Equalities Advisor

Ministry of Justice; Bicester; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Leave

Pension

Work Life Balance

Training and Development

Job summary

Ministry of Justice is seeking a senior Equality lead to champion equality issues across the establishment. The role involves advising on equality legislation, developing Equality Plans, and leading the Equality Committee with reporting to Senior Management Team.

You will drive Equality Impact Assessments, staff training, and audits, while collaborating with Safer Custody and litigation teams to address non-compliance and ensure timely actions.

Qualifications

• Experience advising on equality issues and compliance with legislation
• Ability to develop and manage Equality Plans and monitor progress
• Strong stakeholder engagement and reporting capabilities
• Ability to train staff and oversee equality-related induction and training

Responsibilities

• Responsible for ensuring Equality Impact Assessments are completed appropriately
• Responsible for ensuring a programme of Equality Impact Assessments is in place and that it is being actioned
• Disseminate equality monitoring data and actions to eliminate unlawful discrimination
• Develop and manage the establishment annual Equality Plan
• Ensure establishment meets legal obligations under equality legislation
• Create an Equality Action Plan addressing non-compliance
• Lead Equality Committee activities and present reports to SMT
• Carry out equality related audits and report findings to SMT
• Develop links with other areas and local groups to improve equality understanding
• Work with Safer Custody to address decency, bullying and harassment related to equality
• Collaborate with litigation lead on equality related litigation
• Ensure staff and volunteers receive equality training and prisoners receive induction
• Manage the Diversity Incident Reporting Form (DIRF) process
• Act as subject matter Lead advisor on equality issues
• Oversee staff performance, development and annual appraisal in related area
• Keep up to date with changes in law and policy in this field
• Develop and maintain local policies aligned with national standards and guidance
• Suggest improvements to meet Service Delivery Indicators (SDIs)
• Coordinate administration, data collection and SDI analyses
• Deliver and organise awareness sessions in relevant area
• Chair monthly meetings in relevant work area
• Liaise with external bodies as required

Job description

The job holder is responsible for leading on the provision of advice on equality issues within the establishment, ensuring compliance with legislation. This is a non-rotational, non-operational job with line management responsibilities.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

• Responsible for ensuring Equality Impact Assessments are completed appropriately


• Responsible for ensuring a programme of Equality Impact Assessments is in place and that it is being actioned


• Responsible for the dissemination of equality monitoring data and any actions agreed to eliminate any unlawful discrimination.


• Responsible for developing and managing the establishment annual Equality Plan setting out how the establishment will address opportunities and issues relating to equality


• Responsible for ensuring the establishment is aware of what is required for it to meet its legal obligations under relevant equality legislation


• Creates an Equality Action Plan, highlighting and resolving areas of non-compliance


• Contributes to the establishment Equality Committee, encouraging employee engagement in the equality agenda. Take a lead in the activities of the Committee, writing and presenting reports and be responsible for addressing issues raised


• Responsible for carrying out equality related audits and reports findings to the Senior Management Team (SMT)


• Responsible for developing links between other areas of the establishment and local groups to aid and improve the knowledge and understanding of different equality strands


• Works closely with Safer Custody to assist in the decency agenda and address bullying and harassment related to equality issues


• Works closely with litigation lead on equality related litigation


• Responsible for ensuring that all staff, agency workers and volunteers receive equality training and ensures that all prisoners receive an equality induction and appropriate equality related training in accordance with their sentence plan


• Manage the Diversity Incident Reporting Form (DIRF) process


• Responsible for acting as the subject matter Lead advisor in the establishment providing advice and recommendations to the Senior Management Team, managers and individuals


• Responsible for the management of all staff within their area. This includes staff performance, development and annual appraisal through to sickness absence management


• Responsible for keeping up to date and ensuring establishment compliance with changes in law and legislation in their field


• Develop and maintain local policies and procedures in subject area and ensure that these are in line with national standards, and Guidance, legislation and current best practice


• Responsible for suggesting ways for improving and achieving Service Delivery Indicators (SDI)


• Undertake and ensure that all relevant administration, data collection and analysis including relevant SDIs are collated


• Deliver and organise awareness sessions in relevant area


• Chair monthly meetings in relevant work area


• Liaise with external bodies where required

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.

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 and Perks

• 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. 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.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

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.

MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

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.

Complaints and Enquiries

To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or [e-mail]);

To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([e-mail]);

To the Civil Service Commission (details available here).