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.

There is a requirement for regular travel across the region.

Please note: Although this is a generic directorate job description, we would ask you to use the person spec in the job description additional attachments section below which highlights essential responsibilities for this role:

Overview of the job

These Group Director roles are new, senior roles critical to stability and delivery across HMPPS in England and Wales.

Group Directors will be responsible for the delivery and strategic development of the Area  in their command.

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity to ensure the successful and safe delivery of objectives across HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).

HMPPS is responsible for running prisons and probation services across England and Wales with over 42,000 directly employed staff and contractors and a wide range of private and third sector partners.

Like all organisations we are constantly seeking to be more effective and efficient, improving performance and ‘working smarter’. This is a fantastic opportunity for the right people to drive innovation and change that can really make a positive difference for our society.

Outstanding leaders with a strong track record of delivery in a challenging environment, setting strategic direction and leading large and dispersed teams across several business units, and manage a large delegated budget.

A dynamic, challenging and rewarding role where your contribution will make a real difference.

Reporting to an Executive Director.

Summary

The post holders will work collegiately as part of their Executive Director’s senior team. They will work together to manage competing pressures and risks in order to maintain delivery of service and Ministerial confidence, as well as contributing to the overall strategy within HMPPS.

Post holders will drive the performance improvement of key organisational objectives, through supporting, coaching and developing senior management teams. They will promote a leadership culture which is rehabilitative to deliver objectives that realise the Secretary of State’s vision for prison safety and reform.

There is a strong partnership working element to this role, in working across the HMPPS, the wider Ministry of Justice, and with other services, agencies and third sector providers, to build and maintain effective ‘joined-up’ services for the public. This includes integrated services across custody and community and effective working between public and private sectors.

Post holders will have strong leadership and people management skills with the ability to influence, drive change and improve results whilst engaging and empowering our people. They will also have strong analytical and financial skills.

Post holders will need to contribute to effective relationships within HMPPS and with other senior colleagues across the Department, with a need to demonstrate political awareness at all times.

This is a senior management post with line management responsibilities.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

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

• Accountability for performance and use of resources across the organisation for which they are responsible, ensuring that their area of work is effectively delivering and driving improvement to meet the expected outcomes, and holding Senior Leaders to account.
• Providing strong and effective change leadership, ensuring in particular the effective implementation of programmes which support a rehabilitative culture and lead to improved organisational performance.
• Ensuring that areas for which they are responsible are meeting delivery requirements, complying with national policy and progressing strategic priorities.
• Supporting and coaching senior leaders to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to run safe, decent, secure and rehabilitative prisons and to manage their staff effectively; and improve staff engagement and demonstrate commitment to equality and inclusion through their leadership.
• Working effectively in collaboration within their Group Directorate/Group, and as part of the wider HMPPS structures, to effectively deploy resources; share best practice to ensure stability across the system and improve progression; create a learning culture; and deliver the Group Directorate’s objectives.
• Developing strategic relationships with key partners and stakeholders across MoJ, Government and other agencies and services, particularly relevant community partners, to ensure our business and strategic objectives are achieved.
• Maintaining a broad and thorough understanding of the HMPPS’s business, including Ministerial priorities, with particular focus on ensuring that policy and reform are effectively delivered at local levels.
• Ensuring effective financial management to operate within the allocated budget and with financial propriety. Seeking appropriate sources of funding to support joint interest work with our strategic partners.
• Promoting continuous professional development and professional skills across HMPPS, MOJ and the wider Civil Service.
• Champion engagement, equality and inclusion through leadership of their Group Directorate/Group.

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 £111,395, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £33,752 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, Experience and Technical skills.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 security 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.