23499 - West Midlands Regional Employment Broker, New Futures Network

£40,690 - £48,831
1
12 Months
West Midlands
Stafford
WEST MIDLANDS DDC TEAM STAFFORD, ST16 3AW
SEO
Band 8
Permanent
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working, Other
Commercial, Communications / Marketing

Overview of the job

The role of New Futures Network (NFN) Regional Employment Broker is to create employment opportunities for prisoners in custody, through release on temporary licence (ROTL) and on release from custody. This will be achieved by building strong relationships between Prison Governors and Commercial employers within their designated regions.


The Employment Brokers will be directly managed by the Prison Group Director (PGD) but will be centrally supported by the NFN Hub to ensure that the national approach remains commensurate with Ministerial direction. The Hub will provide up to date labour market intelligence that will drive targeted commercial engagement in Industry sectors where skills gaps and vacancies are the most acute. Skills gaps will be identified on both a National and Regional basis.

The Regional Broker will be responsible for working with Employers, Governors and Regional Executive Teams to inform and shape training and education curriculums within establishments to match employer requirements and maximise prisoner employment pathways.

The NFN Central Hub will target 5 key sectors which will be reviewed annually. A senior Sector Ambassador from a commercial background will be appointed within each sector and will advocate NFN delivery, provide expertise within their field and unlock potential contacts and engagement on a National and Regional level.

In line with the above model, Regional Employment Brokers will also assume expertise in one of the designated 5 Sectors linking in with the Hub Sector Ambassador. This will ensure that across the national network of Regional Brokers, expertise is in place to guide and take forward initiatives with key employers on a national basis.

To offer informed judgement to Commercial Stakeholders on prisoner employment placements through ROTL or release, the Regional Employment Brokers will be required to understand the Security category of prisons within their Region, the activities, education and training delivered there.

Employment Brokers should also understand the activity capacity within the prisons in their designated regions and remain alive to potential commercial opportunities that could sit within such sites. Should such opportunities be identified the Business Development arm of NFN should be notified to take forward and develop new initiatives.

Having developed and strengthened relationships between establishments and key employers the Regional Broker will hand on day to day running of engagements to the most appropriate point of contact within the establishment. They will however continue to assess and measure employment outcomes and report this data into the Hub.


Where outcomes or engagements with external stakeholders are being adversely affected the Regional Employment Broker will flag this with Establishments, address and resolve. Where resolution cannot be achieved they will escalate to PGD and NFN Hub for resolution.

The Regional Broker will need to develop a good underpinning knowledge of Probation Service delivery and key contacts within. This will ensure that flexible working arrangements that meet the needs of the employer and employee can be set post release. Where employment outcomes are adversely affected post release, this should flagged by the Employment Broker and signposted to the relevant point of contact within the Probation Service for resolution. The Employment Broker must remain positioned and maintain the positive relationships with key employers.

The roles will be regionally based with the expectation that post holders will travel as and when required.

The post holder will have line management responsibility for staff at a local level.

This is a non-operational post.


Summary

The New Futures Network (NFN) is a national network, created to increase the number of prisoners in employment on release and working in prisons in England and Wales.

New Futures Network will operate a 'Hub and Spoke' Model.

The Regional Employment Brokers will act as 'Spokes', they will be supported and directed by the HQ NFN 'Hub' and improve employment opportunities by:

  • Targeting employment sector bodies and large and small employers within their designated regions to promote the benefits of employing ex-prisoners on release.
  • Building partnerships between employers and prisons, linking the work prisoners do in custody with jobs on release.
  • Identifying and feeding back messages from employers about the training and development that prisoners will need.

The Employment Brokers will develop employment pathways for prisoners by strengthening relationships between employers and Governors. Once such initiatives are developed they will be cascaded to key establishment personnel to deliver and maintain. Where employment outcomes are adversely affected it is the Employment Broker's responsibility to identify and address issues or escalate to the NFN Hub and
PGD for resolution.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

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

  • Develop and maintain strong relationships with Governors of Establishments, national and local employers and Probation counterparts within Region.
  • Develop relationships and explore prisoner employment opportunities working with Chambers of Commerce, Business in the Community, Local Enterprise Panels, Police and Crime Commissioners and Regional Criminal Justice Boards.
  • Develop and maintain strong relationships with Resettlement providers, Department of Work & Pensions Job Centre Plus staff, Prison Work Coaches and Across the Gate services.
  • Liaise with the NFN Hub to maintain an up to date Market Intelligence picture, remain positioned on the key skills gaps within industry nationally and regionally driving employment engagement aligned to these areas.
  • Support Governors within the region/areas of responsibility to ensure that delivery in the workshops supports the needs of potential employers including the delivery of transferable to meet employer needs.
  • Introduction of the Prisoner Apprenticeship Pathway to potential employers.
  • Take responsibility for providing expertise in one of the five key Industry Sectors set by the NFN Hub. Liaise with the Sectors Ambassadors in this field to unlock potential within Region.
  • Form part of a network of Regional Brokers able to engage, identify and support employment opportunities nationally for prisoners released to other parts of the country.
  • Be familiar with regional prisons security category activities and capacity within Region. Remain alive to new commercial opportunities within establishments linked to key industry sectors and signpost to the NFN Business Development Team.
  • Work with Privately Contracted Prison within your Region and engage with Long Term High Security and Female Estate 'Employment Brokers or counterparts' to maximise employment opportunities 
  • Form part of your Regional Prison Group SMT and contribute to development of the Regional Business Plan/Delivery Plan. Attend SMT meetings and communicate NFN delivery where required.
  • Attend/Chair relevant meetings or Governance Boards within Region.
  • Ensure data is effectively captured and communicated to the NFN Hub, particularly around employment outcomes.
  • Have a detailed understanding of the Accommodation and Banking support Services available centrally and be able to signpost to support prisoner employment opportunities.
  • Line manage staff as requested and endorsed by regional PGD/NFN Hub.
  • Be familiar with contract management principles and NFN Codes of Practice.
  • Remain alive to financial and training opportunities that will improve
  • Employability on release. Be familiar with the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) and its ability to deliver bespoke training to meet employer need.

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:

  • Leading and Communicating
  • Collaborating and Partnering
  • Achieving Commercial Outcomes
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Delivering Value for Money
  • Persuading & Influencing
  • Shows Drive & Resilience
  • Acting With Integrity

Essential Skills, Qualifications, Accreditation & Registration

Strategic skills

  • Ability to engage at Senior Management level cross government policy and strategy on behalf of New Futures Network NFN.
  • Experience of working with senior officials.
  • Experience of working across stakeholder groups and Other Government Departments and excellent influencing skills, showing the ability to deal effectively with conflict and deliver objectives.
  • Ability to communicate NFN strategic direction and priorities to providers and partners.
  • Ability to translate high level policy into clear thinking to support Regions to implement deliverable strategies.
  • Resilience under pressure, ability to articulate and defend strategic decisions on behalf of NFN.
  • Strong written and excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
  • Has experience of setting goals and achieving targets.
  • Has commercial experience and has an understanding of contact management.
  • Has knowledge or experience of working with project management methodology.
  • Experience of implementing change.
  • Strong team building and working skills.
The job holder must be able to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh.

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

-HMPPS offers a childcare vouchers scheme. The scheme enables staff to take part of their salary in the form of Childcare Vouchers. This is known as a Salary Sacrifice. The vouchers can then be used to help meet the costs of any form of registered or approved childcare for children aged 0-16. The vouchers are exempt from tax and National Insurance contributions

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.

To be confirmed

21/01/2019, 23:55 hours.

Closing Date: 21st January 2019 at 23:55

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 23499.

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
Leading and Communicating
Collaborating and Partnering
Achieving Commercial Outcomes
Managing a Quality Service
Delivering Value for Money
Persuading and Influencing

Effectiveness in this area means listening to each other, using reason and cooperation to reach agreement. We must all seeks to understand others’ perspectives whilst following through on agreements. Those who work in establishments must take time to understand the prisoners’ point of view and encourage prisoners to understand own / establishment’s perspective. At a senior level it is about promoting a culture of open interaction and effective consultation across all levels of the organisation. It is about influencing and involving the right people necessary to get things done.

Showing Drive and Resilience

Effectiveness in this area is about being consistently motivated, committed and able to perform duties in all situations. People who are effective maintain a personal conviction when faced with resistance. Those who work in establishment must retain a professional approach when confronted by aggression and strong emotion from prisoners. At senior levels, it is about remaining focussed on achieving objectives in the face of resistance, organisational constraints or unforeseen problems.

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.

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.