37993 - NPS Head of Corporate Services - North West

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Overview of the job

This post is responsible and accountable for leading and delivering high quality corporate services on behalf of the Regional Probation Director. As a member of the Senior Management Team, the post holder is required to lead effective Business Planning activity and NPS corporate functions, manage and direct business partner activity within the region, and take full responsibility for ensuring critical business services across the region are strategically aligned.

This post will be responsible for providing services that directly support front line operational staff. An understanding of the wide range of probation policies and procedures across the organisation is required.

Summary

The purpose of the role is to manage the delivery of corporate support services on behalf of the Regional Probation Director.  

The job holder will be accountable for developing and delivering short, medium and long-term strategic business plans for the region, with overall responsibility for implementation. These plans must ensure opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness are proactively pursued.

The job holder will put in place appropriate governance arrangements to oversee the delivery of corporate services, identify and manage corporate risks, and escalate any significant issues to the attention of the Regional Probation Director. They will be accountable for ensuring adequate management/financial contracts and processes are in place for the region.

Responsible for representing the region in the development, improvement and implementation of collaborative working arrangements for corporate services polices and processes, including engagement with Headquarters and Shared Services.  

The job holder will directly manage and co-ordinate the activity of Business Managers across the region (including litigation and inquests), and teams responsible for ICT, Complaints, the Divisional Support Hub, Equalities and Staff Engagement to ensure a consistent approach is deployed across all business units.

The job holder will also oversee and provide strategic direction for the delivery of functional leadership services such as HR, Finance, Learning and Development, Health and Safety and Business Strategy and Change, to ensure that all corporate services operate effectively across the region.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

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

• Accountable for the development and delivery of the Regional Business Plan and business risk registers, with overall responsibility for implementation.
• Accountable for ensuing corporate governance is embedded, monitored and reviewed in the region.
• Accountable for delivering all objectives within delegated budget including for specific programmes of work (e.g. regional learning and development budget).
• Monitor and control the overall use of the regional budget, ensuring there are appropriate governance frameworks in place to promote accountability.
• Responsible for ensuring management information systems are in place to monitor, analyse and report on corporate performance across the region identifying operational, resource or organisational issues that may impact on performance or increase business risk e.g. Health and Safety, L&D.
• Lead business partner activity across the region, taking a collaborative approach and ensuring the Regional Probation Director is updated with timely progress reports.
• Lead Business Manager activity across the NPS region ensuring compliance with policy and process in corporate activities.
• Lead the development of regional corporate support systems, policies and processes in response to business need in order to review and assess effective practice in business services.
• Responsible for ensuring the delivery of strategic employee communications utilising a range of techniques to suit the needs of the audience, the message and the objectives of active engagement.
• Provide leadership and management of the Regional Complaints Team ensuring compliance with policy and process.
• Identify opportunities for more efficient delivery of business services and develop proposals to convert those opportunities into new ways of working.
• Ensure effective HR systems are in place to manage and develop staff in line with organisational HR policies and procedures in order to achieve performance objectives and enhance productivity.
• Liaise with staff to receive, collate and analyse corporate performance information, developing systems and compiling reports as necessary.
• Develop and utilise data to identify trends and take appropriate action to maintain and enhance performance.
• Plan, implement and manage systems for the exchange of sensitive information, data and intelligence.
• Accountable for ensuring all risk assessments are undertaken in line with Health and Safety and staff are made aware of their personal responsibility to ensure Health, Safety & Fire compliance.
• Lead a culture within the region that promotes equality and values diversity through the effective development and implementation of systems, policies and processes.

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

• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service  
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Ability

• The post holder will need to be an influential and visible senior leader, able to confidently engage staff and motivate, challenge and change behaviours. They will need to role model inclusive behaviours and have the communication and influencing skills required to develop effective relationships with staff across the region. They will need to be highly resilient and decisive when making finely balanced judgements. They will need negotiation skills both for reconciling differences in opinion between senior leaders within the region and managing competing demands for limited resources.
• The post holder will need to have significant corporate expertise and awareness, understanding both the vision of the wider NPS and HMPPS. They will need to manage the impact of decisions and actions on the reputation of the organisation and maintain financial and political awareness when making decisions.

Experience

• Detailed understanding and extensive experience of the wide range of probation procedures and policies both operationally and at HQ.
• Extensive experience of delegated budget management, business planning, business risk management, senior management, leading and delivering change programmes, and data analysis.
• Significant understanding of Equalities and Health and Safety legislation, and all other relevant legislation.

Technical

• Level 5 Degree/Diploma in Business Administration or equivalent or equivalent professional/managerial qualification or willingness to study for such.