Contract Management Support Officer

Ministry of Justice; Warrington; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in Warrington is seeking a CMSO to lead contract management with national suppliers and collaborate across multiple departments. This hybrid role requires a strong understanding of project management, excellent analytical skills, and the ability to coordinate complex meetings. Candidates should be adept at building relationships and possess a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Competitive salary offered within the range of £39,803 - £43,783, depending on location.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Pension scheme

Annual leave and public holidays

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Good understanding of HMPPS strategic direction.
• Experience in co‑ordinating high-level meetings.
• Strong problem-solving and planning skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive two national suppliers within the Contract Management team.
• Work with various functions within MoJ and external stakeholders.
• Organise and take minutes of meetings in a politically sensitive environment.

Skills

Analytical skills

Project management knowledge

Attention to detail

Business support experience

Strong communication skills

Negotiation capabilities

Job description

Hybrid Working

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. A sift based on the lead behaviour, Managing a Quality Service, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered. Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit 250 Changing and Improving Communicating and Influencing Leadership Managing a Quality Service Experience We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods Statement of Suitability Evidence of Experience Statement of SuitabilityInterview stage assessments Interview Dates To Be Confirmed Behaviours Changing and Improving Communicating and Influencing Leadership Managing a Quality Service Strengths Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here. Level of security checks required DBS Standard

Key Responsibilities

The CMSO role sits within the Contract Management team. We are an established, friendly team working in a fast‑paced environment. In addition to driving two national suppliers, we work with other functions within MoJ including commercial, Justice Digital and Data & Analytics, and a wider stakeholder base that includes prisons, probation, Home Office and police.

Requirements and Experience

• Good understanding of HMPPS strategic direction.


• Sound knowledge of Project and Programme management techniques.


• Strong attention to detail.


• Strong analytical skills and research and evaluation skills to make informed judgements on concern and gaps in provision.


• Strong Business support and/or secretariat experience.


• Experience of co‑ordinating, organising, reviewing and taking minutes of high level meetings in a politically sensitive environment involving a wide range of senior representatives.


• Strong commitment to valuing and promoting diversity as the vehicle for achieving successful business outcomes.


• Good level of confidence sufficient to allow post holder to represent the organisation in a professional manner to a range of stakeholders.


• Sound skills to enable management of effective relationships in a contractual and political environment.


• Sound attributes to prioritise the management of tasks and risks and with appropriate support, advice and guidance deliver tasks to time.


• Sound problem solving, planning and communication skills.


• Strong numerical and IT skills with strong presentation skills (written and verbal).


• Strong networking capabilities enabling the development of productive working relationships across organisational boundaries and across all levels of an organisation.


• Sound ability to work in a dispersed team and be a self‑motivator with the capacity to organise and prioritise on the basis of organisational reputation/ financial risk.


• Strong commitment to excellence within a changing landscape with the ability to innovate and adapt working style.


• Good ability to maintain professional integrity and adherence to organisational priorities in the face of competing pressures.

Additional Information: The base location of the team is at the EM suppliers site in Warrington - post code WA3 7PB.

Electronic Monitoring (EM) is a key tool within the criminal justice system for supporting the effective management of offenders and those on bail, in the community. There are currently 28,000 people being monitored via the services delivered through two Gold national contracts. As a consequence of the Independent Sentencing Review there is planned further increase in the caseload. The CMSO role sits within the Contract Management team.

The national salary range is £39,803- £43,783, London salary range is £42,817 - £48,824. Your salary will be dependent on your base location. The candidate would be expected to spend the majority of the required office time at that site, though there is flexibility to accommodate different working arrangements. Office attendance: 60% of working time at local Probation Office or HMPPS / MoJ hub. We may request the permanent position to go through SC, but this is not a requirement of recruitment, it would be discussed in future and if the candidate refused or rejected we could accommodate. In short there is an area of work within the team that requires SC. Having all vetted provides us with contingency if/when additional support is required.

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‑ratio 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.

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 – 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.

• 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)

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. 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'.