28392 - Regional Corruption Pursue Officer

£20,840 - £23,166
2
12 Months
London, South East
Croydon
SOUTHERN HOUSE CROYDON, CR0 1XG
AO
Band 3
Permanent
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working, Other
Administration / Corporate Support

Overview of the job

HMPPS’s efforts to tackle corruption are integral to delivering safe and secure prisons and probations. HMPPS has worked with MoJ to identify that a new approach is needed to ensure we remain resilient to this key operational threat.

HMPPS has developed a future strategy for tackling corruption in HMPPS based on four key objectives:

-  “Protect” against corruption by building an open and resilient organisation;

-  “Prevent” people from engaging in corruption, strengthen professional integrity;

-  “Pursue” and punish those who are corrupt; and

-  “Prepare” for corruption, reducing its impacts on our teams.

These objectives will need to be delivered at every level through prisons and probation, in particular, strengthening our resilience on the front line. Security, Order and Counter Terrorism (SOCT) Directorate is taking forward improvements, including restricting the Counter Corruption Unit, to provide senior operational leaders, prisons and probation teams with an improved counter-corruption service.

Summary

The role sits in the newly restructured Counter-Corruption Unit (CCU). Its objectives are to support prisons and probation to manage corruption threats, in particular supporting “pursue” activity on corruption cases.

The core service to be provided by the regional CCU is to support prisons and probation to effectively pursue corruption reports to clear, proportionate and timely outcomes. The level of service is to be assessed and prioritised according to policy and guidance, but may include providing prisons and probation with enhanced analytical support, expert advice on how to progress cases, logistical and coordination support. The team will also be responsible for supporting prisons and probation on the effective management of known corruptor prisoners in custody and under supervision in the community to prevent them from corrupting staff.

In line with HMPPS policy, the post holder will be responsible for supporting the relevant Regional Corruption Purse Lead and Regional Corruption Pursue Manager to deliver a high-quality counter-corruption service to prisons and probation in their SOCT region. The RCPO will also be responsible for working in partnership with other regional teams in the Security, Order and Counter Terrorism (SOCT) Directorate, HR services and law enforcement.

The job holder will report directly to the Regional Corruption Purse Manager, who in turn reports to the Regional Corruption Pursue Lead.

The post holder will not have management responsibilities.

This is a regional post and will be based in a regional SOCT hub. Frequent travel to prison and probation establishments, regional offices and law enforcement partners’ offices will be required. Occasional travel outside the region (e.g. to London) will be required.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

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

  • Having a contemporaneous understanding of the operational context in prisons and probation, including pressures, priorities, risks and opportunities to better tackle corruption.
  • Having an understanding of the relevant legal and policy frameworks relating to corruption, security and HR, and making sure these are followed when providing services to prisons and probation, and that these are shared with and championed when working with delivery partners.
  • Support the RCPL and RCPM to support prisons and probation to progress corruption cases in line with policy. The RCPO may lead work for lower risk cases under the supervision of the RCPM.
  • Being the first point of contact for prisons and probation to signpost policies, procedures and key contacts to support counter corruption work.
  • Coordinating CCU attendance/cover and regional and local tasking, attend some local tasking.
  • Identify and signpost and, in some cases, arrange and coordinate other support services to progress cases, e.g. HR caseworkers, Serious Organised Crime Units, Dedicated Search Teams.
  • Facilitate effective working with law enforcement partners (police and ROCUs), setting up meetings, following up actions, sharing contacts with the right people.
  • Identify blockages to progress and take action and escalate to the RCPM and RCPL as appropriate.
  • Monitoring and reviewing the relative priority of corruption reports and cases, escalating to the RCPM/RCPL if there are concerns.
  • Entering data onto case management and intel systems, ensuring information is captured accurately and is easy to understand.
  • Understanding the team’s corruption caseload, including working with analysts to report on management information and data on volumes, timeliness and outcomes of cases across the region.
  • On the direction of the RCPL and RCPM, the post holder may also be asked to work with prisons and probation to understand capability gaps and signpost wider capability opportunities, best practice and guidance and support light touch research to inform our evidence base on corruption.
  • Develop effective working relationships with key stakeholders, in particular with Security Mangers, Divisional Managers, HR Business Partners and HR Caseworkers.
  • Develop and maintain a wider network of stakeholders, including in other SOCT regional teams (e.g. NIU, SOCU, JEXU), law enforcement (local forces and ROCUs), contract managers and contracted providers.
  • Ensure individual activity is in line with direction set by RCPL and RCPM and focus on delivering a high quality service to prisons and probation.

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.

Competencies

For the purpose of selection the following competencies will be measured:

  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Collaborating and Partnering
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Acting with Integrity

Essential Skills, Qualifications, Accreditation & Registration  

  • Good understanding of corruption, security and HR policy and legal frameworks.
  • Good understanding of the operational context of prisons and probation.
  • Good communication (written and verbal), leadership and partnership working skills.
  • Problem-solving and decision-making skills, with the ability to drive resolution.

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 provides 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 the 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.

See HMPPS competency framework to learn more about the competencies we are looking for.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/497684/NOMS_competency_framework.pdf

And you can download positive Competency writing samples for Band 2 and Band 3 applications.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/500804/Competency_writing_samples.pdf

Expected: W/C 30th September

30/08/2019, 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 - 28392.
Security Clearance (SC)

Candidate Information

You may be required to provide statements describing your skills and experience relevant to each of the selection criteria. We recommend that you structure any examples as Situation, Task, Action and Result. For more information about the recruitment process and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

In the event of a large number of applications, we reserve the right to undertake the following processes:


  • An automated online test where a benchmark must be passed to progress;
  • A sift on the lead selection criteria. If this happens, the lead criteria will be the first one listed in the advert.

During the selection process, you may be asked to undertake an additional assessment (such as written test). If this is applicable you will be notified of this when you are invited to interview.



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
Making Effective Decisions
Collaborating and Partnering
Managing a Quality Service
Acts with Integrity

Effectiveness in this area means consistently acting in a principled, open and conscientiousness manner, and challenging unacceptable behaviour. Those who work in establishments must achieve a balance between excessive distance and familiarity with prisoners whilst dealing with prisoners in a way that is firm and fair. At a senior level it is about promoting a culture in which personal integrity thrives at all levels of the organisation.

They need to be able to speak good English

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

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.

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.