider Criminal Justice System to deliver transformational change at a national scale. Your work will span organisational boundaries and some of the most complex challenges facing public services today, helping to create a more connected, effective and user-centred Criminal Justice System that improves outcomes for victims, frontline staff and the wider public. The programme is a rare opportunity to work on genuinely cross-system transformation, bringing together colleagues from across government to solve complex problems and improve outcomes across the Criminal Justice System. In order to deliver this new and exciting programme we need two excellent Engagement and Strategy Managers to help set the programme up for success. The Connecting Criminal Justice Data programme sits within the CJS & Victims Data Division. We are committed to creating an environment where all our people feel valued for who they are and the work they contribute. Working in the CJS & Victims Data Division offers the opportunity to be at the forefront of data transformation in government, while being part of an inclusive workplace that provides flexible working arrangements and competitive benefits as part of our people offer.

• Support high-profile engagement workstreams that introduce and socialise the Connecting Criminal Justice Data programme both internally and externally
• Build and maintain strong and productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders from operational to senior, to strengthen collaboration, influence decisions and support delivery
• Design and deliver targeted engagement that builds understanding of the programme and brings teams, agencies and stakeholders together
• Help shape and deliver a clear, compelling narrative for the programme, ensuring consistent and confident messaging across the teams and key stakeholders
• Lead and own the creation of a stakeholder register and update regularly
• Design and embed effective ways of working across MoJ and Home Office, ensuring the development of a cohesive and high-performing joint programme culture
• Support the programme's resourcing approach, coordinating recruitment across CCJD projects to ensure a consistent, efficient, and compelling offers to candidates
• Support forward planning, working closely with the Grade 6 to prepare for Spending Review 2027 (SR27) and future programme priorities
• Lead and own the creation of our shared knowledge management and documentation site

Successful candidates who meet the required standard will be invited to a panel interview held via Microsoft Teams. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements: Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Seeing the Big Picture, Leadership. As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short presentation that assesses the Communicating and influencing behaviour. Further details will be provided if successful at sift.

Essential

• Proven experience in engagement, communications or stakeholder management, ideally in a complex organisation
• The ability to tailor messages and engagement approaches to different audiences and deliver with confidence
• The ability to translate complex and technical concepts into clear, accessible and engaging narratives for a range of audiences
• A proactive and self-motivated approach to take ownership of ideas and drive them through to successful delivery
• Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for BPSS clearance

The national salary range is £42,914 - £46,182. London salary range is £49,325- £53,081. Your salary will be dependent on a base location. You will receive a range of excellent benefits, including:

• A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
• 25 days of annual leave, (increasing to 30 days once you have reached 5 years of service), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King's birthday.
• Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive work-life balance.
• Employees are allocated 10% of their working time for personal and professional development.
• A £1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best-in-class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms.
• Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too.
• Base salary for this role is from £42,914 - £46,182 (National) or £49,325 - £53,081 (London)
• New entrants to the Civil Service joining the MoJ are expected to start at the minimum of the pay band.
• Existing Civil Servants moving on a level transfer will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the pay band for the role, whichever is higher.
• Existing Civil Servants who are promoted will either move to the bottom of the new grade's pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase.

Working arrangements: 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. 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, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO).

Contract: 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.

We are a Disability Confident employer, committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace.

Redeployment interview scheme: Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. We are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those at risk of redundancy. Candidates will not be eligible for the scheme if they are applying on promotion.

We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods: CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability, Statement of Suitability Guidance, Personal Statement. Interview stage assessments: Expected week commencing 5th October 2026. Behaviours: Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Seeing the Big Picture, Leadership. Interview assessments: Presentation Level of security checks required Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS).

As per the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and the Civil Service People Plan, we welcome applications from all backgrounds. The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found.

Contact us: digitalanddatarecruitment@justice.gov.uk