47936 - Accelerator Prisons Project Administrator

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.

If you would like to discuss the role in detail please feel free to contact Jessica.Bond@justice.gov.uk

Directorate

Reducing Reoffending, Partnerships & Accommodation

Job Title

Accelerator Prisons Project Administrator

(Secondment, loan or fixed-term appointment until 31 March 2022)

Band

Band 4

Overview of the job

We are looking for an energetic and enthusiastic individual to join the Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) Reducing Reoffending Accelerators Project. This post is currently available until March 2022, although may be extended subject to securing sustained funding at Spending Review.

The job holder will be required to provide administrative support and assistance to staff members within the Reducing Reoffending Accelerators Project. Providing a professional and efficient service.

The reoffending rate has remained broadly static at around 29% since 2010, and during the 12 months ending March 2019, 81% of offenders convicted or cautioned had at least one previous conviction or caution. Reoffending is costing society approximately £18bn per year and almost half of all prisoners reoffend within 12 months of release.

We recently announced £70m worth of funding to help keep prisoners off the streets, cut crime and reduce reoffending. As part of this package of funding, we are looking to launch a new project seeking to trial a number of potential new prison and community-based roles focused at supporting efforts to reduce reoffending. Work has been split into three broad themes: Education; Employment and Accommodation; and Substance Misuse. Each theme will be tested across a number of prisons, with sixteen prisons selected in total and up to forty new post-holders coming on board.

A team of 7 Design & Delivery Managers have been recruited to support the prisons as part of the project, and strategic oversight and coordination of the project sits with a small central team. The Band 4 Accelerator Prisons Project Administrator will provide support across all elements of the project - ensuring that governance and reporting structures operate effectively, ensuring that new post-holders and recruited and paid correctly, and providing administrative and briefing support on a range of matters as required.

This is a temporary post available on loan, secondment of fixed-term until March 31st 2022.

If not based in 102 Petty France, travel there on occasion will also be expected. Remote working is acceptable beyond this, using MOJ hubs and home working.

Summary

The jobholder will be responsible for carrying out administrative processes, maintaining systems and will act as first point of contact for all HMPPS, MOJ and wider criminal justice stakeholder enquiries arriving into their team, via functional mailboxes, telephone or mail.

They will have no direct line management responsibilities but will have regular contact, in an administrative capacity, with internal and external stakeholders including at a Senior level. They will be relied upon to act at all times with professionalism and discretion and in a way that reinforces and enhances the positive reputation of HMPPS.

The post holder also undertakes a variety of specific activities and duties, for which they are held personally accountable, commensurate with their grade.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

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

• To provide secretariat support to meetings, including all preparation of work, taking minutes/notes.
• Ensure papers are commissioned for meetings and governance boards on time and in line with the forward look.
• Assist with the management of local activities for example business continuity, use of government procurement card, sickness absence management.
• Assist with the collation of data and other management information requirements.
• Co-ordinate/draft responses to information requests under Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts and / or Parliamentary Questions.
• Provide occasional ad hoc briefing support to the central project team.
• Support and advise staff and management with queries and current personnel policies and procedures.
• Provision of general administrative duties including face to face, email enquiries, booking meetings, diary management etc.
• To maintain administration databases to record and monitor information & produce monthly reports on these. Ensure that data entered into local and national systems is accurate and in accordance with agreed timescales.
• To contribute to the review and development of systems, including procedures regarding the review of all specialist support systems and processes to identify and implement efficiency improvement measures, as required.
• Assist the Budget holder with financial planning and maintenance of financial records. To include overseeing payment of invoices as required.
• Provide management with management information relating to the relevant area.
• Act as first point of contact for relevant external stakeholders.
• Monitor the functional mailboxes, action any issues and where needed log the request in the relevant folder/spreadsheet.
• Provision of general administrative support which will include; dealing with face to face and e-mail enquiries, booking meetings, booking laptops, projectors, flipcharts, teleconference facilities.

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

If we receive a high volume of applications, we will sift on the lead behaviour – Delivering at Pace.

Essential Experience

Good communication skills and the ability to communicate at all levels of the organisation

Technical requirements

Good working knowledge of Microsoft word, excel