28024 - Service Manager
This is an exciting opportunity to join the HMPPS Whole System Development (WSD) Group in a Band 8 role, and to apply your skills and experience to identifying and building the conditions of success for HMPPS services and its close partners. The role is based in the WSD Group which is part of the Performance Directorate, with a particular focus on supporting system learning and gathering insights to inform and support effective service design, development and delivery. The successful candidate will work to identify, share and replicate good practice across the system; create networks, guidance, learning opportunities and tools for leaders; gather insights from across the system, including providers, partners and service users to help enhance our understanding of context, trends, and resourcing, and help build a healthy and well-functioning system which supports successful service delivery and outcomes.
If you are interested in this exciting and interesting opportunity we would encourage you to contact Ruth Walters: ruth.walters@justice.gov.uk or Matt Douglas : matt.douglas@justice.gov.uk for more information and an informal conversation about the role.
Overview of the job
Accountable to a Senior Contract Manager (SCM) (and the Head of Contract Management Services Group as required) the Service Manager (SM) is accountable for supporting the operational management of nominated contracts within the centralised business owner (CBO) portfolio. This includes performance management and development, oversight of the interfaces between the suppliers and contract users e.g., prisons and stakeholder engagement.
Centralised Business Owner portfolio of 19 contracts with a value of around £16 million p/a (this will increase over time, as contracts are added), and it involves complex stakeholder and delivery chain relationships. The post holder is responsible for managing the portfolio of a wide range of products and services, with varying levels of operational and reputational risks and managing these complex, innovative contracts.
Summary
The SM will be a key member of the contract management team for the centralised portfolio and will work collaboratively with colleagues within the Directorate and in Commercial, Finance, Policy and other support functions to assist in the delivery of HMPPS and CMT objectives.
The SM will work in collaboration with the SCM in relation to contract management, planning, development, review and input into competition activities. The SM will coordinate performance management and monitor operational delivery, and has responsibility to provide assurance on the quality and standards of contract delivery. They will directly manage all aspects of contract delivery on a day to day basis and will have daily dialogue with providers and business partners.
The SM will take responsibility for reviewing, analysing and monitoring performance data, quality assurance and data analysis of provider delivery as well as developing strategies for recompetition of current contracts.
The SM will directly seek assurance from stakeholders and will monitor the interface points between the providers and business users of the portfolio contracts.
Responsibilities, Activities & Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
- Responsible for contract management, planning, development and input into competition activities, including accountability for performance management, monitoring improvement plans, delivery assurance and contract compliance activity, providing on site presence within the business and supplier organisations as required.
- Accountable for monitoring designated contracts, with responsibility to critically evaluate and report any issues regarding service delivery outcomes and value for money to the SCM.
- Responsible for identifying service quality, contract compliance and supplier performance issues and priorities in order to inform contract management and the wider CMSG.
- Accountable for providing local insight into the operational interfaces between providers, particularly in relation to operational risk, making independent judgements about their findings and reporting any issues to the SCM.
- Leading and managing the resolution of operational issues arising between providers and escalating unresolved issues and formal disputes to the SCM.
- Managing elements of the contract management Governance processes in relation to designated contracts, including representation and leading supplier review meetings.
- Accountable for working collaboratively with colleagues in the Operational Audit team, Commercial Contract Management and other HMPPS/MOJ support functions to inform the management of designated contracts.
- Accountable for promoting and maintaining effective relationships with providers and stakeholders.
- Responsible for holding providers to account for their stakeholder engagement commitments.
- Critically evaluate business demand, needs and priorities in order to inform the development of contracts within the portfolio.
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:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Collaborating and Partnering
- Changing and Improving
- Achieving Commercial Outcomes
- Delivering Value for Money
- Acts with Integrity
Essential Skills, Qualifications, Accreditation & Registration
No specific qualifications are essential but experience and qualifications relevant to senior management and contract management are desirable.
Specifically:
- Contract management and/or commissioning and service development experience and skills at a management level.
- Knowledge and understanding of the policy and operational practice in a custodial environment.
- Project management experience and skills.
- Practical knowledge and understanding of the challenges involved in assuring delivery of large complicated commercial contracts.
- Ability to work effectively in a complex change management context.
- Experience of working in a comparable operational environment (e.g. within the criminal justice system or involving delivery of offender/public services), preferably at management level.
- Sound ability to influence and negotiate with stakeholders within a political and economic environment.
- Experience of assessing and making independent judgements about the performance of complex services.
- Practical ability to achieve demanding objectives.
- Ability to develop, nurture and foster mature, productive relationships as a manager with internal and external stakeholders and providers in a complex and multi-layered delivery landscape.
- Ability to function effectively with a high level of personal resilience.
Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances
37
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
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 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.
07/08/2019, 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 - 28024.
If you are interested in this exciting and interesting opportunity we would encourage you to contact Ruth Walters: ruth.walters@justice.gov.uk or Matt Douglas : matt.douglas@justice.gov.uk for more information and an informal conversation about the role.
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.
Effectiveness in this area means consistently acting in a principled, open and conscientiousness manner, and challenging unacceptable behaviour. Those who work in establishments must achieve a balance between excessive distance and familiarity with prisoners whilst dealing with prisoners in a way that is firm and fair. At a senior level it is about promoting a culture in which personal integrity thrives at all levels of the organisation.
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.