Strategic Housing Specialist - South Central Prisons (Ref: 19799)

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

The post holder will be responsible for a portfolio of 1–3 prisons, dividing their time flexibly across the establishments within their allocated cluster. In addition, the successful candidate will be expected to provide ad hoc housing advice and support to all prisons across the South Central Prison Group, including those outside their designated portfolio, and undertake regular site visits.

Working closely with strategic housing partners, Probation Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS), and Homelessness Prevention Teams (HPTs), the Strategic Housing Specialist will identify opportunities to improve access to accommodation for people leaving custody and help drive sustainable, long-term improvements. The role will support effective partnership working between prisons and local HPTs, while ensuring senior leaders have access to high-quality data and insights to inform decision-making and improve outcomes.

To provide effective advice and guidance to Governors and their teams, the post holder will develop a sound understanding of the prisons within their portfolio, including their security categories and the geographical areas to which prisoners are released. Comprehensive prison familiarisation training will be provided to equip successful candidates with the knowledge required to perform the role effectively.

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

• The Strategic Housing Specialist will be responsible for co-ordinating the strategic response of 1-3 prisons to improve housing outcomes for prison leavers and people in prison. They shall strengthen and support partnership working between the prison, all relevant housing stakeholders and other key resettlement agencies. They will identify existing structures/partnership working to address homelessness from custody in the region, and work to develop new solutions to homelessness from custody.

They will champion delivery of the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) and Duty to Refer (DtR), Offender Pathway (Wales) within the prison. This to include:

• Working with partners to ensure referrals under the DtR are as efficient and effective as possible.
• Design and deliver (or coordinate the delivery of) training related to homelessness within the prison and relevant statutory criminal justice agencies, so staff understand accommodation issues, increase their knowledge around the HRA and DtR, can identify related needs and have the knowledge to respond appropriately.
• Promote the HRA and DtR amongst prisoners to address unhelpful myths, set realistic housing expectations and encourage engagement with the commissioned rehabilitation service, prison housing stakeholders, and local authorities.
• Developing pre-release assessments with Local Authorities in response to DTRs, through telephone, video and in-person assessments.
• Promote the work of the Accommodation Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS) within the prison and support these services by representing the prison on any joint engagement with external partners, such as local authorities or HPTs or local homelessness board. Contribute towards Accommodation CRS becoming successfully embedded into the prison and promote their work to the prison’s Senior Leadership Team. Help to find solutions to issues that arise in relation to practical challenges in service delivery and an understanding of the role of CRS with all relevant staff groups. This role will act as an enabler and will not manage, or duplicate efforts of, the Accommodation CRS.
• When working within a Probation Region delivering the Community Accommodation Service - Tier 3(CAS3) temporary accommodation provision: o Ensure processes are in place to make sure the Duty to Refer has been discharged appropriately and that all other accommodation options have been fully explored before a CAS3 referral is made. o Work with the Regional Probation team and their Homelessness Prevention Taskforce to maximise use of the accommodation offer for those at risk of homelessness, so that they can access interim accommodation at the point of release. o When working within a Probation Region which is not delivering the Community Accommodation Service Tier 3 (CAS Tier 3) work with the prison and in particular the Heads of Reducing Reoffending and the Resettlement Team to support them in ensuring that strategic and operational links are made with the relevant Regional Homelessness Prevention Team.
• Support and upskill staff across the agency (including CPPs and POMs) to ensure accommodation needs are identified and addressed appropriately, to understand relevant referrals and troubleshoot any issues which may arise.
• Promote work within the prison to help prepare prison leavers to sustain accommodation in the community, in line with the Prime Minister’s accommodation target, such as developing and delivering training solutions on tenancy readiness or prisoner’s housing rights.
• Support prisons, PGDs, and relevant partner agencies (such as HPTs) to improve the quality and use of data where it relates to prisoners and housing outcomes, including the use for research and service design and provision.

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.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,197, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £11,934 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• 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

Open to UK nationals only.

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

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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/19799?entityId=19799