Operational Support Manager

Ministry of Justice; Barnsley; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave–25 days rising with years

Flexible working

Training and development opportunities

Pension: Local Government Pension

Family-friendly policies

Employee networks

Health and wellbeing support

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice invites applications for a Head of Complaints role within the National Probation Service. The post leads cluster operations, drives quality and performance, and represents the NPS in local partnerships. The role requires significant middle-management experience and strong governance skills.

The successful candidate will oversee complaint resolution, training needs analysis, and staff development within the cluster, with hybrid working and civil service responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Significant middle-management experience with staff supervision.
• Experience monitoring performance against targets and driving improvements.
• Budgetary control experience including procurement.
• Experience managing relationships with local agencies and stakeholders.
• Probation qualification or equivalent recognised by the Secretary of State for Justice.

Responsibilities

• Lead cluster operations on caseload segmentation issues (Child Sexual Exploitation, Guns and Gangs, Integrated Offender Management).
• Provide operational support to Head of Cluster within Probation Instruction rules.
• Develop and deploy the Cluster Training Needs Analysis.
• Ensure recruitment and induction of cluster staff.
• Act as cluster lead for performance and quality, audits and inspections.
• Oversee reviews and delivery of action plans (Domestic Homicides, Serious Case Reviews).
• Represent NPS in local strategic partnerships and wider frameworks.

Skills

Leadership

Making Effective Decisions

Working Together

Delivering at Pace

Communicating and Influencing

Managing a Quality Service

Changing and Improving

Education

Diploma in Probation Studies

Diploma in Social Work (with Probation Option)

CQSW (with Probation Option)

Graduate Diploma/Honours Degree in Community Justice

Tools

Visor system

Job description

The Head of Complaints role offers an exciting opportunity to make an important contribution to the Probation Service's strategic aims of inclusion, engaging people on probation, and quality. The successful candidate will bring to this regionally based role key management skills and qualities, including fairness and objectivity, and an unwavering focus on learning and improvement. If you require further information about the role, please contact Kerrie Stathers (Head of PS YatH Performance & Quality). Working at the direction of the Head of Operational Function the post holder will be deployed to a variety of roles in order to provide strategic support. To support the Head of LDU Cluster providing management and leadership within the National Probation Service (NPS) Local Delivery Unit (LDU). To represent the Head of LDU Cluster with external agencies/stakeholders and staff as appropriate. The post holder must adhere to all policies in respect of the sensitive/confidential nature of the information handled whilst working in this position. May be required to participate in out of hours on call rota. Senior Operational Support Manager may be required to undertake any combination, or all, of the duties and responsibilities as directed by the Head of Operational Function as set out below.

• Cluster operational lead on caseload segmentation issues such as Child Sexual Exploitation, Guns and Gangs, Integrated Offender Management etc.
• Operational support to the Head of Cluster within relevant Probation Instruction criteria and rules such as Recall, High Risk of Serious Harm Case Transfers, etc.
• Providing support to the Head of Cluster within the relevant Probation Instruction criteria and rules such as, grievance, discipline, capability, complaints, etc.
• Responsible for the professional development of cluster staff
• Responsible for developing and deploying the Cluster Training Needs Analysis
• Ensure effective cluster employee recruitment and induction
• Act as cluster lead for performance & quality
• Act as cluster lead for audits and inspections
• Operational support to the Head of Cluster in completing reviews and delivery of action plans such as Domestic Homicides, Serious Further Reviews, Serious Case Reviews, etc.
• Responsible for the management of the Business Manager and the administrative support functions within the cluster
• Under the guidance of the Head of LDU Cluster; represent the NPS in local strategic partnerships and ensure appropriate representation within wider partnership frameworks in line with statutory responsibilities and operational policy
• Participate in the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) locally in conjunction with other responsible authorities including the chairing of MAPPA level 3 meetings
• In the absence of the Head of LDU Cluster to make decisions and provide advice on the management of offenders where senior management authorisation or involvement is necessary e.g. authorising the recall of offenders to prison
• Operational support to the Head of cluster in the management of complaints within the cluster and direct involvement in complaint resolution where necessary
• Under the guidance of the Head of LDU Cluster to take the lead on specific divisional or cluster projects/portfolios including Equality and Diversity, Reward and Recognition, etc.
• Operational support to the Head of cluster in cluster compliance with Health and Safety legislation.
• Senior Management responsibility for estates, buildings and maintenance activities within the cluster
• Demonstrate pro-social modelling skills by consistently reinforcing pro-social behaviour and attitudes and challenging anti-social behaviour and attitudes
• Carry out safeguarding children and safeguarding adult duties in accordance with the NPS statutory responsibilities and agency policies
• Work within the aims and values of NPS and HMPPS

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post at present and are not exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alteration sand additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under job evaluation 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.

Competencies

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving

Essential Experience

• Significant experience at middle manager level, including the management of staff
• Experience of monitoring performance in area of responsibility against predetermined targets, setting local targets and effecting necessary improvements
• Experience of budgetary control incl. procurement
• Experience of managing relationships incl. working with key local agencies and stakeholders
• Evidence of preparing high level written reports to a good standard, Probation Qualification Framework Graduate Diploma/Honours Degree in Community Justice integrated with Level 5 Diploma in Probation Practice.
• Or, a qualification which was recognised at the time of qualification by the Secretary of State for Justice as per Section 10 of the Offender Management Act 2007. The following qualifications gained in England and Wales were previously recognised as providing such eligibility:
• Diploma in Probation Studies
• Diploma in Social Work (with Probation Option)
• CQSW (with Probation Option)

Knowledge of the wider criminal justice system

Additional Information Some roles in probation require employees to have access to additional intelligence systems that require a higher level of vetting. An example of this, is the multi-agency 'Visor' system. If you are applying for a role that requires you to access systems such as Visor, you will be expected to undertake additional vetting for this once you commence in post, in addition to the pre-employment checks. Probation Qualification Framework Graduate Diploma/Honours Degree in Community Justice integrated with Level 5 Diploma in Probation Practice. Or, a qualification which was recognised at the time of qualification by the Secretary of State for Justice as per Section 10 of the Offender Management Act 2007. The following qualifications gained in England and Wales were previously recognised as providing such eligibility:

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-rata 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.
• Family Friendly: A range of 'Family Friendly' policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Flexible benefits: Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• Childcare support: 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 www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
• Paid parental leave: Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual eye test: 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)

Disability Confident employer

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