23510 - Programme Manager

Ministry of Justice; Coventry; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice is recruiting a Programme Manager to lead a regional team delivering Accredited Programmes, Structured Interventions and Senior Attendance Centres for people on probation. You will align resources, manage risk, and partner with agencies to ensure safe, effective service delivery.

Based in the UK with hybrid working arrangements, you will report to the Head of Programmes for your region and oversee delivery across multiple sites while meeting performance targets and policy

Qualifications

• Experience leading diverse teams in a public sector setting.
• Ability to implement and monitor programme interventions and compliance.
• Proven track record in managing resources and performance reporting.
• Strong communication and collaboration with partner agencies.

Responsibilities

• Provide line management to a mobile, dispersed regional team.
• Ensure interventions are delivered per programme manuals and standards.
• Oversee efficient use of resources and staff rotas with contingency planning.
• Ensure trained facilitators attend required training for programmes.
• Promote Accredited Programmes, Structured Interventions and SAC with clear information access.
• Maintain quality standards and monitor audit compliance, addressing underperformance.
• Develop annual team plans and allocate resources to meet public protection duties.
• Initiate service changes in line with best practice and available resources.
• Manage financial resources per HMPPS regulations and partner with stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Programme management

Risk management

Stakeholder engagement

IT literacy / data interpretation

Job description

This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.

Job description

Overview of the job

This role will be regionally based reporting directly to the Head of Programmes for their region.

Responsible for implementing and managing the strategic direction and effective delivery of interventions including Accredited Programmes, Structured Interventions and Senior Attendance Centres for people on probation subject to community sentencing.

Provided in accordance with the Interventions Integrity

Framework, and all relevant organisational policies and HMPPS accreditation standards.

They will have direct line management responsibility for a mobile and dispersed team working across the region.

Summary

The job holder will be responsible for allocating team resources so they are deployed effectively to ensure quality interventions are delivered, and performance targets are met within a resource allocation framework.

They will work in partnership with other agencies and stakeholders to maintain the co-ordinated delivery of services ensuring all health and safety and scheduling arrangements are in place to achieve good outcomes for people on probation.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

• To provide effective line management and leadership to a diverse team that includes Treatment Managers, Facilitators, Partner Link Workers, Senior Attendance Centre staff and Administrators and will maintain robust procedures relating to the management of risk
• To have overall responsibility for ensuring that interventions are delivered in line with programme management manuals, performance and audit standards and that the arrangements are in place for effective management of risk
• To have strategic oversight of the effective use of resources in managing staff rotas and the development of contingency plans to ensure continuity of delivery of Interventions
• Ensuring that there is an adequate pool of fully trained Programme Facilitators who have attended all the required training appropriate to the programme they are delivering
• Lead in promoting Accredited Programmes, Structured Interventions and SAC and ensuring that the Judiciary, People on Probation, and Probation Practitioners are able to access clear and accurate information about programmes
• To have overall responsibility to ensure that quality standards are maintained and that compliance with audit standards is monitored and poor performance and complaints are effectively managed to minimise business risks
• To prepare an annual team plan and review, ensuring the effective allocation of resources and that respond to the public protection duties of the team through multi-agency arrangements and individual casework review, discussion and feedback
• To initiate or implement change and develop new services in line with effective practice principles and within the resources available
• To manage financial resources as required by the Head of Programmes and in line with HMPPS financial regulations and policies and to take a leading role to deliver the business plan and develop work with partners and key stakeholders, representing the Probation Service as appropriate

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.

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

Behaviours

• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Essential Experience

• Understanding of the key principles of programmes
• Substantial experience working in a variety of settings including offender risk assessment and management
• Understanding of the role of the Probation Service in the Criminal Justice System and in a multi-disciplinary setting
• Evidence of ability to evaluate practice
• Experience of working under pressure and fulfilling demanding deadlines
• Able to demonstrate well developed IT skills, including evidence of ability to interpret and apply performance reports
• Experience of proactively championing diversity and inclusiveness both internally and externally

Hours of Work

(Unsocial Hours)

Allowances

37 hour working week

Additional Information

Each Programme Managers job will have different start dates depending on the area offered. Stafford/Stoke is immediate, for Worcestershire/Herefordshire, the earliest appointment date will be January 27. For Warwickshire, the earliest appointment date will be February 27. For Black Country - D&S / W&W, the earliest appointment date will be March 27.

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.

Benefits

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. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro‑rated basis
• 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.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

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

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

Support

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/tax-free-childcare or Childcare Choices (https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/). You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

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

• To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [e-mail] );
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([e-mail] );
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-complaints/)

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.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form.

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.

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.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

• 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.