44833 - Unit Manager

£26,553 - £34,105
4
12 Months
West Midlands
Birmingham
OPG BIRMINGHAM, B1 1TF
HEO
C
Permanent
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
Operational Delivery

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Overview 

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance. We are an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), set up in 2007 following the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act of 2005.

OPG is responsible for registering lasting powers of attorney (LPA) and enduring powers of attorney (EPA) and supervising deputies who are appointed by the Court of Protection.

Power of Attorney Services (POAS) processes incoming power of attorney applications on behalf of the Public Guardian, within agreed targets and performance indicators. POAS comes under the Operations directorate of OPG.

OPG is a fantastic place to work offering a range of development opportunities. The OPG has signed up to the ‘Time to Change’ pledge which supports mental health in the workplace, as well as recently receiving a health and wellbeing charter accreditation as we are committed to developing a supportive and inclusive environment that reflects the diverse community we serve.

OPG is currently going through an extensive period of organisational change. This will be delivered by our transformation programme – “OPG 2025”. The ambitious plan is about changing the way we provide services. It will help us meet the growing needs of our users, partners and our stakeholders. It will make sure our users experience a better level of support. Overall, it will help us to respond to the changing needs of society. This is so we can better support adults at risk and create high-quality services that are accessible and affordable.

OPG is aiming to have a Digital Power of Attorney in place that meets our customer and stakeholder needs. We aim to have a multiskilled, flexible workforce, working within office/home based locations to meet civil service environment.

Our Birmingham office is located centrally within walking distance to Birmingham New Street, Moor Street and Snow Hill train stations as well as the Mailbox and Broad Street. You should note however that plans are in place to move into two new premises, one based in Birmingham city centre, the other outside the centre but within Birmingham. Both premises have yet to be disclosed with successful candidates being posted to either site.

Job Description, Duties and Responsibilities – 

  • You will support and contribute to the aims, objectives and performance of the Office of the Public Guardian to ensure delivery targets, as set out in the Business Plan, are met.
  • You will have the ability to adapt to differing business needs quickly, monitoring progress against targets and measures; proactively addressing resource and delivery pressures, taking a proportionate approach to risk, problem solving, adherence and assurance.
  • You will plan and forecast resources in order to deliver operational objectives with the proper and efficient use of resources.
  • You will be responsible for accurate and quality processing in order to reduce re-work and to ensure a high level of customer service. You’ll oversee feedback from complaints and lessons learnt for your business area, as well as reviewing processes and making recommendations for improvement with the customer experience at the heart of everything we do.
  • You will organise and participate in team meetings, developing close working relationships across operations and the wider organisation.
  • You will act as a role model, demonstrating behaviours within the MOJ Leadership statement and the organisation’s values.
  • You will be clear, honest and transparent in your communication and management, making decisions that involve the relevant people at the right time, involving frontline staff in decision making where able.
  • You will be responsible for and be open and comfortable with leading and engaging your team through periods of change, particularly ‘OPG 2025’. You will deliver change and communication through being a positive, visible, approachable leader, inspiring trust by tackling difficult issues, obtaining feedback and creating a culture of inclusion and innovation.
  • You will proactively develop and manage talent by promoting a learning environment to maximise team and individual performance and development e.g. taking responsibility in supporting staff through the appropriate training.
  • You’ll take responsibility for your own learning and development with the support and guidance of your line manager.
  • You will positively promote and implement diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity in all areas of work supporting initiatives within the organisation.
  • You’ll have a strong knowledge of HR policy where you will identify poor performance, attendance and conduct issues adopting a coaching style, for resolution, acting as appropriate in accordance with MOJ policy, whilst also recognising positive performance using reward and recognition schemes.
  • You’ll contribute to the development of smarter working across the department, reviewing more efficient, flexible and convenient ways of working, exploiting digital channels where possible.
  • You’ll take reasonable care for the health and safety of others and abide by relevant Health and Safety Procedures and policy.
  • You may be asked to undertake ad hoc projects as agreed with the Operational Delivery Manager which are commensurate with the skill set of this post. 

Skills & Qualifications

Essential:

  • Ability to work at pace and meet challenging deadlines, which requires you to be flexible/adaptable, setting priorities as the workload and focus of the teams within your area change.
  • Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
  • Attention to detail, good analytical and problem-solving skills and an aptitude for long-term thinking.
  • Leadership qualities and have an interest in developing yourself and those you manage, as well as being committed to improving team processes. 
  • Assurance of Business Quality and Performance expectations.
  • Ability to work with a variety of internal and external customers at all levels.
  • Experience of managing large operational teams
  • Experience of applying HR policies.

Desirable:

  • Proficient in the use of Microsoft IT Packages  

Application process

This vacancy is being advertised using Success Profiles. Candidates will be expected to provide a CV (2 pages of A4 maximum) plus a supporting personal statement of no more than 1000 words capturing their suitability for the role based on the job description, essential and desirable criteria.

Interview Process

If you are successful at sift, you will be invited to an interview which will follow the Success Profiles process. At interview candidates should expect strength-based questions and questions relating to the following Civil Service behaviours:

•    Leadership
•    Communicating and Influencing
•    Making Effective Decisions
•    Delivering at Pace

Working Arrangements & Further Information

Some of MoJ’s 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.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Support

  • A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits,retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

1-    To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);

2-    To Ministry of Justice Resourcing (resourcing-services@justice.gov.uk);

3-    To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

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.

Grading Structure Review

The Ministry of Justice is currently undergoing a review of posts which are currently graded at Band A to realign our grading structure with the majority of the wider Civil Service.

Posts advertised at Band A may be graded at either Grade 6 or Grade 7 once the review has taken place.  

Expected around w/c 26 July 2021

24/06/2021, 23:55 hours.

If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Please quote the job reference - 44833.

To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why. 

For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).

If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:

  • You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
  • You were studying abroad
  • You were living overseas with parents

In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.

Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.

if you feel that your application has not been treated in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance

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

Experience
CV
Statement of Suitability - 1000 word limit

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.
Behaviours
Making Effective Decisions
Leadership
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Strengths may also be assessed at interview but these are not shared in advance.

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.