Director of Modernisation Strategy and Implementation

This is a new and critical senior leadership role with responsibility for leading and delivering on a strategy to modernise CICA - improving the experience of victims applying for compensation and how our staff work. You will be a member of the CICA Executive Management Team. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the role provides visible leadership across project delivery and digital workstreams, championing integrated leadership to ensure joined-up delivery and timely resolution of cross functional challenges. As Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) you will ensure the modernisation programme achieves its intended benefits and outcomes for CICA. You will develop and deliver strategies to modernise CICA. You will be accountable for the strategy's success and provide strategic direction to the CEO. This will include working closely with the Executive Management Team and across CICA to identify areas for improvement, leading the Business Change and Continuous Improvement team to deliver projects, and working in an integrated leadership way with MoJ Digital colleagues to deliver modern digital services for our applicants and our staff. You will work collegiately and collaboratively with the Executive Management Team and be the bridge between MoJ Digital and CICA. You will be responsible for effectively delivering change across CICA, including ensuring appropriate stakeholder engagement and communication. You will build an effective network with transformation leads in the wider MoJ community, identifying synergies and efficiencies through partnership working. As a senior leader you will be highly visible and build trust with colleagues across CICA, Service Transformation Group and the wider MoJ. You will exemplify and role model Civil Service behaviours and values. You must have strong inter-personal skills and be able to build mutually beneficial relationships at all levels. You will have a track record of high performance and delivery. A key influencer and contributor, you will be insightful, with a passion for continuous improvement and modernising public services. You will play a key role in shaping the culture and values of CICA, with a focus on respect, empathy and transparency whilst delivering a trauma-informed service with the victim at the heart. The role is expected to evolve over time and there will be opportunities to expand the scope of the role, in line with the main responsibilities, and for personal development as the successful candidate becomes more experienced. Main Activities/Responsibilities The job holder will be responsible for: Senior Leadership

• Provide visible, inclusive leadership across CICA, modelling Civil Service values and fostering a culture of delivery, accountability, and professional excellence.
• Lead organisational change and transformation as SRO, chair key governance forums, and drive continuous improvement, service enhancement, and modernisation.
• Work with MoJ Digital and cross-functional colleagues to deliver coherent, technology-enabled transformation and strengthen data-driven decision making.
• Act as Deputy SIRO, ensuring effective project-data governance, identifying risks and opportunities, and enabling high-quality strategic decisions.
• Contribute to the Executive Management Team, strengthening collaboration, leading cross-CICA initiatives, and providing stability and clarity during change.
• Represent CICA across MoJ and wider government, deputising for the CEO and jointly sponsoring major cross-cutting transformation programmes.
Strategic planning
• Lead development and delivery of CICA's multi year modernisation strategy, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives, MoJ reform priorities, and Spending Review commitments.
• Provide strategic direction for annual business and planning activity, ensuring alignment with the Justice Delivery Plan, Service Transformation Group commitments, and CICA priorities.
• Oversee delivery of the CICA Business Plan, including providing quarterly updates to the CICA Board.
• Develop strategies to deliver a modernised, end to end, trauma informed service for those applying for compensation.
• Work collaboratively across CICA to identify improvement areas and develop initiatives that drive greater efficiency and enhance the applicant experience.
• Engage MoJ Digital and delivery leaders at the problem definition stage of strategy development, ensuring solutions are feasible, scalable, and sustainable.
Delivery
• Translate strategic objectives into coherent programme and project portfolios with clear outcomes, milestones, and benefits, supported by robust plans to deliver a modernised CICA.
• Drive delivery excellence across continuous improvement, modernisation, digital and technology initiatives, ensuring alignment with CICA priorities, capacity, sequencing, governance, and strong risk management, assurance, and reporting.
• Establish and maintain change governance aligned with CICA corporate governance and the project delivery framework, ensuring projects remain focused on business objectives.
• Track and embed benefits, ensuring improvements are realised and sustained in business-as-usual operations.
• Work collaboratively across CICA, MoJ Digital, and the wider Service Transformation Group and MoJ to enable integrated planning and shared accountability for delivery outcomes.
• Ensure projects and programmes meet MoJ technical and security standards, using innovative technologies (including AI and Low Code) to accelerate progress, reuse capability, and reduce cost and risk.
• Drive user-centred service redesign so services are accessible, trauma-informed, efficient, and compliant with legislative and policy requirements.
• Maintain effective communication with project stakeholders and senior sponsors, building strong relationships, understanding wider dependencies, and managing interactions effectively., If successful at Stage 1, you will be invited to interview, which will incorporate a short presentation. You will be notified of the presentation topic in your invitation to interview. At the interview we will assess you against the behaviours listed below.
• Working together
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at pace, 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 (please be aware that 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 role: 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 (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) - See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity). For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location's respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended). Some of MoJ's terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made. MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer. All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet. Flexible working hours The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. 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.
• Experience in a senior leadership role within a complex delivery organisation.
• A successful track record in leading business transformation through modernisation, innovation and/or continuous improvement with experience of digital and service transformation, including embedding change into operational delivery.
• A strong track record of motivating staff and building strong cross-disciplinary relationships, delivering successful outcomes through partnership working.
• Knowledge and leadership experience in one or more areas of project or digital delivery or a related discipline.
• A confident and clear communicator, with strong influencing and negotiation skills able to engage, build trust and energise others.
• Strong strategic thinking, including an ability to understand a wide range of complex and often sensitive issues, manage conflicting priorities and translate vision into practical, deliverable plans.
• Expertise in programme and change management, benefits realisation and governance.
• Ability to forecast, plan and achieve stretching performance and service outcomes, aligned with strategic objectives.
• Inclusive and collaborative, able to lead and contribute in multiple team settings, and with functional experts.
Desirable
• Experience leading cross-functional transformation in partnership with digital and operational team.
• Experience working in a front-line operational delivery function/ organisation.
• Professional accreditation in programme, project or change management (e.g. MSP, PRINCE2, Agile, Lean).
• Experience leading trauma-informed or applicant-focused service redesign.
  This position is based at the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), 10 Clyde Place, Buchanan Wharf, Glasgow, G5 8AQ. We currently operate a hybrid working business model, with colleagues expected to work 50% of their contracted hours in the office and the remainder at home.
The CICA is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) within the Service Transformation Group (STG). We are responsible for the administration of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Schemes and make payments of compensation to people who have been injured because they were the victim of a violent crime in England, Scotland or Wales. We also administer the Victims of Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme (VOTCS). The Schemes are funded by the UK Government in England and Wales and we receive income to fund our operation of this in Scotland from the Scottish Government. We employ around 350 people and are based in Glasgow city centre with excellent transport links. We are a small, engaged, productive workforce with a real sense of corporate community. We are committed to delivering a fair, sensitive and efficient service to all applicants and work closely with stakeholders to ensure the victim is at the heart of everything we do. We want to keep improving our services and the way we work to best serve victims of violent crime, meet new challenges, deliver value for money and ensure CICA is a great place to work. We are committed to being a trauma-informed organisation, embedding this into what we do and how we do it. The MoJ operates a functional model whereby delivery of government functions (finance, HR, digital, data/ analysis) sit outside of CICA. This necessitates close working to ensure that CICA receives the appropriate and timely support from the functions to enable it to deliver on its mandate., The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. 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:
The MoJ offers a range of benefits: 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 Ministry of Justice 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 or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
• To Transformative Business Services (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [email protected]);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([email protected]);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are 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. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.