26338 - Probation Officer

£29,038 - £37,174
1
12 Months
South West
Devizes
HM Prison Erlestoke, SN10 5TU
Other
NPS Pay Band 4 National
Permanent
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working, Other
Probation Officer

Probation Officer currently required to join the OMU at HMP Erlestoke.  This role is permanent and the successful candidate will move to alternative vacancies within Wiltshire and Gloucestershire LDU to support business need in line with the principles of E3.

Overview of the job      

Postholders will undertake the full range of offender management tasks with offenders under supervision; utilising service procedures and practice directions to underpin professional judgement.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties     

Probation Officers may be required to undertake any combination, or all, of the duties and responsibilities set out below.

  • To provide professional advice to courts, criminal justice agencies and partner organisations, including prisons.
  • To undertake the full range of offender management tasks with offenders under supervision; utilising service procedures and practice directions to underpin professional judgement.
  • To contribute effectively to the assessment and management of risk by carrying out assessments and reviews on offenders in accordance with national and NPS policies and by implementing plans to reduce risk of harm by further offending
  • To motivate offenders to ensure compliance with the requirements of orders and licences and to promote positive outcomes for offenders.
  • To engage with the offender in a pro-social manner, to promote change, challenge offending behaviour and to reduce re-offending and protect the public.
  • To undertake enforcement action as required in order to comply with National and NPS policy and directions.
  • To develop, implement, monitor and review sentence plans in an effective and timely manner working collaboratively with colleagues and providers of interventions, both internal and external to the NPS.
  • To complete an overall evaluation of the sentence plan using the appropriate tools and methods
  • To utilise an integrated /co-located approach with public, voluntary and private sector agencies.
  • To ensure effective referrals to, and relationships between, offender management, interventions, service providers and external agencies to enhance positive outcomes, manage risk and reduce reoffending.
  • Participate in quality assurance processes as required and jointly take responsibility within supervision and appraisal process for own professional development
  • To work collaboratively with colleagues, provide cover as required and provide professional guidance to other staff as appropriate.
  • To use computer based systems to produce, update and maintain reports, assessments, case records and other documentation within agreed timescales and in accordance with Trust policy and practice.
  • To undertake home and prison visits as required
  • Respond to requests for risk assessment and management advice and/or risk decisions raised by Community Rehabilitation Companies, determine risk level and if high risk decide on how this will be managed.
  • To take breach action, case transfer and case closure using NPS procedures as appropriate.
  • To promote diversity and anti-discriminatory practice to all service users and staff in line with NPS policies.
  • To provide cover within your offender management unit and to other offender management units and intervention units as required.
  • To deliver and co-lead accredited programmes commensurate with grade.
  • To administer and score psychometric tests on offenders attending accredited programmes.
  • Ensure Health and Safety policies and procedures are implemented.
  • To undertake any other duties with appropriate support which are commensurate with the grading of the post.

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 Job Evaluation and shall be discussed in the first instance with the Job Holder.

 

Competencies 

The following competencies from the Civil Service Competency Framework will be used for selection purposes:

  • Making effective decisions
  • Delivering at pace
  • Showing drive and resilience
  • Caring
  • Persuading and influencing
  • Collaborating and partnering

 

Essential Skills, Qualifications, Accreditation & Registration     

You must be a qualified Probation Officer and hold one of the following list of qualifications:

Diploma in Social Work (pre 2010), CQSW (pre 2010), Diploma in Probation Studies

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with a wide variety of people who have experienced a range of social/personal difficulties.
  • Experience of working with diverse communities including promoting equality and valuing diversity.
  • An understanding and appreciation of equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice.
  • Experience of working with individuals and groups in order to motivate and change offending behaviour.
  • Knowledge and understanding of the work of the Criminal Justice System and the Probation Service.
  • A working knowledge of relevant legislation (including Crime & Disorder Act 1998) and National Standards.
  • Knowledge of Evidence Based Practice and risk/needs assessment tools.
  • Experience of working with people who have committed offences.

 

Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours)              

148 hours per 4 week period (averaging 37 Hours a Week)

This post is a full time post however other patterns of work will be considered.

Working Arrangements & Further Information

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

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Generous allowances for paid holiday starting at 25 days per year, and rising as your service increases. 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.

Pension

The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF). Please visit www.gmpf.org.uk for further information.

Please note: Any current Civil Servant who is a member of the PCSPS, by accepting an offer of employment to the National Probation Services will be opted out of the PCSPS and auto enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Support

  • A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

Eligibility

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

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.

Expected 21 & 28 June 2019

31/05/2019, 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 - 26338.
Please note the successful applicant will need to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Security Check for this post.

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
Caring

Effectiveness in this area is about showing concern for colleagues, prisoners, and others recognising their needs and providing practical support. People who are effective apply and support the decency agenda for staff and prisoners and take into account their actions and decisions on the wellbeing of prisoners, colleagues and others. At senior levels, it is about developing and promoting a culture of care and ensuring that the decency agenda is real and living.

Changing and Improving
Collaborating and Partnering
Delivering at Pace
Making Effective Decisions
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.

Probation Officer Qualification or Social Work Qualification or Equivalent

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.