72931 - Substance Misuse Group - Operational Planning Manager
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
The Cross-Government Drug Strategy, published in December 2021, set out a 10-year plan to reduce drug supply and demand, deliver a high-quality treatment and recovery system, and reduce the harm drugs cause. The Strategy was underpinned by a record £900m investment to tackle drug misuse over the three-year spending review period, with MoJ investing £120m of this to engage more offenders in treatment. Delivery of much of this work in HMPPS is led by the newly formed Substance Misuse Group (SMG), which sits within the HMPPS Directorate of Security and which works across HMPPS operations, HQ and wider Government departments.
Countering the threat drugs pose remains a significant priority for HM Government. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a management position within SMG, supporting the delivery of key priorities focused on delivering the Drug Strategy and Prisons Strategy White Paper commitments. These include tackling drugs in prisons and the community.
Post-holder responsibilities include:
- Supporting the frontline by formally evaluating the effectiveness of local drug strategy delivery, including through the delivery of a rolling programme of diagnostic visits.
- Supporting the wider development and delivery of a Drug Strategy Operational Risk Management and Assurance Framework.
- Providing direct operational support and specialist advice and guidance to prisons and prison Senior Management Teams
- Supporting critical priority projects such as the roll out of 18 Drug Recovery Wings (DRW) and 100 incentivised Substance Free Living (ISFL) Units and subsequent associated ongoing operational assurance activity.
Merited candidates may also be considered for other positions at this grade within SMG.
Overview of the job
The Planning Manager is responsible for producing/managing a schedule that defines the scope of work to be undertaken, including putting in place the necessary processes to ensure effective monitoring and control and escalation procedures. The Planning Manager will have an in-depth level of experience in scheduling/planning the work to be undertaken, allocating resources to tasks, monitoring dependencies and controlling the delivery.
Summary
The job holder is responsible for ensuring the effective planning of major change programmes is running on time and working with dependencies. The Planning Manager will work closely with stakeholders ensuring project capabilities are broken down and new ways of working practices are explored.
Responsibilities, Activities & Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
- Developing and maintaining project/programme plans, using a variety of project/programme planning tools
- Gathering updates on high level tasks from project/programme staff, stakeholders and work stream leads in order to provide regular and timely updates on the progress of tasks and activities for the project/programme plans
- Responsible for the maintenance of planning processes, ensuring that those processes and tools continue to meet the needs of the project/programme throughout its life
- Providing update and progress reporting on project/programme planning activities at agreed programme and project meetings
- Escalating issues to the Programme Manager (or at agreed project/programme meetings) when necessary
- Facilitate planning workshops with project/programme staff, stakeholders and work stream leads to scope and capture the requirements/tasks for the duration of the project/programme and agree key activities and milestone dates
- Engage directly with senior stakeholders and key stakeholder groups, ensuring their involvement in the co-creation, review and maintenance of the strategy.
- Be accountable for the review of the project/programme plan to ensure that it shows a clear critical path.
- Input to programmes and projects and their quality assurance
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
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
Essential Experience
- Experience managing resources
- Effective interpersonal skills to build influence and maintain partnerships with project/programme staff, delivery work streams, senior management and other stakeholders
- Experience of managing self and working with a team to deliver a complex project/programme
Technical requirements
- Knowledge of Organisational Design
- Knowledge of Managing Project Lifecycles
- Recognised project management qualifications or equivalent experience e.g. PRINCE2, Association for Project Management (APM), Managing Successful Programmes (MSP)
- Knowledge and familiarity with programme/project management particularly project planning techniques/ tools and approaches
- Familiarity with MS Office products including Microsoft Project
Ability
- The ability to quickly and accurately assimilate and prioritise information
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.
Some of MoJ’s 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 provides 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 the 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
- To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
11/04/2023, 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.