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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £71,027 - £78,129, London salary range is £74,041 - £83,170. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
19-Nov-2025
Business Unit
AGY - NOMS Agency
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
Grade 7
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
11625

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Prison Industries HQ: Programme Office Manager - HMPPS Band 9

Prison Industries HQ coordinates the national provision of goods and services through prisoner work areas in multiple sectors. By being self-sufficient in things such as clothing, furniture, equipment, documents, food produce and laundering, Prison Industries HQ saves millions of pounds for the taxpayer and provides valuable work experience and sector-specific training for prisoners.

Overview of the job

The Programme Office Manager is responsible for establishing and running the temporary Programmes or Projects Office. The job holder will provide strategic oversight to the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO), informing the programme or project when policy or strategy changes.

Summary

The Programme Office Manager will maintain and develop effective working relationships with all parts of the business and also understand the wider objectives of the programme or projects. On behalf of the Programme Board, the job holder will be responsible for providing an on-going health check of the programme by reassessing whether it will continue to meet the overall objectives.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

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

  • Work with business lead/Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) and Programme Manager to define and implement the programme governance framework, create strategies for the effective planning, monitoring and delivery of the programme.
  • Support the programme (or project) managers in sanctioning projects for inclusion in the programme and in agreeing project closure.
  • Develop and implement the terms of reference for the Programme and Project Office.
  • Provide Specialist Advice & Support’ services to the Programme/Project Manager, key stakeholders and programme/project teams.
  • Ensure all key programme/project documents are drafted to high standards and signed off/baselined as appropriate.
  • Report progress to programme (projects) managers and Programme (projects) Board via management dashboards.
  • In liaison with Finance, provide clear finance reporting processes/information that cover all projects and programmes. Ensure programme or projects have agreed budgets and forecasts.
  • Maintenance of risk and issue registers and managing change control procedures and configuration management.
  • Identify dependencies amongst the programme, its projects and other programme/business change initiatives.
  • Be responsible for workload management of the team and the prioritisation of ad hoc work request versus core team deliverables.
  • Act as owner of programme and project frameworks, templates and procedures; be responsible for ensuring they are fit for purpose and continue to be best practice. Capture lessons learnt and best practice.

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.

Essential Experience 

  • Experience of setting up and running a programme office.
  • A successful track record in implementing governance and reporting processes.
  • A comprehensive knowledge and experience of programme and project management tools and techniques, especially project planning, and change management, within a large and complex programme/project environment;
  • Excellent interpersonal skills to build, influence and maintain partnerships with programme staff, delivery work streams, Senior management and other stakeholders.
  • Good organisational skills and attention to detail.
  • Influential and able to persuade others to adhere to new processes and procedures.
  • Effective management, interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Experience of stakeholder communications.

Technical Requirements

  • Recognised project management qualifications or equivalent experience e.g. PRINCE2, Association for Project Management (APM), Managing Successful Programmes (MSP)
  • Competent in the use of MS Office products and particularly in the use of MS Word, MS Excel and MS Project.
  • Be aware of the broader perspective and how it affects programmes/ projects.
  • Have technical knowledge of project and programme management approaches.
  • Technical knowledge of managing project life cycles and risk.
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 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

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.

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

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

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
  • 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.


Contact Information

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 11625

For further information or discussion of this role in advance of applying please contact the below:

Ian Hughes - Ian.Hughes3@justice.gov.uk  Tel: 07583 047140

Jemma Good - Jemma.Good@justice.gov.uk Tel: 07773 060937

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Making Effective Decisions, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Changing and Improving
Delivering at Pace
Making Effective Decisions
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Interviews will take place face to face within 102 Petty France, London. Dates TBC.
Behaviours
Changing and Improving
Delivering at Pace
Making Effective Decisions
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Level of security checks required
DBS Standard

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.