We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
HMPPS
- Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is to here to prevent victims by changing lives.
- We work with our partners to carry out the sentences given by the courts, either in custody or the community.
- We reduce reoffending by rehabilitating the people in our care through education and employment. The agency is made up of Her Majesty’s Prison Service, the Probation Service and a headquarters focussed on creating tools and learning.
- We work with many agencies, organisations and partners to provide our services including charities and social enterprises.
- We also work with independent inspectors, local councils, youth offending teams, courts, police and other enforcement agencies to meet our responsibilities and support the justice system.
Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/her-majestys-prison-and-probation-service/about
JOB PROFILE
Senior Policy Manager / Education Skills and Work Programme / Reducing Reoffending Partnerships and Accommodation
Reports To
Programme Leads
Location & Terms of appointment
This is a permanent, full time post to start in March 2022. This is a national role and employees base can be their nearest MoJ/HMPPS office. 37 hours per week and flexible working options including working from home, working part-time, job sharing, or working compressed hours.
Salary and Grade
This post is Band 9 (Grade 7 equivalent).
New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join on the minimum of the pay range and this is non-negotiable.
Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.
Background
The Reducing Reoffending Division has been set up to drive a step change in the whole system’s response to reoffending. It will encourage all organisations involved in the area – for example health partners, local authorities, job centres, as well as prisons and probation – to work more effectively together. It is responsible for the implementation of the Reducing Reoffending Delivery Programme – a three-year programme which aims to enhance the support available to prison leavers. In particular, the programme aims to increase the number of people who leave prison with a home, a job and treatment for substance misuse.
The Education, Skills and Work programme is being developed to build on existing good practice and establish a prison education, skills and work offer that addresses the individual needs of offenders using a tailored plan developed from entry into prison. We want to deliver a transformed and high-quality learning and development offer that equips prisoners with the skills and qualifications they need to prepare for employment, further education or training on release, with a particular focus on improving numeracy, literacy and employability. Our ambitions for prison education, skills and work have been set out in the 2021 Prisons White Paper.
We understand the importance of providing a service that supports improved healthcare and rehabilitation to ensure a whole prison approach to reintegrating prisoners back into society to live meaningfully and reduce reoffending. Our ambitions will be encompassed in our whole prison approach where rehabilitation is exemplified through the environment, regime and provision of services, and where these aspects of prison life actively support people to maintain and improve their health and prospects to prepare for release.
Role Purpose
As part of this programme, we are recruiting four Band 9 Senior Policy Managers to support the delivery of a high-profile and transformative programme. Senior Policy Managers will have an opportunity to work within one of the following areas:
- Education, Skill and Work Innovation and Enablement
- Education Skills and Work Delivery Improvements
- Education, Skill and Work Programme integration
- Accelerators/Programme Project
Applicants can specify a policy area preference in their application, and we will take this into consideration, but we cannot guarantee that we will meet all preferences indicated.
Senior Policy Managers will be part of a team working at pace to deliver a high-profile and transformative programme. They will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and accountably for the delivery of certain programme initiatives. They will also help develop programme strategy, ensuring the programme is on track to deliver against its commitments, as well as brief senior officials and Ministers, pulling together high-quality submissions and supporting information documents for a range of audiences. They will be expected to work closely with the wider Education Skills and Work Team to share information, ensure consistency and develop good practice. There may also be line management opportunities.
This is an ideal post for someone seeking to develop their leadership, knowledge and skills working between policy and operational delivery.
Main Activities / Responsibilities
The job holders will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:
- Inclusive leadership of a team, enabling all staff to develop and progress fairly through effective line management and performance management
- Oversight of design and development of work within respected teams, managing significant pieces of work and projects.
- Ensure that all policies are safe, legal, decent and affordable, remain compliant with relevant legislation and are sensitive to the needs of the operational line.
- Responsible for the delivery of well researched, quality assured and timely policies that support identified business need.
- Draft replies to more complex ministerial submissions, ministers’ cases, PQs, IMB and HMIP recommendations.
- Work closely with strategic policy holders within the MoJ and other Government Departments and their Agencies to deliver Ministerial ambition through operational policies.
- Build strong working relationships with Ministers’ Private Offices, senior officials, external non-departmental public body stakeholders and third sector partners
- Accountable for writing and implementing policy strategy that is appropriately tailored and conforms HMPPS business plan and wider organizational objectives.
- Developing and implementing a relevant business plan that addresses how HMPPS can meets its responsibilities in advancing; including the staffing and budgetary resource required and delivery costs.
- Setting up projects, with appropriate governance arrangements to support the project, identifying risks and mitigating action and reporting on progress to senior managers and stakeholders.
- Quality assure and approve all advice to Ministers and senior HMPPS officials related to policies
- Oversee projects within teams, ensuring appropriate governance arrangements to support the project, identifying risks and mitigating action and reporting on progress to senior managers and stakeholders.
- Develop and manage projects relationship with key external stakeholders/policy holders at senior level to ensure value for money
Experience
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Experience of providing high quality briefings to senior officials and Ministers to tight deadlines
- An understanding of the importance of tailoring communications based on the audience
- Experience of providing strategic oversight and improvement to a large programme
- Experience of Stakeholder Management
- An understanding of the Justice system and the roles and responsibilities that sit within it
Desirable experience
- Prior leadership and management responsibilities
- An understanding of the importance of a successful education offer within prisons
- A background in policy or strategy
Selection process details
How to Apply
Candidates must submit a 500-word suitability statement which describes how they meet the requirements set out in the Person Specification above and a CV.
We will assess your Experience, Technical Skills and the following Behaviours during the assessment process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Changing and Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
Your application will be reviewed and sifted on the statement of suitability against the person specification above by a diverse panel. Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a 1 hour panel interview held via video conference.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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