24419 - Senior Business Manager to the Executive Director of the Security, Order and Counter-Terrorism Directorate
Overview of the job
The role supports the HMPPS Chief Executive Officer to provide leadership and management across the Agency dealing with a diverse range of issues, which includes management of the CEO[ workload, liaison with the offices of Ministers, the Permanent Secretary, other Government Departments including No.10 and Cabinet Office, Director Generals and Directors. The role line manages the senior personal secretary to the CEO.
The environment is demanding and the jobholder will need strong influencing and relationship management skills and develop a strong level of knowledge of high priority issues across the range of Agency business. The job holder will be able to speak authoritatively about the work being undertaken and make decisions that reflect the needs and priorities of the CEO. The job holder will undertake projects and pieces of work on behalf of the CEO when required.
The Business Manager is responsible for supporting the CEO in the day to day duties, ensuring that they are fully briefed on all pertinent issues in readiness to represent the organisation at both internal and external meetings.
Summary
This is a busy and varied role that sits in the CEO private office, requiring close working with Directors across a range of responsibilities as well as with colleagues in finance, HR, Private Office Directorate, Press Office and working-level leads within the HMPPS and MOJ. It offers a unique oversight of the business that covers a wide range of operational and reform responsibilities.
The role is responsible for ensuring that the CEO has the information they need, alerting them to the key actions which they are required to take and progressing actions on their behalf. This includes oversight of the CEO e-mails and related correspondence to ensure that all necessary action is taken forward by the business.
The role requires excellent organisational and interpersonal skills, working in a demanding and fast-paced private office environment, to ensure that the Executive Team is able to make informed, responsive decisions about the business.
Responsibilities,Activities & Duties
Working as part of a small team the role is busy, varied and high profile within HMPPS and the wider Department. The post holder will be expected to work flexibly within the team to ensure that the office supports HMPPS across the range of functions, showing the requisite discretion when dealing with sensitive issues and information, and remaining calm under pressure. The post holder will be expected to work confidently with staff at all levels and present information clearly and succinctly at senior management meetings.
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
- Managing all day to day correspondence for CEO.
- Ensuring CEO is sufficiently briefed for meetings, Parliamentary appearances, events etc.
- Being the key point of contact for either the CEO, supporting and enabling them in their leadership of the organisation and understanding and promoting their priorities, including organisational performance and risk.
- Working closely with Directors and Directors' business managers across the organisation on urgent, high profile and high priority work, ensuring it is in line with CEO requirements.
- Working closely with Ministerial Private Offices, Permanent Secretary's Office and press office, holding meetings on particular topics as necessary.
- Ensure that action is taken by the business to ensure deadlines are met through commissioning work on behalf of CEO.
- Oversight of any reporting into the MoJ on behalf of the CEO, ensuring this is properly actioned.
- Oversight of key external stakeholder relationships with CEO.
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
- Managing a Quality Service
- Leading and Communicating
- Delivering at Pace
- Collaborating and Partnering
Essential Skills Qualifications,Accreditation & Registration
The job holder must have excellent analytical and drafting skills.
A high level of organisational knowledge and a strong understanding of prisons and probation is desirable.
Private office/business management experience is desirable.
The ability to understand, interpret and summarise complex information is required.
The ability to interact with and influence senior staff and stakeholders is required.
Good understanding of HR implications and responsibilities, financial compliance for budget management and procurement.
The Security, Order and Counter Terrorism (SOCT) directorate exists to support HMPPS in its mission to prevent victims by changing lives. We do this by creating the conditions for a firm, stable and secure base on which decent regimes, relationships and rehabilitation can be built. SOCT’s mission is creating the firm base for rehabilitation. The directorate works closely alongside colleagues in the Ministry of Justice and those in the operational field to ensure the most effective and innovative support for security in prisons and probation.
SOCT is made up of approximately 450 people formed of two groups, the Operational Security Group and the National Security Group. The directorate aligns itself across five regions, supporting prisons and probation from bases within their regions. A small London base in 102 Petty France, completes the directorate.
The National Security Group exists to support prisons and probation to effectively manage national security threats, including terrorism and serious and organised crime, as well as corruption: and to ensure that the Agency has the best intelligence to inform its management of all security risks. The Group is made up of 3 units.The Joint Extremism Unit, the National Intelligence Unit and the National Security Delivery Unit.
This Operational Security Group side of the directorate focuses on the operational elements of security and how we apply procedures within prisons to ensure that we remain secure, safe and resilient. This Group also focuses on serious incident management and aims to create learning opportunities from events that happen within prisons and probation. This Group is also made up of 3 separate units. The Operaional Response and Resilience Unit, the Security Risk Unit and Security Projects and Procedures.
Sitting across the groups is the small Corporate Support Team (CST) which manages the corporate, financial, HR and administrative services, making sure that the directorate is supported to deliver its crucial role. It exists to ensure that corporate services are managed consistently across the directorate and to bridge the gap with the HMPPS corporate services Business Partners and the Corporate Services Hub. This post sits within the CST, delivering support to the Director, holding responsibility for workforce planning and getting involved in interesting projects from across the six Units.
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.
15/03/2019, 23:55 hours.
Closing Date: 15th March 2019 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.
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.
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.