26448 - PCW Casework Specialist

£25,842 - £28,739
5
12 Months
London
Croydon , London
SOUTHERN HOUSE CROYDON, CR0 1XG
EO
Band 4
Permanent
Full Time
Other

Overview of the job      

The Public Protection Casework Section (PPCS) is placed within the Public Protection Group (PPG) of the National Probation Services Directorate. The post of Prisoner Casework – Casework Specialist in Prisoner Casework within PPCS is not operational, although the business objectives of PPCS are focused on delivering frontline public protection and prisoner casework on behalf of the Prison’s Minister and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

The Prisoner Casework – Casework Specialist role involves drafting a wide range of correspondence within a team that handles approximately 4,500 pieces of correspondence and casework each year from across the whole prison estate. This includes:

  • A broad range of general correspondence (Ministerial, CEO and Treat Official) in respect of determinate and indeterminate sentence prisoners;
  • Reviewing governor adjudications and the penalties awarded in respect of determinate and indeterminate sentence prisoners;
  • Investigating and responding to queries from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, ensuring that recommendations are implemented within the specified timescale;
  • Responding under the Data Protection Act to requests for information from other governmental departments, such as the Home Office and the Department for Work and Pensions;
  • Responding to correspondence from Inside Times, including drafting responses for publication;

The job holder will report directly to the Team Leader (Band 5), who in turn reports to the Deputy Head of Prisoner Casework (Band 7).

Summary            

There are no line management responsibilities with this post.

The job holder’s responsibilities involve managing a correspondence caseload on a day-to-day basis. The job holder is expected to have or develop strong generic casework skills and a good understanding of how establishments function. Given that they often need to draw upon the support and input of policy colleagues across HMPPS HQ, they need to develop an excellent knowledge of the work of HMPPS HQ and policy groups and be able to network effectively.

The work involves liaison with a number of stakeholders, including prisons and the Prison and Probation Ombudsman, to solicit information that will ultimately be used to draft replies to correspondence. All of the work requires the ability to meet tight deadlines, organise and prioritise casework, and strong drafting skills.

Responsibilities include the drafting of precise and accurate advice / correspondence to Ministers and senior officials on a wide range of matters relating to individual prisoners in public and private sector prisons. Subject matter includes, but is not exhaustive to, security categorisation and transfer, visits, access to education and offending behaviour programmes, regimes, lost property, safer custody and health care issues.

The post holder is also responsible for caseworking around 2,500 adjudication reviews in accordance with Prison Service Instructions, ensuring that there are systems in place to monitor performance and ensure that business targets are met. The post holder will deal with sometimes complex and sensitive cases relating to individual prisoners. They will draft articles for publication in, Inside Times. There are challenging targets to ensure that casework is completed within the deadline (which will vary depending on both the type of correspondence and work).

The job holder will be expected to build and sustain relationships with other agencies and stakeholders and will liaise, on a regular basis, with a range of prison staff, Deputy Directors of Custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman’s office, Inside Times’ Editors, the police, Treasury Solicitors, Government Legal Advisors, Probation Trusts, the Parole Board and other senior officials.

The job holder will be expected to accurately and completely update their work on the Section’s IT system (PPUD) and to suggest any development requirements that may be pertinent.

The job holder is also expected to take their turn, on a rota basis, to manage the team inbox and allocate work to their colleagues in a timely manner.

They are also expected to take their turn, on a rota basis, processing recalls to custody of offenders who have breached their licence conditions. This duty will take place on a Friday, every other week, and may require the post-holder to work up to 7pm on those days.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

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

  • Providing urgent, concise and accurate briefing for Minsters, Private Office, Press Office and other senior officials.
  • Providing draft responses for Minsters, the CEO and other senior officials.
  • The preparation of a first draft of submissions, advice and draft letters on incidents, contentious issues and Ministerial enquiries.
  • Monitoring the review of adjudication appeals from prisoners in respect of determinate and indeterminate sentence prisoners ensuring that thorough reviews have been carried out in accordance with the PSI.
  • Overseeing the acceptance of PPO’s recommendations, and the draft response to the PPO, referring to the Band 5 where appropriate.
  • Producing responses to Treat Official cases.
  • Producing a first draft of articles for Inside Times.
  • Reviewing and monitoring their own caseload, identifying pressure points and finding ways to manage the pressures to ensure that business targets are met.
  • Initial involvement with complex and high profile cases flagging up to senior managers where Press Office and Private Office need to be informed of any cases that are likely to attract media attention.
  • Providing Private Office, via their line manager, with urgent advice on sensitive or critical cases.
  • Instructing colleagues as to the acceptance or rejection of Ministerial and CEO correspondence within 24 hours of receipt.
  • Managing the team inbox to ensure that all correspondence is correctly allocated in a timely fashion.
  • Building and sustaining effective working relationships with policy holders and other agencies including the PPO, Police, Treasury Solicitors, Legal Advisors and prisons etc.

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

Delivering Results:

  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Delivering at Pace

Engaging People:

  • Leading and Communicating
  • Collaborating and Partnering

 

Factor Examples

Skills & Knowledge         

  • Postholders will have an understanding of personal casework management and will be able to use management tools such as MI to improve their own performance. They will be able to compile detailed and often complex drafts with clarity and accuracy.
  • Post holder will have a good working knowledge and understanding of prison procedures and policies and the PSIs related thereto.
  • The post holder must have excellent drafting skills (including grammar and spelling) and be able to produce draft correspondence to a very high standard.

Accountability & Decision Making            

  • The postholder will take personal responsibility for taking case specific decisions about whether to uphold adjudications or whether to recommend a quash to the Deputy Director of Custody (DDC).
  • The postholder will take personal responsibility for judging whether sufficient information has been provided by third parties to be able to respond substantively to correspondence (or to make a recommendation to the Ombudsman).
  • The postholder is responsible personally for ensuring that they have met internal targets (and external ones for responses to both Ministerial and CEO cases). Their performance is monitored and failure will need to be accounted for.
  • The postholder, on a fortnightly rota basis, will be expected to make decisions on whether to recall an offender to custody if they are in breach of their licence conditions, balancing the recommendation probation staff with existing legislation and good practice.

Problem Solving              

  • The post holder is responsible for dealing with a range of issues that can arise in individual cases, and ensuring that all likely avenues of challenge / dissatisfaction have been covered off.
  • The postholder is required to take a pragmatic stance on finely balanced cases where there is no clear-cut explanation or solution. They must arrive at evidence based and defensible decisions. Such decisions may be subject to scrutiny and challenge, which could ultimately be taken to judicial review.
  • Some issues that occur may not have previously arisen and may not be covered by current procedures/policies, or be open to interpretation. The post holder will need to be aware of who to consult (e.g. legal advisers) for advice.

Resource Management & Financial Impact          

  • The post holder does not have a budget responsibility, but is responsible for the efficient management of a correspondence caseload to ensure that delays do not occur and deadlines are met.
  • Where PPCS are found to be responsible for delays/errors through a Judicial Review, this can result in damages/costs being awarded against the SofS, as well as reputational damage.

Organising & Planning   

  • The post holder must be able to organise his/her own work and be able to prioritise their workload without supervision.
  • They must be adept in operating casework systems to ensure that all business targets are met and backlogs do not occur.
  • The post holder must ensure that they use their To Do lists from the IT system (PPUD) on a daily basis to ensure that they are aware of outstanding work and can meet their deadlines. They must recognise the importance of data entry and understand why data is being recorded and the impact if such recording does not take place.

People Management    

  • This post will not have line management responsibilities

Information Management          

  • The postholder must ensure PPUD is updated and maintained accurately. All case correspondence milestones must be actioned and up-dated.
  • Comply with HMPPS information assurance policy to ensure maintenance of confidentiality, availability and integrity of sensitive information.
  • Post holders must be able to use data to monitor their own performance and maximise efficiency.

Influencing & Interaction             

  • The post holder will be responsible for developing good working relationships with internal & external customers and stakeholders (particularly prisons) to ensure the smooth operation of the casework correspondence processes.
  • The post holder must be able to explain problems and issues to senior managers with clarity and accuracy. They must be able to account for decisions and judgments when challenged. They must ensure decisions are evidence based and compliant with existing policies.
  • The post holder must be able to influence stakeholders when making recommendations. They should be able to justify their stance and produce evidence to support their recommendation.

Emotional Demand & Risk           

  • This is a non-prisoner facing job, but the post holder will be exposed on a daily basis to disturbing casework. It is an essential part of the casework that they the post holder reads the descriptions and in some instances, summarises the details of the index offences (often very graphic, including sex offence against children and distressing accounts of murder).
  • Some of the work requires attendance outside of core hours and job holders may have to participate in a rota to cover this work.
The job holder must be able to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh.

Should we receive a large number of applications, candidates will be sifted on one competency (Leading & Communicating) only.


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 expected to take place week commencing 17th June 2019

29/05/2019, 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 - 26448.

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
Delivering at Pace
Collaborating and Partnering
Managing a Quality Service

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.