28486 - Probation Restructure Policy Lead

£43,989 - £52,789
3
12 Months
London
London
102 PETTY FRANCE LONDON, SW1H 9AJ
SEO
Band 8
Fixed Term
Up to 18 months
Full Time
Operational Delivery, Planning, Policy, Programme and Project Management

The Probation Reform Programme is undertaking a significant and challenging programme of work to help stabilise and improve delivery of probation services, and design and plan for future arrangements. This is a great opportunity to work on one of the most high profile and important priorities for the Ministry of Justice, which is subject to significant Ministerial, and cross-Government interest, and will have a real impact on how we improve outcomes for offenders, victims, and the wider public. The Probation Reform Programme combines policy, operational, commercial, financial, analytical, legal and programme teams, providing the opportunity to play a vital role at the heart of a fast-moving and complex programme environment.

These roles will be focused on designing and implementing the regional staffing structure to deliver the new probation model. The work will be varied and fast paced, and candidates will be required to work independently on defined project areas. Candidates must be able to identify and develop suitable, evidenced and costed proposals, be confident working with a wide range of specialists (i.e. analysts, HR), and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. Experience of policy development or business change within a probation context is desirable

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Overview of the job

The job holder will have a well-developed understanding and knowledge of the detail of policies as well as a strategic understanding of them.

Summary

The job holder is responsible for planning, managing and overseeing the policy development work as well as being the subject matter expert across relevant policies, providing advice to Ministers (through the Head of Team), MoJ policy colleagues, senior officials in NOMS and the operational line. The job holder will be responsible for planning and managing policy development and implementation for a group of policies, which may change rapidly.

Job Holder will on occasions be required to represent NOMS in meetings with outside organisations and stakeholders and Other Government Departments.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

  • Ensure that a high quality and accurate service is provided to stakeholders, including operational prison staff, other NOMS subject leads, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman and HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, prisoner's legal advisers, professionals from other government departments and wider stakeholders.
  • Act as a business as usual consultant (will be seen as a subject matter expert) and will be required to provide advice and guidance on all elements of the relevant policy to all stakeholders (e.g. Directors, senior managers, trade unions, Shared Services staff)
  • Responsible for commissioning contributions for Government's evidence from various stakeholders across the organisation, ensuring accuracy of the information from both policy and data provision perspective. 
  • Devise the most effective and efficient way of developing and implementing national policies, communicating, engaging and consulting with a wide range of policy and operational stakeholders across the broader criminal justice system as well as within NOMS in order to maintain their confidence. Taking responsibility for driving it forward
  • Oversee the drafting of business cases and impact assessments
  • Consider requirements for any central monitoring arrangements for implementation working with relevant stakeholders to set up these up and ensure these are fit for purpose before final approval by the section head
  • Draft briefing to NOMS senior leaders and Ministers.
  • Oversee the drafting of responses to Ministerial correspondence and Parliamentary Questions and Freedom of Information (FOI) requests in relation to policies ensuring work is delivered according to deadlines and to an appropriate standard.
  • Manage, coordinate and draft the response and defence to legal challenges concerning policies and their implementation liaising with relevant teams, legal advisers and Treasury Solicitors.
  • Manage, coordinate and draft advice to Ministers and senior NOMS officials about issues connected to the Team's policies, identifying issues that could damage the reputation of Minsters and the department and liaising with Press Office colleagues appropriately.
  • 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.
  • Undertake statistical analysis of data for reporting and briefing purposes.
  • Provide support to the Head of Policy Team on the most complex and sensitive issues as required.
  • Oversee the drafting of formal instructions and practical guidance

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the Job Holder.

Behaviours

  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Changing and Improving
  • Working Together
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Managing a Quality Service

Strengths

It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.

Essential Experience

  • Excellent written skills
  • Excellent analytical skills
  • Experience of policy development
  • Data analysis skills
  • Excellent communication and people management skills
  • Technical requirements

IT literacy

  • An understanding of the process of Government, including the workings of Private Office. Experience of writing briefings, submissions, and PQs.

Behaviours that will be tested at the application stage are:

  • Changing and Improving 
    Seeing the Big Picture
    Communicating and Influencing

Behaviours that will be tested at interview will be:

  • Changing and Improving
  • Seeing the Big picture
  • Managing a Quality Service 
  • Working together

Working Arrangements & Further Information

Some of MoJ’s, including HMPPS, 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.

Standard working hours for this post are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Benefits

Annual Leave

-The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays

-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment

Pension

-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance

-HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ

Season Ticket Advance

-After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work

Childcare Vouchers

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

Training

-HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes

-There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provide a variety of training appropriate to individual posts

-All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles

Eligibility

-All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post

-All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS

-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which HMPPS considers to be racist

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.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.

There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.


Interviews are anticipated to take place in September 2019

28/08/2019, 23:55 hours.

If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk. Please quote the job reference - 28486.

Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.

if you feel that your application has not been treated in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance

We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.


Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
Changing and Improving - word limit
Seeing the Big Picture - word limit
Communicating and Influencing - word limit
Experience
Statement of Suitability - 250 word limit

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.
Behaviours
Changing and Improving
Seeing the Big Picture
Managing a Quality Service
Working Together
Strengths may also be assessed at interview but these are not shared in advance.

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 : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families

· 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

This Vacancy is closed to applications.