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.

This is a permanent position for 2x Quality Development Officers (QDO) within the North East Probation Service Performance Team (based within the regional Performance & Quality Team). The successful candidate will work closely with the Quality Development Manager and other QDOs undertaking the following work: Audit & Assurance Activity; Coaching & Mentoring; and Facilitation of Practice Briefings/Workshops. As this is a regional post, there is an expectation of regular travel to, and close working with, all Probation Delivery Units within the NE Region.

Our Quality Development Team forms part of the wider Performance & Quality Team for the North East Probation Service. It consists of Quality Development Officers who undertake audit and assurance activity, coaching and mentoring and practice briefing/workshop facilitation. QDOs play a critical role in supporting effective practice and will work closely with colleagues within Courts and Sentence Management to support and enhance the quality of practice. The successful candidate will be line managed by the Quality Development Team Manager.

Part time staff can apply; no minimum hours or working pattern details required. 

New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join at the entry point salary for the advertised band 

Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.

Overview of the job    

This is a specialist Probation Officer post, in which the post holder has specific responsibility to contribute to the development of excellence in the quality of work undertaken with offenders and victims in the National Probation Service (NPS).

The job holder will have no line management responsibilities.

Summary    

The post holder will be part of the Divisional Performance and Quality team.

They will work in partnership with divisional /local managers, practice tutor assessors and operational staff to promote high quality work through delivery of quality assurance and improvement activities including: audit and analysis, practice workshops, coaching and providing support to colleagues.

In line with NPS policies and procedures, the post holder must at all times demonstrate a commitment to equality and inclusion and an understanding of their relevance to the work they do.

The post holder must adhere to all policies in respect of the sensitive/confidential nature of the information handled whilst working in this position.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties    

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

•    Deliver quality assurance activities as part of the national effective practice programme, and review the impact of these activities on operational practice
•    Deliver practice improvement workshops and briefings to POs and PSOs, and review the impact of these on practice
•    Support the re-launch and deployment of Skills for Effective Engagement Development and Supervision (SEEDS)
•    Undertake audits of key work, provide analysis and feedback to staff and contribute to local improvement and quality plans.
•    Working in partnership with local managers, develop audit and improvement activities based on local and divisional need and evidence from audits, inspections and case reviews arising from e.g. serious further offences, domestic homicides, serious case reviews
•    Provide support to local managers in delivering improvement activities to staff in informal /formal capability processes. As agreed with line manager, provide focussed 1:1 support to POs and PSOs involved in formal capability process based on the improvement plans drawn up by line managers.
•    Work in partnership with local managers to plan and support quality improvement in their cluster/function
•    As agreed with local managers, provide coaching and support to groups of staff whose roles are changing
•    Play an integral role in the work of divisional performance and quality team in implementing the national performance and quality programme
•    Provide guidance and support to SPOs to undertake quality assurance work
•    Respond to risk escalation requests raised by Community Rehabilitation Companies, determine risk level and if high risk (endorsed by a manager) decide on how this will be managed
•    Carry out safeguarding children and safeguarding adult duties in accordance with the NPS statutory responsibilities and agency policies
•    Demonstrate and promote pro-social modelling skills by consistently reinforcing pro-social behaviour and attitudes and challenging anti-social behaviour and attitudes
•    Work within the aims and values of NPS and HMPPS

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 alternations 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.

An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £31,582, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £8,369 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, Strengths and Experience.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.