Deputy Chief Risk Officer

Overview

The Ministry of Justice Chief Operating Officer Group sits at the centre of the department, delivering critical corporate functions such as finance, risk, governance, commercial, property, performance and public bodies oversight. The Deputy Chief Risk Officer will lead the MoJ’s Risk Management Centre of Expertise, shaping a mature, forward‑looking, insight‑driven risk culture across the organisation.

Responsibilities

• Leadership
  • Lead the Risk Management Centre of Expertise, fostering an inclusive, high‑performing culture and a strong professional community of risk practitioners.
  • Provide authoritative advice to senior leaders, strengthening risk management and decision‑making throughout the MoJ.
  • Deputise for the Chief Risk Officer at senior governance forums including the Risk Advisory Group, Finance Performance & Risk Committee, Executive Committee, Audit and Risk Assurance Committee and Departmental Board.
• MoJ risk management framework
  • Lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of the MoJ’s risk management framework, ensuring alignment with HMT’s Orange Book and other standards.
  • Translate the MoJ’s risk appetite into practical thresholds, indicators and escalation approaches, embedding these across the department.
  • Oversee regular risk maturity assessments and deliver targeted improvement plans to strengthen capability and consistency.
• MoJ wide oversight and assurance
  • Provide oversight of risk management arrangements across Executive Agencies and ALBs, ensuring alignment with MoJ standards and PAO expectations.
  • Ensure coherence between risk management, internal controls, assurance activities and the three lines of defence.
• Risk reporting and insight
  • Own the development and quality of risk reporting for senior governance forums, ensuring insightful, evidence‑based analysis.
  • Identify emerging risks and provide strategic insight into significant cross‑cutting risks, synthesising information across the MoJ and identifying systemic issues.
• Integration, collaboration and culture
  • Strengthen integration between risk management, strategy, strategic finance, planning, performance, change, operations and functional experts.
  • Promote an open, proactive and mature risk culture, ensuring leaders and practitioners are equipped with the skills and tools required to continuously improve risk management.
  • Build strong relationships across government, representing the MoJ in cross‑government forums and contributing to the evolution of government risk standards.

Behaviours

• Leadership – Have a passion for risk management to inspire confidence, set clear direction and create a positive team and MoJ‑wide risk culture.
• Seeing the Big Picture – Understand the broader political, operational and cross‑government context, identifying trends and system‑level risks.
• Making Effective Decisions – Use evidence, judgement and professional curiosity to analyse issues, challenge assumptions and provide clear recommendations.
• Working Together – Build trusted relationships across the MoJ, ensuring collaboration, openness and strong partnerships.
• Communicating and Influencing – Communicate complex issues with clarity and impact, adapting messages for varied senior audiences.

Qualifications

• IRM Certificate in enterprise risk management or equivalent level enterprise risk management experience.
• Significant experience leading enterprise‑wide risk management and assurance activities in a large, complex organisation.
• Strong understanding of HMT’s Orange Book, Managing Public Money, Government Functional Standards and their application across Government departments.
• Demonstrable experience working with senior leaders, providing high‑quality strategic advice and influencing decisions at a senior leadership level.
• Experience developing risk capability and operating in a multi‑entity governance environment, ideally with exposure to PAO/AO accountability.
• Proven ability to deliver organisational culture change in risk management and assurance maturity.

Salary

National salary range: £71,381 – £80,419. London salary range: £75,674 – £85,257. Salary is dependent on base location.

EEO Statement

The Ministry of Justice is committed to attracting, retaining, and investing in talent wherever it is found. The Civil Service is committed to diversity and inclusion.

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