About the job

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

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.

Overview of the job    

The post holder is responsible for ensuring public sector prison litigation from offenders, staff and third parties is managed effectively and in the best interests of the HMPPS. The post holder manages their own caseload and reports to the Litigation Manager: PSP Litigation Team.

The post holder will be responsible for administrating processes within the PSP Litigation Team, assisting the management of litigation processes ensuring data integrity, adhering to financial principles, policy and procedures. They will provide accurate and reliable litigation management information to support performance measures within Region.

This is a non-operational job without line management responsibilities.

Summary    

The post holder is responsible for administration and maintaining oversight of litigation against the HMPPS. Many of these cases will be high profile matters that present significant financial, operational and reputational risks for HMPPS.

The post holder will need to liaise with numerous stakeholders in HMPPS and the wider MOJ, including prison and probation staff, policy colleagues and HMPPS appointed legal advisors. In addition the post holder will be required to liaise on a daily basis with lawyers, claims handlers and, on occasion, barristers.

The post holder will be expected to ensure, so far as is possible, that a consistent and coherent approach is adopted to litigation and the right instructions are provided to lawyers and claims handlers to protect the interests of HMPPS and deliver savings.

The post holder will also be required to identify high risk cases, potential trends and information gaps and bring these to the attention of their managers and/or other stakeholders.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties    

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

•    Contribute toward the development of PSP policy, procedures and practise and ensure consistency of application.
•    Contribute to the achievement of Service Delivery Indicators (SDIs) and standards within work area, verifying and signing off documentation as appropriate.
•    Attend relevant team meetings as and when required to provide feedback on good practice examples, to promote awareness for better and more efficient ways of working.
•    Act as a point of contact for relevant external stakeholders.
•    Act as requisitioner or approver dependant on policy.
•    Personally manage litigation cases. The job holder will have to consider evidence, along with legal advice and provide instructions to claims handlers and lawyers to ensure a consistent and proportionate response to claims brought against HMPPS in an attempt to reduce litigation spend.
•    Seek approval in line with delegated authority levels within the Finance Manual.
•    Represent HMPPS at case conferences with Counsel ensuring that the interests of the Ministry of Justice are protected.
•    Act as a source of advice and assistance for colleagues managing litigation (HMPPS appointed solicitors and the relevant managers within establishments/Region). Provide support and advice to ensure a consistent approach and share learning.
•    Personally manage a caseload that includes some high risk and occasionally high profile cases, ensuring that the reputation and interests of HMPPS are protected. Brief Governors, Deputy Directors and Directors as required through the management chain.
•    Assess claims and make recommendations with regard to evidence collected, business risk, cost and expected outcomes.
•    Provide advice on policy changes following analysis of litigation case outcomes and Judicial Reviews.
•    Instruct/liaise with HMPPS appointed legal advisors to provide support and advice on the prison environment.
•    Analyse caseloads within PSP Litigation Team and prepare reports on trends and case outcomes.
•    Disseminate learning from litigation on a case by case basis so as to promote best practice within the team and across HMPPS.
•    Contribute to improving the efficiency of the team by actively participating in team meetings, contributing ideas and views.
•    Engage with a range of business areas across establishments, Region, HMPPS and in MOJ, raising litigation awareness and maintaining the good reputation of the Team.
•    Ensure the approved IT case management system is updated and accurate so as to enable accurate reports to be generated on numbers, outcomes and spend.
•    Provide input and support to ensure the PSP and national business plan objectives are achieved.

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 £30,471, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £8,257 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.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. 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.