Ministry of Justice Hiring for Head of Education, Skills and Work Job at Lincoln, England Full Time

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Overview of the job

This is a functional management job within an establishment.

The Reducing Reoffending Directorate are seeking to trial a new prison-based role focused on supporting efforts to reduce reoffending by introducing a Head of Education, Skills and Work.

This is either an operational or non-operational job with line management responsibilities. If operational, please see technical requirements.

Summary

The Specialist Senior Leadership role will support the prison to become a place of meaningful work with a key focus on leading education, skills and work within the prison.

This will require the job holder to work with prison industries and local private enterprise to make the most appropriate use of workshops to provide prisoners with the learning and skills required to compete for and achieve employment within the local labour market.

The job holder will provide a strategic focus on learning, skills and qualifications in all areas of “Education, Skills and Work”, ensuring that sequencing of activities is purposeful and directed towards maximising prisoners’ opportunities to access employment, education and training on release.

As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the job holder will contribute and implement their Function’s objectives as defined in the establishment’s Business Plan.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

To lead and set strategic direction for all of education, skills and work within the prison. This to include:

• creating effective approaches to learning and teaching in line with HMPPS’ education vision and values, as well as regional and national directives;

• embedding a culture which creates a golden thread between all education, skills and work provision within the prison;

• ensuring delivery of services engage students and those undertaking prison work effectively in their own learning to achieve success.

• Accountable for performance, using data and monitoring to improve delivery in the full range of education, skills and work provision.

Accountable for managing the quality of education, skills and work provision using Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework criteria (evaluation of the curriculum, intent, implementation and impact):

• Intent: Extent to which the current education, skills and work curriculum is sufficiently ambitious and appropriate to meet the needs of prisoners and the local labour market;

• Implementation: How assessment of prisoners’ needs, and the curriculum offer are delivered, including the support available for prisoners with neurodiverse needs.

• Impact: Outcomes of curriculum offer, including but not limited to accredited qualifications, any known post release job outcomes and impact of careers information, advice and guidance services

Accountable for the development of the Education, Skills and Work strategy and delivery against related pathways at local level in line with national frameworks and guidance. This to include the planning and reviewing of curriculum to meet learner needs, Ofsted expectations and so that it aligns with local labour market. Also, to include seeking out opportunities to embed education and training beyond the classroom in prison workshops and other places prisoners undertake work.

Accountable for the management of Education, Skills and Work Functions and all staff within this area. Ensuring all managers and staff provide a respectful, safe and decent environment for all prisoners and staff. Responsible for the development of all staff within the function, developing and maintaining a culture of high expectations and taking appropriate action when performance is unsatisfactory. Staff and functions will likely include but not be limited to:

• Education

• Neurodiversity

• Activities

• Employment

• Industries

• Gymnasium

• Farming & Gardens

Support the Learning and Skills Manager and Industries Manager to discharge their duties to enable the education and industries contract and provide level one assurance. This to include:

• Understanding needs of prison population and commission suitable education in line with ESW intent

• Accountable for prisons educational outcomes and responsible for the day to day enablement and performance management of the contract at site level

• Responsible for quality assurance (learner walks and teaching observations), monitoring supplier delivery, performance data and financial reconciliation at site level.

• Also, to include enabling DPS provision and access by commissioned providers.

To also include oversight of other education, skills and work staff responsible for locally contracted delivery.

Strategic lead responsible for creating a prisoner education service focused on work- based training and personal development pathways. This to include promoting, planning and coordinating the regime to maximise purposeful activity.

Developing and maximising relationships with New Futures Network, Probation service, Community Rehabilitation Service providers and other partners etc regarding education and employment for those leaving the prison.

Accountable for the proportion of prisoners in employment 6 weeks post release. This includes delivery through:

• Ensuring the prison has an effective working relationship with the New Futures Network broker for the region/prison group. Creating effective sector- based training opportunities and recruitment pipelines in relationship with the New Futures Network and suitable employment partners.

• Developing and supporting a Quality Improvement group with employment focused agencies, including the Prison Employment Lead, IAG services, DWP Prison Work Coaches, the education provider and other non-statutory agencies such as charities and social enterprises.

Where appropriate and within eligible establishments, support the Governing Governor to maximise and develop further ROTL opportunities for prisoners assessed as suitable to enter community-based work or training. This should be within the existing ROTL framework, and be aimed at increasing employment on release.

Support the Industries Manager to enable the delivery of prison industries, New Futures Network and local private enterprise work within prison workshops. This to include consideration of financial implications and relationship management. Where possible, working to embed curriculum within established systems of work to provide prisoners with the learning and skills required to compete for and achieve meaningful, sustained employment on release.

Accountable and Point of Contact for ensuring actions arising from Standard Audit, Her Majesty Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP), OFSTED/Estyn, Action Plans and Managing Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) surveys, including local Self Audit action plans and resettlement strategies are delivered. Nominee for the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) inspections for educational delivery and will be part of the assessment team. Ensure all the necessary preparation for internal and OFSTED audits is completed in a timely manner.

Dependant on operational experience will undertake some or all other operational management tasks including but exclusively :

• Act as the Governor’s representative by chairing adjudications and taking charge of day-to-day establishment operations as Duty Governor

• Promote Prison Service policy in all activities and behaviours e.g. promote diversity, decency, safety, diversity and inclusion and reducing re-offending agendas

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

• Leadership

• Working Together

• Managing a Quality Service

• Changing and Improving

• Making Effective Decisions

Ability

• Demonstrable evidence of innovation and impact in an educational context

• Strong written and excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

Experience

Job holders must complete specific training in their specialism once they take up post.

• Experience of operating at a senior level in Post 16 education and further education settings including community and voluntary sectors.

• Detailed knowledge of OFSTED/Estyn’s EIF (Education Inspection Framework) and further education and skills criteria and how these apply in the prison context.

• Detailed Knowledge of OFSTED/Estyn’s further education and skills criteria for prisoners with Additional Learning Needs and how these apply in the prison context.

• Experience of working collaboratively with senior leaders, stakeholders, all staff and students.

• Experience of working with and engaging with learners

• Has experience of setting goals and achieving targets with clear links to education outcome.

• Experience of implementing change in educational context

• Experience of operating in a specialist neurodiversity role

• Experience of working in a complex environment with multiple stakeholders

• Experience: Substantial teaching experience and curriculum development as well as evidence of continuous professional development.

Technical

• PGCE, Cert Ed or Level 5 in Education and Training, or demonstratable relevant experience and willing to complete the appropriate qualification.

If Operational

• Must be successfully accredited by passing the Head of Function Assessment Centre (HFAC), or prior to 2016 be accredited as an Operational Manager (or in post as a G5 prior to 1999).

• Where HFAC accreditation was gained from 2018, the Incident Management Silver Command (IMSC) assessment must also be passed to be eligible for operational Head of Function roles.

• Successful completion of the workbook.

• When transferring to a Young Persons establishment the job holder will be required to successfully undertake an assessment to demonstrate suitability to work with Young People.

Salary

£42,626 – £51,154

Additional Information

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 working hours for this post are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid.

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

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-rata 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

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 Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm) or e mail [email protected]);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([email protected]);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. 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 SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.