25608 - West Midlands Prison Group Equalities Lead

£40,690 - £48,831
1
12 Months
West Midlands
Stafford
WEST MIDLANDS DDC TEAM STAFFORD, ST16 3AW
SEO
Band 8
Permanent
Full Time
Business Management & Improvement

Overview of the job

The Equalities Lead will adapt the national Equality Strategy to respond to the equality and diversity challenges, issues and opportunities and drive progress within the Prisons Group.   Ensuring equality legislation and policy compliance, innovation, collaborate and deliver positive outcomes for staff and prisoners.

The job holder will be responsible for providing regional equalities advice to establishments within the Region.  

Providing assurance to the Deputy Director and Executive Director that prisons within the group are adhering to the equalities policies and procedures.

The job holder will be regionally based, with no line management responsibility.

Summary

The job holder will be responsible for delivering and driving the national Equality strategy at the group level, by acting as an interface between the national Equalities team at HQ and staff in the Prisons Group.

The Equalities Lead will lead and enable Equalities leads in the establishments to improve outcomes, reduce disproportionality and share and encourage learning and innovation.

This is a non-operational job with no direct line management responsibilities. There will, however, be regular structured contact with Equality leads in establishments, with a responsibility to provide support and direction.

Responsibilities,Activities & Duties

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

  • Build Group understanding of equality and diversity, to meet the needs of the prisoners in our care and to support the development of inclusive and rehabilitative culture.
  • Plan, implement and manage the sharing of knowledge and good practice to inform innovation and improve outcomes across the group.
  • Promote the routine application of the Equality Analysis process consistent with the relevant Instruction.
  • Provide direction for reducing disproportionate outcomes for staff and prisoners and embed a culture of just and fair treatment.
  • Lead on all Equality matters within the group and advise and support PGD and Governors on equality implementation and delivery.
  • Provide policy lead support to all Equality leads within the group on the development of prisoner involvement and engagement, including peer support and prisoner forums.
  • Develop a strategy for the group, involving each prison with the differing diverse needs of each, ensuring access to rehabilitative activities and processes through taking into account reasonable adjustments when required.
  • Provide direction and support for the implementation of relevant legislation review including the delivery of recommendations following the Lammy Review. The changes will need to be at group level, ensuring improved outcomes across establishments.
  • Work collaboratively with other PSP equality advisors to ensure wider development of improved equality outcomes in establishments.
  • Champions a group-wide culture that promotes equality and diversity.
  • Liaise with staff to receive, collate and analyse information to monitor outcomes in all establishments, identifying trends and risks, and engaging and constructively challenging staff to address disparity.
  • Develop and utilise data to identify trends and themes and take appropriate action to maintain and enhance performance across the group, flagging concerns to Governors and the PGD where appropriate.
  • Maintain structured regular contact with senior staff and equality leads in establishments to address equality related matters, as well as ensuring effective communication with HMPPS HQ equality leads.
  • Ensure establishments have proactive equality action plans which are driven by engaged leadership and staff, and set out how the Public Sector Equality Duty will be met.
  • Develop and maintain effective communication and build alliances with external stakeholders to ensure effective delivery and enhance provision into establishments and share learning and best practice.

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:

  • Changing and Improving
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Leading and Communicating
  • Collaborating and Partnering
  • Building Capability for All

Essential Skills Qualifications,Accreditation & Registration  

High level written and oral communication skills.

Good data analysis and analytical skills.

IT literacy.

Excess Fares & Relocation / PIT Terms

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

23/04/2019, 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 - 25608.

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
Changing and Improving
Making Effective Decisions
Leading and Communicating
Collaborating and Partnering
Building Capability for All

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.