Senior Area Contract Manager Probation Services (Ref: 18410)

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

Overview of the job

Accountable to the Deputy Director (DD) or Head of Community Integration in regions, the SACM is accountable for overseeing delivery and development of a portfolio of contracts, including Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS). This includes accountability for contract management and oversight of related interfaces with other providers in their designated area (e.g. prisons, Electronic Monitoring (EM), Bail Accommodation Support Service (BASS)) and for related stakeholder engagement, service planning, development, transition, exit and mobilisation and commissioning activity. The post holder is accountable for managing a complex, innovative portfolio of contracts and for delivery of services that carry high levels of risk, that have not previously been commissioned in this way.

Summary

The SACM is a key member of the senior management team, accountable for oversight of a portfolio of contracts, including Commissioned Rehabilitative Services contract management and related interfaces with other providers, stakeholders and related service planning, development, transition, exit and mobilisation and commissioning activity. The SACM will be allocated strategic/subject matter expert lead responsibility for an aspect of business. This may include: at national level leading on particular service specifications (e.g. Offender Management, Rehabilitation etc); leading on a particular cross-regional supplier; leading on a particular segment of the offender population (e.g. women, BME etc); or leading on liaison with other functions e.g. national strategic contract management, PPAS, Finance, Commercial, Commissioning Strategies Group etc. The SACM will be responsible for evaluating sentencer demand and service delivery against local and national priorities, and for service planning, development, transition, exit and mobilisation and commissioning activities within their designated area. The SACM will work collaboratively with colleagues within the Directorate (Deputy Directors, Service Managers, Contract Support Officers, Operational Audit Team, System Development Team, and Contract Support Unit) and other functions across HMPPS/MOJ. The SACM will lead and promote effective relationship management and build effective working relationships with and between providers (e.g. CRS, PS, prisons, EM and BASS) and with key stakeholders and partners at regional level. The post holder will have sufficient seniority and authority to represent and deputise for the DD or Head of Community Integration and deal effectively with strategic commissioning partners (e.g. Police and Crime Commissioners) and with providers at Chief Executive, Deputy Director and senior manager levels. At the discretion of the DD or Head of Community Integration and decisions about the most effective deployment and management of the Area team, the SACM will be accountable for the line management, performance, and development of a team of Service Managers, Contract Support Officers and Contract Administration Specialists in line with Area and National priorities.
The geographical base for the SACM post can be flexible within their contract management Area and will require some work in London and other locations.Responsibilities, Activities and DutiesYou will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Managing portfolio of regional contracts (including CRS) to deliver service outcomes and value for money.
• Ensuring appropriate levels of assurance in relation to designated contracts, including as required, on-site presence within the organisation in order to observe and monitor operations, processes and practice.
• Ensuring financial payments are made in line with contract performance.
• Identifying service quality, contract compliance and supplier performance issues and priorities and liaison with the National Operational Audit Team in order to inform the programme of assurance activity required to deliver the Annual Service Quality Assurance Plan.
• Liaising with National Strategic Contract Management, Commercial Contract Management, Contract Improvement Team, System Development, and other HMPPS/MoJ functions to ensure that the necessary advice and support is obtained to inform effective management of the designated contracts.
• Leading on management of the contract management Governance processes in relation to designated CRS and other contracts, including dispute resolution and chairing as required the Service Management Board, Contract Strategy Board and other groups .
• Liaising with Commercial Contract Management to convene the Change Management Board as required.
• Accountable for overseeing the interfaces between designated suppliers, the PS and prisons, and other providers of community based offender services.
• Liaison with the PS within a designated area, and as required to inform the setting and oversight of the PS Divisional SLA, and oversight of service delivery across the whole Rehabilitation Services system.
• Maintaining effective stakeholder relationships with providers, particularly between CRS suppliers, PS and prisons, and with wider stakeholders in relation to community and ‘through-the-gate’ offender services, and holding suppliers to account for their stakeholder engagement commitments.
• Leading work to critically evaluate local sentencer demand, offender needs and priorities in order to inform, service planning, development and commissioning activities.
• Responsible for the planning and delivery of safe and orderly exit, mobilisation and transition between old and new contracts and/or providers across regional portfolio in line with commissioning intentions.
• Strategic or subject matter expert lead for an allocated area of Directorate business which may be at Area or national level.
• Managing a number of Service Manager, Contract Support Officers and Contract Administration Specialists .

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and influencing
• Leadership
• Working Together

Experience

No specific qualifications are essential but experience and skills relevant to senior management, commissioning and contract management are required. Specifically:

• Senior management experience in probation or a comparable environment (e.g. within the criminal justice system or involving delivery of offender/public services)
• Experience and skills in relation to contract or performance management, and/or service development and commissioning of community based offender services at a senior level
• Highly developed understanding and detailed knowledge of policy and strategic developments in relation to community based and through the gate offender services and how these apply to operational practice and the contract management process
• Knowledge and appreciation of contract management requirements, and highly developed understanding of the challenges involved in managing and assuring delivery of large complicated commercial contracts
• Experience and skills in leading and managing in a complex change management context
• Effective programme and project management experience and skills
• Effective high quality skills to lead and manage staff to achieve demanding objectives
• Demonstrates sound judgement, and has the ability to build effective working relationships, and to influence and negotiate with internal and external stakeholders at a senior level in a complex and multi-layered delivery landscape
  

Ability

• Ability to make decisions about issues of risk arising from audit and assurance activity and managing these effectively and sensitively across organisational boundaries and in line with political and economic considerations
• Ability to function effectively in a challenging environment with a high level of personal resilience

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £81,338, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £23,563 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0345 241 5358

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/18410?entityId=18410