23396 - Service Manager

Ministry of Justice; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 57,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice in the North West region is seeking a Service Manager (Contract Management) to support the operational management of selected contracts. You will oversee performance, drive improvements and coordinate between providers, prisons and contract users to ensure value for money and service standards.

Reporting to the Senior Contract Manager, you will manage day-to-day contract delivery, monitor data, develop improvement plans, and participate in competition activities.

Qualifications

• Significant knowledge and experience of probation service practice and service delivery.
• Contract management and/or commissioning and service development experience at management level.
• Knowledge of policy and operational practice in community or custodial settings.
• Experience in project management and delivering complex contracts.
• Ability to work in a complex change management context.
• Experience in the criminal justice or offender/public services environment at management level.
• Understanding of Through the Gate offender services and applying it to contract teams.
• Ability to influence and negotiate with stakeholders in political/economic environments.

Responsibilities

• Contract management, planning, development, exit and input into competition activities.
• Monitor performance, improvement plans, delivery assurance and contract compliance.
• Provide on-site presence with providers and internal stakeholders.
• Report issues on service delivery and value for money to the SCM.
• Identify service quality and supplier performance priorities to inform CMIT.
• Lead resolution of operational issues and escalate disputes to the SCM.
• Collaborate with Operational Audit, Commercial Contract Management and support functions.
• Promote relationships with providers and stakeholders; hold providers to account.
• Develop strategies for re-competition of contracts and input into future delivery.

Skills

Contract management

Performance management

Stakeholder engagement

Data analysis

Project management

Job description

General Information

• Salary £57,398 - £63,139
• Working Pattern Full Time
• Vacancy Approach External
• Location Accrington, Barrow-in-Furness, Birkenhead, Blackburn, Blackpool, Bootle, Burnley, Carlisle, Chester, Chorley, Crewe, Huyton, Kendal, Lancaster, Liverpool, Macclesfield, Northwich, Penrith, Prescot, Preston, Runcorn, Skelmersdale, Warrington, Workington
• Region North West
• Closing Date 06-Nov-2026
• Business Unit NPS North West Community Integration (2021)
• Post Type Permanent
• Civil Service Grade SEO
• Number of jobs available 1
• Reserve List 12 Months
• Job ID 23396

Descriptions & Requirements

Job Description

Overview of the job

Accountable to a Senior Contract Manager (SCM) (and the Head of Contract Management Services Group as required) the Service Manager (SM) is accountable for supporting the operational management of nominated contracts within the centralised business owner (CBO) portfolio. This includes performance management and development, oversight of the interfaces between the suppliers and contract users e.g., prisons and stakeholder engagement. It is an offender facing role in terms of working service users to ascertain their views on the services received.

Summary

The SM will be a key member of their designated contract management team and will work collaboratively with colleagues within the Directorate and in Commercial, Finance, Policy and other support functions to assist in the delivery of HMPPS and CMT objectives.

The SM will work in collaboration with the SCM in relation to contract management, planning, development, review, exit and input into competition activities. The SM will co-ordinate performance management and monitor operational delivery, and has responsibility to provide assurance on the quality and standards of contract delivery. They will directly manage all aspects of contract delivery on a day to day basis and will have daily dialogue with providers and business partners.

The SM will take responsibility for reviewing, analysing and monitoring performance data, quality assurance and data analysis of provider delivery as well as developing strategies for re competition of proposed new contracts.

The SM will directly seek assurance from stakeholders and will monitor the interface points between the providers and business users of their designated contracts.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

• Responsible for contract management, planning, development, exit and input into competition activities, including accountability for performance management, monitoring improvement plans, delivery assurance and contract compliance activity, providing on site presence within the business and supplier organisations as required.
• Accountable for monitoring designated contracts, with responsibility to critically evaluate and report any issues regarding service delivery outcomes and value for money to the SCM.
• Responsible for identifying service quality, contract compliance and supplier performance issues and priorities in order to inform contract management and the wider CMIT.
• Accountable for providing local insight into the operational interfaces between providers, particularly in relation to operational risk, making independent judgements about their findings and reporting any issues to the SCM.
• Leading and managing the resolution of operational issues arising between providers and escalating unresolved issues and formal disputes to the SCM.
• Managing elements of the contract management Governance processes in relation to designated contracts, including representation and leading supplier review meetings.
• Accountable for working collaboratively with colleagues in the Operational Audit team, Commercial Contract Management and other HMPPS/MOJ support functions to inform the management of designated contracts.
• Accountable for promoting and maintaining effective relationships with providers and stakeholders.
• Responsible for holding providers to account for their stakeholder engagement commitments.
• Critically evaluate business demand, needs and priorities in order to inform the development of contracts within the portfolio.

Behaviours

• Seeing the big picture
• Working together
• Changing and improving
• Managing a quality service
• Making effective decisions

Essential Experience

• Significant knowledge and experience of probation service practice and service delivery
• Contract management and/or commissioning and service development experience and skills at a management level.
• Knowledge and understanding of the policy and operational practice in a community and/or custodial environment.
• Project management experience and skills.
• Practical knowledge and understanding of the challenges involved in assuring delivery of large complicated commercial contracts.
• Ability to work effectively in a complex change management context.
• Experience of working in a comparable operational environment (e.g. within the criminal justice system or involving delivery of offender/public services), preferably at management level.
• In depth knowledge and understanding of strategy, policy and practice in relation to community based and “Through the Gate” .offender services and the skills to apply these to contract management teams.
• Sound ability to influence and negotiate with stakeholders within a political and economic environment.
• Experience of assessing and making independent judgements about the performance of complex services.
• Practical ability to achieve demanding objectives.
• Ability to develop, nurture and foster mature, productive relationships as a manager with internal and external stakeholders and providers in a complex and multi-layered delivery landscape.
• Ability to function effectively with a high level of personal resilience.

Technical Requirements

No specific qualifications are essential but experience and qualifications relevant to senior management and contract management are desirable.

Ability

Psychometric tests will not be required to assess the ability of post holders.

Additional Information

Love solving problems? Enjoy building partnerships? Want to make a real difference? This isn't your typical contract management role. As a Contract Service Manager, you'll be at the heart of improving services that support rehabilitation and reduce reoffending. You'll work with providers, prisons, probation teams and partners to ensure services are delivering what they promise and making a genuine impact.

What you'll be doing

• Driving service improvement and performance
• Turning data into insight and action
• Building strong relationships with providers and stakeholders
• Identifying risks, solving problems and finding better ways of working
• Holding providers to account while helping them succeed
• Shaping future service delivery through contract development, competition and innovation activities.

We're looking for someone who…

• Can confidently influence and challenge others.
• Enjoys working in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
• Is comfortable analysing information and making sound decisions.
• Has experience in contract management, commissioning, service delivery or operational management.
• Thrives on collaboration and building strong professional relationships.
• Wants to make a tangible difference to services and outcomes.

Why join us?

No two days are the same. One day you could be reviewing performance data and identifying improvement opportunities. The next, you could be working with senior stakeholders to resolve operational challenges or helping shape the future of a major service. If you're motivated by challenge, driven by improvement, and passionate about delivering quality services, we'd love to hear from you.

Join us and help turn contracts into outcomes, partnerships into progress, and good services into great ones.

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Benefits

Annual Leave

-The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays

-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment

Pension

-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance

HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ

Season Ticket Advance

-After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work

Childcare Vouchers

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

Training

HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes

-There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts

-All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles

Eligibility

-All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post

-All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS

-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

We will provide an opportunity for a reasonable adjustments with the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.

For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
• 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.