24203 - Operational Assurance Lead - Head of Assurance & Intelligence

We are looking for an experienced Senior Leader to join the Scrutiny and Intelligence Unit as Head of Assurance and Intelligence (HAI). 

Please note that the attached job description is a generic Band 10 Operational Assurance Lead job description which is in general use across the Operational System and Assurance Group, therefore some of the specific tasks for the HAI role are explained in a bit more detail in the following advert.

Overview

There is an exciting opportunity to join Operational and System Assurance (OSAG) Group as a Head of Assurance and Intelligence (HAI).  OSAG provide the necessary operational audit and quality assurance service to HMPPS and MOJ stakeholders as required.    The Group provides assurance on delivery of service outcomes and value for money across the offender system.  

The Scrutiny and Intelligence Unit (SIU) within OSAG has responsibility for overseeing the responses to reports from the Inspectorate (Prison and Probation), IMB and other independent scrutiny bodies and reviewing incoming information regarding the quality and delivery of offender services across the system.  Additional information is gathered from other external bodies such as external auditors, the National Audit Office and other MOJ or HMPPS sources.   The SIU develop an understanding of key operational issues across prison and probation services, respond to these on behalf of HMPPS and take forward work with the operational line.

As a HAI you will be accountable for the leadership of one of the two Assurance and Intelligence Teams (AIT) covering the South of the country and Wales. 

Each AIT consists of around 9 managers and staff who are responsible for responding at pace to HMI Prison and Probation reports, Independent Monitoring Board reports, and other related work, on behalf of HMPPS.  They are responsible for quality assuring responses to findings and recommendations; working closely with operational prison and probation colleagues, contract and line managers to track progress, identify areas for improvement and share good practice.  

Your designated team will provide an operational perspective and analysis on the findings from: HM Prison and Probation Inspection reports, and other reports, and work with the operational line to progress findings and improve delivery.  We are therefore looking for senior leaders with sound operational knowledge and experience of the delivery of offender services in custody and/or the community. You will need to have excellent interpersonal and people skills; and the ability to make sound evidence-based judgements about assurance and intelligence findings, and produce quality reports. 

You will need to understand how to analyse inspection and audit reports so we can strengthen learning across the agency; promoting good practice and facilitating operational improvement.  You and your team’s analysis of information on operational delivery will assist with the Agency view of risk and operational issues.  You will have accountability for: identifying areas that need improvement; the quality assurance responses to findings and recommendations; working closely with operational colleagues, contract and line managers to track progress, and identify and share good practice.

Although the North and South teams will work within their designated geographical areas, there is an expectation that the two HAIs will work collaboratively, for example: developing national systems and consistent approaches; and deploying staff flexibly and efficiently based on the needs of the business.

As an HAI you will also manage effective working relationships across our varied group of stakeholders.  You will have excellent written and editing skills as you will be accountable for the drafting of correspondence prepared for the Secretary of State, Ministers, HMPPS CEO and Directors. 

Key Responsibilities and requirements of the post:

• Providing leadership and oversight on the team’s responses to the HM Inspectorates of Prison and Probation, the Independent Monitoring Board and other scrutiny bodies.
• Direct line management of a Band 9 Assurance and Intelligence Senior Manager and ultimate accountability for approximately 8 other Managers and Staff within your designated team
• Oversee and work proactively with operational delivery, policy and other stakeholders at senior management level, to better understand and respond to internal and external scrutiny reports and findings
• Overall accountability for working with Prison and Probation Providers, and contract management teams to provide an ongoing overview on the progress of the implementation of action plans to address the agreed recommendation from HMIP Reports
• Ensure that your team collate, analyse and provide ongoing performance information to the Central Intelligence Team
• Overseeing the drafting of responses to the Secretary of State, CEO Office, Ministerial Correspondence, Parliamentary Questions and Freedom of Information requests, and other briefings on operational matters.
• Accountable for sharing intelligence and knowledge gained from the wider system and promoting good practice
• Ensure that the managers in your team build and strengthen relationships across the operational line so colleagues are aware of the importance of this work
• Accountable for ensuring that the AIT develop professional working relationships with the operational lines in prison and probation services, providing advice and good practice examples, sharing intelligence and knowledge gained from the wider system assurance work.
• Identify themes and linkages across findings to identify risk and issues and areas that need improvement
• Ensure that the team meet key performance targets and complete quality work within tight and challenging deadlines.
• Undertake additional activities which are appropriate to the level of the Group Profile.
• A key member of the SIU and OSAG Senior Management Team structures
• Deputise for the Head of SIU and OSAG as required.

Where are the Vacancies based:

The HAI post can be based at any HMPPS location however the role will require travel to London / Croydon and other locations on a regular basis.

Generic:

Overview of the job

The Operational and System Assurance Group (OSAG) provide the necessary operational audit and quality assurance service to HMPPS and MOJ stakeholders as required.   This service provides assurance on delivery of service outcomes and value for money across the offender system.

The OALs are senior leaders within the Group with extensive knowledge and experience of the delivery of rehabilitation services in custody and/or the community. They are nationally accountable for the operational assurance of offender services for their designated area of responsibility, working collaboratively with senior Managers within the Group and the wider Directorate.

Areas of Responsibility:-

OALs responsible for the operational assurance of custodial services

These post-holders are accountable to the Head of Operational Assurance Delivery (HOAD) for Custody. The HOAD for Custody holds national responsibility for strategic leadership, development and delivery of the quality assurance of public sector and contracted offender services in custody, including the youth estate.    

OALs responsible for the operational assurance of community services

These post-holders are accountable to the Head of Operational Assurance Delivery for Community who holds national responsibility for strategic leadership, development and delivery of the quality assurance of public sector and contracted offender services in the community.  

Each post-holder is responsible for developing, leading and managing national operational assurance activities, and will deliver consistent and effective audit and quality assurance services within their designated area of responsibility.   They will directly line-manage a geographically dispersed team of assurance and audit staff, and will be accountable for their performance.  

The OALs are required to work collaboratively together to ensure effective cohesive, and consistent delivery of operational assurance activities across the system.

The OALs contribute to the audit and assurance of the quality of delivery of MoJ commissioned public sector and contracted offender services, amounting to a total estimated value of around £1 billion per annum. They ensure that operational assurance resources are deployed effectively and efficiently within their designated areas. They critically analyse and quality assure delivery of commissioned services, in order to inform strategic direction and performance management of services.

OALs are accountable for liaising with a wide range of internal and external senior stakeholders (e.g. Commissioners, Deputy/Divisional Directors, Chief Executives, Governors, HMI Probation and HMI Prisons) at local, regional and national levels. They deputise for the HOAD as required, influencing and negotiating with stakeholders at a senior level and in national fora.

Each OAL holds strategic or subject matter expert lead for an aspect of the

Directorate’s business. Subject expertise includes critical issues such as public protection.

This is a national role which will involve making vital contributions to HMPPS strategy and driving forward national developments in service delivery.

Summary

The OAL is accountable for the development and delivery of the Directorate’s annual assurance plan and is accountable for delivering the assurance activities across their designated areas of responsibility, collaborating with other OALS, the HOADs, the DD, and with key senior stakeholders as required.

In delivering the plan, the OAL will implement operational assurance services and activities to quality assure delivery of community and/or custodial offender services, and the related interfaces between the range of public sector and contracted providers.

The OAL is accountable for ensuring that appropriate recommendations are made based on audit/assurance activity findings across their areas of responsibility to inform MoJ policy and commissioning, HMPPS performance management, operational and commercial contract management, service integration, service planning and development, and system improvement.

The OAL is accountable for designated national strategic/subject matter expert lead responsibilities in relation to aspects of the Directorate’s business such as, risk management; offender management, offender rehabilitation, and/or segments of the offender population (e.g. women, younger/older offenders, BME offenders). They will be accountable for representing their subject matter with HMPPS and MOJ internal and external stakeholders e.g. HMI Probation, HMI Prisons etc.

The OAL will lead and line manage a team of Managers and Operational Assurance staff at Band 8 or below. They will direct and oversee their delivery of audit and assurance activity in order to ensure high quality and consistency. In doing so, it is envisaged that the OAL will devote some of their time to working alongside their team to deliver the service, and enhance capacity.  

There is a clear expectation that all OALs will work collaboratively together to ensure effective scheduling and delivery of all operational assurance activities in custody and community. They will share knowledge and resources between areas in line with the priorities of the Group and wider Directorate.

The geographical base for the OAL post can be flexible and there will be a significant requirement to work in London and other locations.

The post‐holder may be required to carry out other tasks commensurate with the nature of the role and grade of the post.

Responsibilities,Activities & Duties

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

• Accountable for leading on the development and delivery of the Directorate’s annual assurance plans and will be are responsible for agreeing and delivering the plans and operational assurance activities for their designated areas of responsibility.

• Working independently to lead and manage effective and efficient audit and assurance service delivery across the offender services within their designated areas of responsibility in order to inform MoJ policy and commissioning and HMPPS performance management, operational and commercial contract management, service integration, service planning and development and system improvement.
• Accountable for critically assessing findings from audit and assurance activity and making recommendations to inform effective performance management, contract management and system development – playing a critical role to look across delivery in their areas of responsibility to identify strategic themes, examples of good practice and areas for improvement.
• Accountable for reviewing and interpreting performance monitoring and other reports of provider delivery and making independent judgements about this information. Accountable for ensuring that their findings are used to inform audit and assurance activity in relation to the delivery of services against commissioned requirements.

• Accountable for ensuring that there is effective operational assurance resource working consistently to support operational performance and contract management and system development activities in their designated areas of responsibility.
• Accountable for ensuring that delivery of audit and assurance practice is consistent with the strategic approach and is informed by Inspection and Audit findings, current research, evidence and best practice.
• Accountable for identifying key issues and themes for annual assurance plans.
• Accountable for providing strategic leadership or subject matter expertise in relation to designated aspects of the Directorate's business, for example risk management.
• Accountable for leading and participating in local audit and assurance activity to inform oversight of operational assurance practice, promote quality and consistency and provide increased capacity.
• Accountable for providing and evaluating assurance data and intelligence to support performance management, operational and commercial contract management monitoring of provider interfaces and issue/dispute resolution as required.
• Accountable for liaising and collaborating with the key stakeholders (e.g. contract management teams) in their areas of responsibility, and other functions to ensure that operational assurance resources are used effectively and efficiently. In particular, the OAL will be accountable for working in partnership with senior stakeholders in order to identify issues and priorities and inform their work to manage, plan and review audit and assurance activities in their areas.
• Deputise for the HOAD as required, influencing and negotiating with stakeholders at a senior level and in national fora

• Accountable for effective liaison with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders at senior levels and at local, regional and national levels.
• Leading and managing a designated team of up to 20 Band 8 Operational Assurance Managers, and/other OSAG staff, to deliver and develop the operational assurance service
• Accountable for collaborating across areas of work within the Group to ensure effective scheduling and delivery of all operational assurance activities in custody and community, sharing knowledge and resources as required.

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
• Delivering Value for Money
• Managing a Quality Service

Essential SkillsQualifications,accreditation & Registration  

No specific qualifications are essential but experience and skills relevant to service management, operational audit and quality assurance, commissioning and/or contract management are required.

The essential requirements for this post would include:

• Significant experience of managing operational delivery of community based and/or custodial offender services, at senior level  
• Knowledge of the various approaches to operational audit and quality assurance and related issues
• Experience of analysing and implementing findings from inspections and audits at senior management level
• Ability to make independent decisions about issues of operational, business and reputational risk arising from audit and assurance activity. Managing these risks effectively and sensitively across organisational boundaries and in line with political and economic considerations.
• Experience and skills in relation to contract and performance management and/or service development and commissioning of community based offender services, at senior management level
• Highly developed understanding and detailed knowledge of policy and strategic developments in relation to community and custodial offender services and how these apply to operational practice and the performance and contract management process.
• Substantial knowledge and appreciation of performance and contract management requirements, and demonstrates a highly developed understanding of the challenges involved in managing and assuring delivery of large complicated commercial contracts
• Experience and skills in relation to managing in a complex change management context
• Senior management experience in probation and/or prisons or a comparable environment (e.g. within the criminal justice system or involving delivery of offender services)
• Able to demonstrate effective high quality skills to lead and manage staff to achieve demanding objectives
• Demonstrates sound judgement, and has the ability to influence and negotiate with internal and external stakeholders at a senior level in a complex and multi‐layered delivery landscape.
• Effective programme and project management experience and skills
• Ability to function effectively in a challenging environment with a high level of personal resilience

Hours of work

37 hours

Closing date: 21/02/19 at 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 24203