Community Payback supervisor

Ministry of Justice; Birkenhead; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in the United Kingdom is looking for a Community Payback Supervisor to oversee community service projects. Responsibilities include motivating service users, conducting safety inductions, and ensuring compliance with health and safety protocols. The role requires a UK Manual Driving Licence and offers a starting salary of £26,475 with additional pay for weekend work. This role is essential in supporting community rehabilitation and involvement.

Benefits

Annual Leave – 25 days, increasing to 30 after five years

Local Government Pension Scheme

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Effective inter-personal skills with the ability to supervise constructively.
• Evidence of commitment to teamwork and problem-solving.
• Basic knowledge of First Aid and willingness to train further.

Responsibilities

• Conduct Pre‑Placement Unpaid Work Induction sessions.
• Motivate and support service users to complete their tasks.
• Ensure Health & Safety procedures are followed.

Skills

Practical Skills

Teamwork

Inter-personal skills

Problem-solving

Knowledge of safety

Education

UK Manual Driving Licence - Category D1 Minibus

Job description

Please note: Candidates must hold a full UK Manual Driving Licence when applying for this role, this is a mandatory technical requirement in order to carry out this role. We cannot accept candidates who hold an automatic Driving Licence only.

The post holder will work on varied projects that involve practical tasks that should be seen by the public to be a credible punishment providing reparation to the community. The post holder will exercise appropriate authority to maintain discipline and good behaviour within working groups, alerting the relevant staff to any infringement of discipline or behaviour.

The post holder will contribute towards the rehabilitative potential of the sentence and will support some service users to gain employment skills through a positive work experience with the opportunity to gain vocational or skills‑based training. Staff are expected to contribute towards review and evaluation of all aspects of service delivery and to contribute towards a culture of continuous improvement. Post holders may be required to undertake weekend working as part of their normal pattern of working. The work may involve working alongside volunteers or staff from partner organisations.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

• Conduct Pre‑Placement Unpaid Work Induction sessions.
• Conduct a start of the day ‘tool box’ talk to ensure all service users understand the task at hand and safe working practice and motivate and support service users to complete their Order.
• Follow work directions within the project placement file.
• Ensure Health & Safety procedures are followed, alerting the relevant staff to any risk, ensuring that any associated paperwork is completed accurately and on time as required, including contributing to the review of placement risk assessments.
• Ensure that appropriate tools, equipment and supplies are available in accordance with local procedure and that instructions for safe use are followed by service users.
• Conduct a dynamic risk assessment to ensure all hazards are noted and managed.
• Use pro‑social and other motivational techniques to ensure that service users complete the work assigned in a disciplined and well‑behaved manner.
• Monitor the attendance of service users allocated to agency placements and promote successful completions.
• Maintain all service users’ records in accordance with organisational requirements ensuring that all information is updated onto the case management system in a timely and accurate manner.
• Work towards accreditation as a workplace assessor or deliver training assessments for selected service users within the supervised work group to provide enhanced learning opportunities.
• Contribute towards promoting Community Payback with colleagues, external agencies, Sentencers and the public.

In line with PS policies and procedures, the job holder must at all times demonstrate a commitment to equality and inclusion and an understanding of their relevance to the work they do. The post holder must adhere to all policies in respect of the sensitive/ confidential nature of the information handled whilst working in this position. 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.

Civil Service Success Profile Criteria Behaviours

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Community Payback Supervisors will work with a diverse mix of individuals, so it's important that you're empathetic, a good communicator and happy to take the lead. It’s all about supporting offenders on their journey and making your community a better place. Whether that’s building benches or cleaning the streets, you’re there because you genuinely want to help. As a Community Payback supervisor, you’ll be at the heart of this work, leading small teams to complete their unpaid work hours. You’ll supervise and motivate them to complete a range of manual tasks to pay back for the harm they’ve caused. These tasks could include clearing overgrowth to make public spaces safer, restoring community facilities such as sports halls and playgrounds, planting trees or laying flowerbeds, and litter picking and graffiti removal.

Working Pattern

Community Payback projects run 7 days a week therefore you will: work frequent weekends, and you may be asked to cover some evenings. Be paid a higher rate for any evening and weekend days you do work, there may be a chance to work part‑time in some regions. You can discuss this at your interview.

Experience & Skills

• Experience of Practical Skills
• UK Manual Driving Licence – Category D1 Minibus
• Evidence of commitment to teamwork
• Effective inter‑personal skills with the ability to supervise people constructively while maintaining authority
• Evidence of problem‑solving within a workplace or similar environment
• Knowledge of safety at work, public protection and risk of harm in all aspects of work

Technical Requirements

• Basic knowledge of First Aid and willingness to undertake further training
• To attain IOSH L3 or equivalent and a willingness to attend further training
• Willing to achieve and maintain L3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (CAVA) or equivalent

Ability

• Ability to model pro‑social attitudes and behaviour to service users
• Good written communication skills, Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

• Annual Leave – 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service, plus public holidays.
• Pension – Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF). Annual leave for part‑time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro‑rata basis.
• Training – Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Salary & Pay

If you are successful in the recruitment process to join the Probation Service, your starting salary will be £26,475. Community Payback Supervisors will be expected to work weekends as part of their normal working pattern. You will be paid a higher rate for weekend days you do work. Post holders may be required to undertake weekend working as part of their normal pattern of working.

EEO Statement

The MoJ is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workforce. We value all applicants and do not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic.