75334 - Casework Team Manager

The Public Protection Casework Section (PPCS), within HMPPS, is responsible for the management of the parole process and the recall of offenders to custody. The Band 6 Casework Team Manager in the Recall Team is responsible for the day to day operation of the team and the management of team members;  teams deal with the recall of offenders;

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.

Overview of the job    

The Public Protection Casework Section (PPCS) is placed within the Public Protection Group (PPG) within the Directorate of Wales and Public Protection.  The posts are based in HQ and currently located in Southern House in Croydon and are not operational.

The main function of PPCS is to ensure the oversight of the Generic Parole Process (GPP) for indeterminate sentenced prisoners and to ensure the timely processing of recalls to custody of licensed determinate and indeterminate sentenced prisoners from the community and processing requests for licence variations. It also reviews cases referred by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO); reviews appeals against adjudications; and assists with Royal Prerogative of Mercy cases.  

The PPCS casework teams deal with the recall of offenders; or review the continued detention of recalled offenders; or manage the parole process for  indeterminate sentence prisoners. Each casework team has a manager who is responsible for the day to day operation of the team and the management of team members. 

Team managers report to a Deputy Head of Casework (Band 8) and have managerial responsibilities for approximately 5-12 staff ranging from Band 5 to Band 3. 

Summary    

The job holder is expected to have generic casework skills and, with appropriate training, be able to manage any one of the casework teams, each of which covers specific areas of casework. 
Responsibilities include: providing first draft risk assessments on indeterminate sentenced prisoners’ (ISPs); consideration of recommendations on whether ISPs should be moved from closed to open prisons; the consideration and processing of recall requests; assessing an offender’s suitability for a fixed term recall; risk assessing and providing draft reasons in support of recalled prisoners being re released or drafting complex ministerial responses. 

Work involves daily liaison with prisons, police, Probation, UKVI, the Parole Board, Treasury Solicitors and other stake-holders as well as dealing with prisoners, solicitors and other interested parties. The job holder will establish good working relationships with their counterparts in other agencies and ensure that their staff do the same. It falls to team managers to ensure that teams deliver their work against targets and monitor team members’ performance. They will ensure that work on the team is distributed fairly across team members and prioritised appropriately. Team managers are required to identify complex/high profile cases and provide advice to senior managers and first draft responses to letters before action etc. They will be required to take a range of routine operational decisions. 

Team Leaders require good judgment, accuracy, an ability to analyse detailed information quickly and excellent organisational skills.

They are expected to work with a degree of autonomy and have an awareness of wider parole and recall issues/constraints/practices.

They are accountable to Heads and Deputy Heads of Casework (Band 8, 9 and 10 respectively) and, through them, to the Head of Section (Band 11).

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties 

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

• Managing a team of 5-12 staff, including line management and supervisory responsibilities, holding regular bilaterals, cascading information to team members and convening weekly team meetings. This work also involves monitoring sick absence and performance 
• Overseeing a team of case managers who managing the review process for indeterminate sentenced prisoners, dealing with a range of issues that may crop up on a daily basis on which team managers need advice, ensuring that dossiers are completed to a high standard, Parole Board directions are complied with, non-disclosure applications are processed speedily, next review dates set, release licences are accurate, failures in open conditions are reviewed expeditiously and either transferred back or are submitted to the Parole Board for advice and that all work is processed within target.
 • Managing the recall process for indeterminate and determinate sentenced prisoners, authorising recall, ensuring that legal thresholds for recall have been met, considering and determining whether a prisoner is suitable for a fixed term recall or a standard recall, ensuring that there are no delays in cases being reviewed by the Parole Board and for issuing clear and accurate reasons in support of recall. 
• Overseeing the review of recalled prisoners’ continued detention; the drafting of recommendations for re-release; and the management of the annual review process. 
• Ensuring that case managers manage cases that are directed to have an oral hearing; that Parole Board directions are complied with; and that non disclosure applications are processed speedily and with accuracy.
 • Considering applications for ISPs to transfer to open conditions without a Parole Board recommendation, by undertaking a detailed and accurate risk assessment and making recommendations to senior managers;
 • Assist Head/Deputy Head of Casework with the handling of Judicial Reviews raised by ISPs and determinate sentenced prisoners, in consultation with Legal Directorate and GLD
• Collate and analyse monthly performance statistics, providing information and data for the Head/Deputy Head of Casework 
• Oversee licence variation requests ensuring that they are completed on target and to a high standard 
• Ensure that PPCS database (PPUD) is accurately updated by team members; milestones are completed; and documents and minutes are uploaded and that Quality Assurance systems are applied. 
• Responsibility for compiling first draft replies to Ministerial correspondence and replies to letters before action and treat officials
 • Representing Section at meetings, open days and other forums

From time to time team managers are required to undertake additional activities which are appropriate to the level of your Group Profile (GP), including sitting on recruitment panels, attending and advising capability hearings and providing first draft ministerial submissions.

Behaviours    

•    Making Effective Decisions
•    Communicating and Influencing
•    Working Together
•    Leadership
•    Changing and Improving