35912 - Business Manager
We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity
An exciting opportunity has arisen to work within the Public Protection Group (PPG) which is part of the wider Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), Wales and Public Protection Directorate. PPG is a large group dealing with a diverse range of issues which are high on the Ministerial agenda. The wide remit of PPG includes management of casework for Parole Eligible prisoners, transfer of prisoners to Mental Health facilities, oversight of Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), quality assurance of Serious Further Offending reviews, development of operational policy in regard to Victims and managing the progression of prisoners serving sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection.
Overview of the job
The role supports the Director / Deputy Director to provide leadership and management to a NOMS directorate dealing with a diverse range of issues, which includes management of the Directors / Deputy Directors workload, liaison with the offices of the Chief Executive, other Directors, Ministers and might also include management of the Directorate's corporate hub.
The environment is demanding and the jobholder will need strong influencing and relationship management skills and to develop a good level of knowledge of issues across the range of the Directorate's / Groups business. The jobholder will be able to speak authoritatively about the work being undertaken and make decisions that reflect the needs and priorities across the directorate. The jobholder will be a first port of call for information from staff both within NOMS and from outside and will undertake projects and pieces of work on behalf of the Director / Deputy Director when required.
The Business Manager is responsible for supporting the Deputy Director / Head of Group in the day to day duties, ensuring that they are fully briefed on all pertinent issues in readiness to represent the organisation and the directorate at both internal and external meetings.
Summary
Support the Directorate in delivering objectives
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders
Provide high quality, timely and efficient secretariat support
Project management of various activities across the Directorate, ensuring the timely completion of tasks assigned by and on behalf of the Director
Oversee the production of responses to Parliamentary Questions and Freedom of information requests on behalf of the Directorate, ensuring that responses are of accurate and of appropriate quality for sign off by the appropriate SCS.
Work with colleagues to develop and implement the strategy to improve the capability of the organisation.
Oversee the implementation of the Directorate timetable of activities, coordinating activities and responses to briefing requests, managing conflicts accordingly.
Responsibilities,Activities & Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
Establish and maintain a good working relationship with, the Chief Executive and other NOMS Directors, Heads of Groups, Ministers Offices, Press Office, the offices of MoJ Directors and key stakeholders.
Ensure the Deputy Director/Head of Group is informed of priority matters where necessary, is involved in decision making at the appropriate level and has sufficient information and advice to help him operate effectively (oversight but not necessarily handling of all papers and correspondence).
Monitoring of the Groups business plan, people plan, business continuity plans and maintaining the workforce planner. Develop and own the group training plan.
Lead group communications including drafting of notes to staff and the quarterly all staff bulletin.
Secretariat for the Group Senior Management Team, preparing management information and reports, participating at meetings and following up on actions.
Drafting letters, submissions and reports on behalf of the Deputy Director/Head of Group.
Carrying out projects and pieces of work on behalf of the Deputy Director/Head of Group when required.
Make decisions on behalf of the Deputy Director/Head of Group within predetermined authority levels. Assessing requests from the business in terms of priority and content, taking the appropriate action and only escalating those items
which require the Deputy Directors/ head of groups attention
Work with the FOI/PQ's coordinator to manage the directorates responses to PQs/FOI/ Ministers cases etc. Reviewing draft responses for consistency and completeness prior to final sign off by the Deputy Directors/Head of Group
Daily management of the Directors inbox, prioritising emails to ensure the Director is sighted on the priority issues, responding on his behalf and dealing with emails as required. Effectively manage the directors diary on a short, medium and long-term basis
Manage and maintain the Directorate Delivery Plan, ensuring that key activities are delivered to the required time frames, highlighting issues and dealing with these accordingly.
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
Making Effective Decisions
Delivering at Pace
Working Together
Managing a Quality Service
Communicating and Influencing
Essential Experience
The job holder must have excellent analytical and drafting skills.
The ability to work with a broad range of stakeholders to manage Security Groups wider relationships
Technical requirements
Good understanding of HR implications and responsibilities, financial compliance for budget management and procurement.
Knowledge and use of the Microsoft suite of packages particularly Word, Excel, Project and PowerPoint
Ability
Ability to understand, interpret and summarise complex information.
Ability to interact with and influence senior staff and stakeholders.
Ability to represent the Head of Group in meetings.
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
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after ten years’ service.
There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
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.
19/08/2020, 23:55 hours.
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.
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
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.