Deputy Director of Digital Portfolio and Capability

The Crown Prosecution Service is seeking a strategic and inclusive senior leader to become our Deputy Director of Digital Portfolio and Capability. Reporting to the Chief Digital and Information Officer and serving on the Digital Senior Leadership Team, you will strengthen the performance and organisational effectiveness of the Digital and Information Directorate.

This is a broad leadership role spanning portfolio management, governance, business relationship management, workforce planning and organisational performance. You will ensure that demand for digital services and change is prioritised effectively, resources are directed to greatest value, and the directorate has the skills and capacity needed to deliver its objectives.

The Crown Prosecution Service operates across England and Wales, and this role can be based in any CPS office within these locations. Please note that regular travel will be required as part of the role, and it is subject to the CPS hybrid working policy.

As part of this role, you are expected to undertake direct line management responsibilities.

This is an exciting and fast-paced role with a real opportunity to make a difference. Find out more about the Crown Prosecution Service.

Your roles and responsibilities:

• Lead the Digital and Information Directorate business plan and contribute to the organisation’s Digital and Technology Strategy.
• Own the digital portfolio, aligning investment, delivery capacity and resources with strategic priorities.
• Lead governance, assurance and performance frameworks, providing clear insight on risk, dependencies, benefits and delivery confidence.
• Build trusted relationships across the CPS and with external partners, translating business needs into coherent digital roadmaps and investment plans.
• Lead workforce strategy and capability planning, including recruitment, succession, talent, learning and development and specialist digital career pathways.
• Direct financial and resource planning, ensuring affordability, value for money and effective use of people, budgets and suppliers.
• Provide visible, inspirational leadership to senior managers and multidisciplinary teams, fostering an inclusive, user-focused and continuously improving culture.

A copy of the full job description is attached.

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)

Global Resourcing are managing this competition on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service.

The recruitment process will consist of an online application, followed by a number of assessments (virtual and in-person), and an interview held in person.

If you would like to discuss the role confidentially before applying, or require more information about the recruitment process, please contact Lauren O'Brien at Global Resourcing on 020 8253 1806 or email CPS-DDPortfolio@global-resourcing.com

Application

When you are ready to apply, please contact Lauren O’Brien on 020 8253 1806 or email CPS-DDPortfolio@global-resourcing.com ahead of the application deadline, 23:55pm on Sunday 6th December 2026.

Your submission must include:

• A personal statement (maximum 1,250 word) 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 set out in the person specification.
• Your current CV (maximum two A4 pages), including your educational and professional qualifications, full employment history, and an explanation of any employment gaps.
• Details of your current remuneration package.
• The names of at least two referees who may be contacted after the interview stage. Please state the capacity in which they have known you and for how long. 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 information, the panel has only limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

Applications cannot be amended once submitted. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure all required information is provided in the specified format at the point of submission to be considered.

Longlist

Applications will be assessed against the essential criteria in the Person Specification to identify candidates who demonstrate suitability for the role and progress to the longlist.

Shortlist

Longlisted applications will be further assessed against the essential criteria in the Person Specification to identify candidates who best demonstrate suitability for the role and progress to the shortlist. Failure to address any or all of the essential criteria may affect your application.

Assessments

If you are shortlisted, you undertake a number of assessments prior to your final interview, including staff engagement exercise and individual leadership assessment (ILA), a series of psychometric assessments, concluding with a session with the psychologist.

These assessments will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, they are designed to support the panel's decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview. Find out more about SCS assessments.

Interview

You then attend a panel interview following the individual leadership assessment and staff engagement exercise. 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.

Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible after the final assessment and panel interview. Feedback will only be provided to candidates that progress onto the interview stage

Key dates

• Application deadline: 23:55pm on Sunday 6th December 2026
• Individual leadership assessment (online): 5-11 January 2027
• Staff engagement exercise (in person at London): Tuesday 12 January 2027
• Interview (in person at London): Thursday 4 February 2027

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 above and exercise flexibility throughout the recruitment and selection process in order to meet the given dates. Please note that these dates may change.

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.

Checks required

The following checks apply if you are shortlisted:

• Complete a conflict of interest form and declare any actual or perceived conflicts between your public duties and private interests, in line with the Civil Service Code. This may include financial interests or relevant relationships involving you or a family member. If you believe you have a relevant interest, please contact Lauren O'Brien at Global Resourcing on 020 8253 1806 or email CPS-DDPortfolio@global-resourcing.com as early as possible.
• Complete a candidate information form and be subject to reference and open-source due diligence checks, including searches of previous public statements, social media, blogs and other publicly available information.

The following checks apply if you are successful at interview:

• Fraud check: if successful at interview, you will undergo pre-employment screening, including a check against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This involves checking your name, National Insurance number and date of birth. Anyone included on the database is refused employment unless they can demonstrate exceptional circumstances.
• Documentation submitted by unsuccessful candidates will be securely disposed of.

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.

Find out more about the vetting process.

Current civil servants

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

Restrictions

During the period of appointment there will be certain restrictions on political activities Civil Service management code - GOV.UK

Business appointments

Please note that, on leaving the appointment, you are subject to the Government’s business appointment rules, and restrictions on future employment may be imposed. Find out more about business appointments.

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 Recruitment Complaints - Civil Service Commission

Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles can be found at 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 are 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 at https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.