Head of Information Rights

**General Information**:

- Salary
- The national salary is £71,381 - £80,419, London salary is £75,674 - £85,257. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
- Working Pattern
- Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
- Vacancy Approach
- External
- Location
- Burton-upon-Trent, Jarrow, London
- Region
- National
- Closing Date
- 01-Sep-2025
- Post Type
- Permanent
- Civil Service Grade
- Grade 6
- Number of jobs available
- 1
- Reserve List
- 12 Months
- Job ID
- 8853

**Descriptions & requirements**:

- Job description

**Role Purpose**

Are you an excellent leader and people manager who has a sound understanding of the evolving information rights policy landscape across government and the accompanying legislative context? Are you looking for a new challenge working at the heart of the justice system?

We are looking for a motivated and collaborative individual to join Security and Information Directorate (SID) within the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

As Head of Information Access, in the Information Services Division (ISD, which sits in SID), you will support the MoJ on delivering on its transparency obligations and carefully balancing this with the need to protect sensitive information. You will contribute to the effective running and decision-making of the Division. You will be working in a fast-paced environment, balancing competing demands, and delivering challenging objectives.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

- Define and deliver a strategic vision that sets out how the team will consistently meet the required performance in the immediate and longer term.
- Review and continuously improve the team and operating model to meet the supply and demand of cases now and in the future by identifying and leveraging opportunities for deployment of digital and technology tools, proactively taking steps towards the digital first agenda.
- Be an active member of the Information Service Division’s SMT reporting to the Deputy Director Information Service Division.
- Advising the Permanent Secretary and MoJ’s Executive Committee on information request strategic risks and mitigating actions and ensure their decisions are translated into policy and delivery plans at pace.
- Be accountable for ensuring high standards are set in terms of legislative and internal targets and further improvements and cost savings are made.
- Developing and maintaining influential and effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders within Government including ministers, special advisers, legal, policy, technology, analytical and operational colleagues; developing a strong internal network within MoJ and key contacts in relevant policy departments and at the centre.
- Developing and maintaining influential and effective working relationships with stakeholders outside the Department and outside government, including large third sector delivery organisations, influential information professional bodies.
- Representing MoJ at senior level cross-Government meetings.
- Lead and manage an effective Subject Access Request (SAR), Environmental Information Regulations (EIR), and Freedom of Information (FOI) service for the MoJ, which balances fulfilling statutory obligations with the need to protect sensitive information.
- You will be accountable for the delivery of the department’s statutory performance obligations, effectively managing any performance issues through maintaining strategic oversight of the MoJ’s information access pipeline and coordination of the day-to-day flow of casework loads, and as required offering support and/or challenge to teams.
- Build and maintain good relationships with significant business units within MOJ and its agencies, by providing high quality advice on the handling of complex information access requests and the release and/or handling of sensitive information.
- Ensuring effective recording, compilation, and quality assurance of information access management information, including sharing information with our boards and the generation of quarterly and annual information pack for analysis and publication by the Cabinet Office official statistics team.

**Skills and experience**

**Essential skills and experience**:

- Thorough understanding of the Freedom of Information Act (2000); this will include but not be restricted to:

- A sound understanding of the Data Protection Act (2018), including:

- a sound understanding of the administration of Subject Access Requests under both Part 2 and Part 3;
- a thorough understanding of GDPR compliance requirements for public authorities.
- Experience in leading and working in a public sector organisation, in a KIM function with responsibility for the leadership of an FOI, EIR and SARs casework team including the identification and mitigation of compliance risks to successfully meet departmental obligations under the DPA 2018 and FOIA.
- Proven track record of leading and motivating large, diverse teams with expe