This is a highly visible leadership position requiring exceptional stakeholder management, strategic thinking, and the ability to inspire multidisciplinary teams while delivering outstanding contractual performance in a complex custodial environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team delivering rehabilitation and recovery services across the prison.
• Provide strategic leadership for Family Services, Drug Strategy, Visits, and the More Than My Past programme.
• Lead the operation of the 240-bed Incentivised Substance Free Living (ISFL) Houseblock.
• Develop and maintain effective partnerships with HMP Millsike, Mitie, PeoplePlus, and external stakeholders.
• Ensure contractual compliance, performance targets, and governance standards are consistently achieved.
• Manage significant budgets and resources effectively.
• Produce high-quality performance, impact, and contract reports using data to drive service improvement.
• Lead service innovation and contribute to the future development of the Connections model.
• Promote lived experience and co-production throughout service delivery.
• Create a positive culture focused on rehabilitation, recovery, and reducing reoffending.

Person Specification

Applicants should be able to demonstrate:

• Significant senior leadership experience within a custodial or similarly complex regulated environment.
• Experience managing contractual service delivery within Criminal Justice.
• Experience managing substantial budgets and delivering against financial targets.
• Strong operational leadership experience within highly regulated, inspected services.
• Excellent programme, project, and operational management skills.
• Outstanding stakeholder engagement and partnership-building abilities.
• Experience leading high-performing multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong analytical skills with experience producing impact and performance reports.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of desistance, rehabilitation, and recovery approaches.
• Understanding of Narrative Therapy or Narrative approaches would be highly advantageous.

Due to the nature of this role, candidates should be comfortable working within a prison environment and be committed to improving outcomes for people involved in the criminal justice system.

Due to the high volume of applications received, if you do not hear from us within 7 working days, I am afraid your application has been unsuccessful.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit an up-to-date CV together with a supporting statement (maximum two pages) demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria for the role. Your supporting statement should provide clear examples of your relevant leadership experience, the impact you have made, and explain why you are interested in becoming the next Head of Connections at HMP Millsike.

Application deadline: Sunday 26th July at 11:59pm.

Early applications are encouraged as interviews will be arranged shortly after the closing date.

Refer a Friend

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Red Snapper Recruitment offers a £150 Referral Bonus for successful candidate introductions. If you refer a friend or colleague who is successfully placed in this position, you'll receive £150 once they have successfully completed the qualifying period.

RSR Justice is a market-leading recruitment business dedicated to providing top-quality candidates and services to the offender rehabilitation and supervision work sectors.

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The Red Snapper Recruitment Group is an equal opportunities employer.