HM Prison and Probation Service
Unpaid Work Operations Manager - London Probation Service (Ref: 20424)
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Job Summary
Please refer to Job Description
Job Description
Are you an experienced operational leader who can motivate teams, lead a dispersed workforce, manage performance and deliver high-quality public services in a complex environment? We are seeking full-time confident middle managers to lead the delivery of Unpaid Work across a district, ensuring services are safe, purposeful, accessible and effective in supporting rehabilitation and reducing reoffending. Reporting to the Head of Unpaid Work, the post holder will provide visible leadership to a mobile and dispersed team working across a seven-day service. The role requires strong people management, strong communication skills, sound judgement, partnership working and a commitment to delivering services that meet court requirements, health and safety standards and organisational priorities. The role will include out-of-hours and weekend working to ensure management support is available for lone-working staff and operational delivery.
About The Role
As Unpaid Work Operations Manager, you will ensure the requirements of the court are delivered through the assessment, planning and oversight of a diverse range of purposeful work placements. These placements must meet health and safety requirements, maximise accessibility and the demand and respond to the diverse needs of people on probation. You will work in partnership with internal colleagues, external agencies and local stakeholders to ensure Unpaid Work services are delivered to a high standard, meet performance expectations and support positive outcomes for people on probation and the communities they serve. This is a key middle-management role, responsible for leading people, improving practice, managing risk and creating a safe, inclusive and performance-focused working environment.
Key Responsibilities
The successful candidate will be expected to undertake a range of responsibilities, including:
- Provide effective leadership and management to a dispersed operational team, taking accountability for performance, quality of practice and service delivery.
- Ensure the safe and effective delivery of court orders, managing associated risks including public protection, staff safety, organisational risk and reputational impact.
- Maintain effective links with risk management and multi-agency forums, ensuring appropriate oversight of placements and operational decisions.
- Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to raise awareness of Unpaid Work and strengthen confidence in service delivery.
- Build and maintain relationships with community partners, local authorities, community safety partnerships and other agencies to develop meaningful placement opportunities.
- Work collaboratively with Unpaid Work Sentence management to meet the demand and needs of UPW requirements.
- Provide management oversight of placement suitability, including arrangements for people who present higher levels of risk or have additional needs.
- Recruit, support and develop staff, proactively managing performance, attendance, employee relations and diversity matters in line with HR policies.
- Lead continuous improvement in service quality, operational efficiency and partnership working.
- Oversee asset, fleet and equipment management, ensuring resources are aligned to demand and used effectively.
- Work with health and safety colleagues, committees and trade union representatives to ensure safe working practices, investigate concerns and implement improvements.
- Promote Unpaid Work to stakeholders
These duties and responsibilities listed are not exhaustive. The Job holder may be required to accept and undertake reasonable additional duties and/or tasks appropriate to the level of the role, in line with business and organisational needs. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.
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Behaviours
- Working Together
- Developing Self and Others
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Leadership
What We Are Looking For
A visible and inclusive leadership style, with the ability to motivate, support and develop others.
Strong communication and influencing skills, including the ability to work confidently with partners and stakeholders.
Sound decision-making skills and the ability to manage competing operational demands.
A commitment to delivering a quality service at pace while maintaining safety, fairness and professional standards.
The ability to work flexibly, as part of a team and wider department and on own initiative.
The ability to work collaboratively, champion diversity and promote an inclusive working environment.
Essential Experience
Experience of managing staff working with challenging people in a practical or operational environment.
Understanding of the role of the Probation Service and Unpaid Work within the Criminal Justice System and in a multi-agency setting.
Knowledge and understanding of the issues faced by victims of crime.
Experience of risk management and assessment, including an understanding of multi-agency risk assessment and management procedures.
Experience of working under pressure, meeting demanding deadlines and delivering against performance targets.
Evidence of managing or supporting change and improving quality, efficiency or service outcomes.
Well-developed IT skills, including the ability to interpret and apply performance information.
Experience of championing diversity, equality and inclusion in practice.
Experience of applying health and safety policies and procedures, with a working knowledge of relevant legislation.
Experience of effective administration, record keeping and information systems.
Technical Requirements
Level 3 Institution of Occupational Safety and Health qualification, or equivalent, or the ability to achieve this within six months of appointment.
A valid UK manual driving licence.
Additional Requirement
The ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English, or Welsh where specified in Wales.
A good level of written English
Allowance details
This post attracts a London allowance, which will be discussed at interview.
The MoJ Offers a Range Of Benefits
Annual Leave
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service, plus public holidays.
Pension
The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF). Please visit www.gmpf.org.uk for further information.
Please note: Any current Civil Servant who is a member of the PCSPS, by accepting an offer of employment to the National Probation Services will be opted out of the PCSPS and auto enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme.
Training
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.
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Eligibility
All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post
Person specification
Please Refer To Job Description
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Developing Self and Others
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
- Managing a Quality Service
- Access to learning and development
- A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
- A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
- Annual Leave
- Public Holidays
- Season Ticket Advance
For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.
Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
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.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Strengths.
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.
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
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