About the job

Job summary

Please refer to job description.

Job description

Overview of the job    

This is a management job in an establishment.

Summary    

The job holder will be responsible for a range of activities within the Learning, Skills and Employment function. Staffing numbers will vary depending on the size of the establishment and the nature of work undertaken. The job holder will be implementing national policies to suit local needs within the function and will contribute to revisions of local policies and procedures.

The job holder will ensure that the establishment regime meets the needs of offenders and contributes to reducing the risk of re-offending. The function provides a strategic focus on the learning, skills and qualifications in all areas of activities, with an emphasis on employability, education and training on release. The job supports both Offenders’ Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) and non-OLASS learning.

This is a non-operational job with line management responsibilities.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties    

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

•    Responsible for ensuring all staff within Learning Skills and Employment provide a respectful, safe decent environment for all prisoners and staff.
•    Responsible for managing Offenders Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) and non- OLASS including industries, gymnasium.
•    Responsible for assisting in the planning and implementing of quality assurance frameworks within the establishment.
•    Co-ordinate Self-Assessment Reports (SARs) for the establishment.
•    Responsible for managing, promoting, developing and co-ordinating all learning and skills activity, (including education, vocational training, physical education, library provision) in order to provide a comprehensive and coherent learning and skills programme for all prisoners.
•    Assist in the planning and co-ordination of Offenders Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) and all other types of learning to form a learner journey from reception to release.
•    Responsible for administration of distance learning, further education and Open University and monitoring the quality assurance of prisoners managing their own Individual Learning Plan (ILP).
•    Work with other resettlement services, the risk management unit and other functions, to encourage offenders to continue their learning on release – ensuring that appropriate Offenders Pathways are arranged/notified prior to release.
•    Responsible for monitoring the Service Level Agreements (SLA) for education, library services and training providers operating within the establishment, to ensure that quality standards are achieved.
•    Responsible for the delivery of industries vocational training ensuring the screening assessment and referral processes that determine suitability of prisoners to access learning material and tutor to deliver required skills to
achieve target qualification.
•    Responsible for ensuring that the Service commissioned is agreed with SFA, Education provider and Advice and Guidance Agency.
•    Responsible for chairing quarterly Quality Improvement Group/OLASS Partnership Meetings and attend meetings as required.
•    Maintain good working relationship with groups that provide funding including the Learning and Skills council and Youth Justice Board (if in Young Offender Institution (YOI) or Juvenile in estates).
•    Responsible for the accuracy of figures generated i.e. hours delivered, to enable the release of funding.
•    Responsible for the preparation of material for internal and OFSTED audits and act as OFSTED nominee for the establishment.
•    Contribute to prisoner reports including Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) reports and parole reports.

Undertake other management tasks including:

•    Manage devolved budgets in accordance with the financial procedures outlined in the budget delegation.
•    Responsible for the management of all staff within their area. This includes staff performance, development and annual appraisal through to sickness absence management.
•    Ensure all HMPPS standards and Service Delivery Indicators (SDIs) are implemented and managed within the relevant work area.
•    Ensure all national and local policies and procedures are implemented and compliant e.g. National Security Framework (NSF), Local Security Strategy (LSS), Finance Manual.
•    Attend as directed any relevant boards/meetings and actively contribute, either as chair or team member.
•    Provides leadership and direction to managers and staff within their defined work area through briefings, building informal and formal relationships and effective communication.
•    Produce relevant reports as required and ensure all correspondence is replied to within agreed timescales.
•    Liaise and form good relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
•    Manage resources to deliver the activities within the defined work area, and contribute to the mid-to-long term business planning process.
•    Ensure the defined work area and associated activities comply with Health and Safety legislation. Ensure all risk assessments are undertaken and staff are made aware of their personal responsibility towards ensuring Health and Safety compliance.

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.

Person specification

Please refer to job description.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,862, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £9,447 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Strengths.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.