Job Description (JD)
Band 9
Group Profile - Head of Function Complex Diverse
(HOFCD)
Job Description - HOFCD : Psychology
Directorate of High Security (DHS)
Document Ref.
OR-JES-217-JD-B9 : HOFCD : Psychology DHS
Document Type
Management
Version
7.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
28 January 2021
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
OR-JES-217-JD-B9 : HOFCD : Psychology DHS v7.0
Job Description
Job Title
HOFCD : Psychology Directorate of High Security (DHS)
Group Profile
Head of Function Complex Diverse
Organisation Level
Functional Specialist
Band
9
Overview of the job
This is a functional management job within an establishment.
Summary
The job holder will be responsible for managing a number of work area(s) within the
Psychology of the establishment. These include all aspects of the Psychology and
should include the management of registered and trainee psychologists. As a
member of the senior management team, they will contribute and implement their
objectives as defined in the Establishment’s Business Plan.
The Head of Psychology must be a registered psychologist and where there is a
requirement of the post, a chartered psychologist.
This is a non-operational job with line management responsibility.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
Activities and Duties
and duties:
? Accountable for managing and providing professional leadership of psychologists.
? Accountable for ensuring the psychology service exhibits key competencies,
provides performance reports to key stakeholders and complies with HMPPS and
professional standards
? Accountable for the delivery and quality of those aspects of treatment
programmes that must be overseen by a registered psychologist (typically these
courses are the more complex interventions and would include, for example, Sex
Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP) but may not include the Thinking Skills
Programme (TSP) or Controlling Anger and Learning to Manage it (CALM)
programmes
? Accountable for providing the short term evaluation of effectiveness of relevant
psychological intervention within the establishment
? Accountable for contributing towards the choice of the appropriate balance of
programmes/interventions through conducting Needs Analysis
? Accountable for leading on key areas of offender risk assessment
? Accountable for supervising and overseeing research work
? Accountable for initiating research within the establishment or co-ordinating the
establishment’s contribution to national research projects
? Accountable for promoting the work of the Prison Service, through preparing and
disseminating research findings detailing clinical practice and outcomes
? Accountable for providing consultancy support for a range of regime issues e.g.
Safer Custody/Resettlement/Treatment Programmes
? Accountable for the admissions, applications and referral process for prisoners
applying to the relevant settings
? Accountable for ensuring that psychologists have a clearly defined remit in
leading on identified tasks
? Manages and provides professional leadership for supervising trainee
psychologists’ organisational outputs (e.g. risk reports)
? Accountable for supervising pre-registered psychologists as they move toward
registered and/or chartered status
? Accountable for supervising trainees towards qualified status (e.g. as a
coordinating supervisor), where appropriate
? Accountable for conducting Psychological Assessments as required
OR-JES-217-JD-B9 : HOFCD : Psychology DHS v7.0
? Accountable for conducting individual interventions as required
? Accountable for assisting in producing policy documents
? Accountable for managing own Continuous Personal Development (CPD)
requirements and maintains professional standards
? Act as a negotiation adviser, where suitable and competence has been
demonstrated
? Act as a “professional witness" in parole board hearings, multi-agency meetings,
and other formal settings where psychology input is required. May also act as an
expert witness, in respect of court proceedings, for the Ministry of Justice
? Act as a mentor and exhibit appropriate role modelling to pre-registered
psychologists and less experienced staff
? Maintain own CPD and registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC)
Undertake other management tasks including:
? Accountable for the performance of the Function and the staff within it. Manage
the achievement of qualitative and quantitative standards including Service
Delivery Indicators (SDI’s) within the Function, verifying and signing off
documentation as appropriate. Analyses and acts upon data which is relevant to
their Function
? Ensure that all managers and staff within the Function are held accountable for
providing decent conditions for prisoners and a safe working environment for
staff
? Promotes prison service policy in all activities and behaviours e.g. promote
diversity, decency, safety and reducing re-offending agendas
? Provides leadership and management of the Function. Will have the skills to
apply all Human Resources (HR) related policies and practices and be able to
carry out all aspects of people management such as attendance management,
disciplinary investigations, performance management and staff appraisals
? Investigate and manage Function prisoners complaints process within the
Function
? Responsible for ensuring all litigation claims following staff assaults relevant to
area have been dealt with in accordance with policy
? Oversee the compilation and achievement of any performance improvement
programmes reporting on progress regularly as appropriate
? Manage the appropriate authorisation of financial compliance statements
? Manage devolved budgets in accordance with the financial procedures outlined
in the budget delegation
? Ensure that the Function produces and analyses audit and establishment
performance management information identifying variances and areas requiring
improvements
? Contribute to the establishment’s overall achievement of (SDIs) and standards
and be accountable for the performance and delivery of targets relating to the
budget, People Plan for the Function
? Accountable for all local and national policies relating to Function, and ensure
procedures implemented are compliant, including development of new policies
? Contribute to the development and delivery of the medium-to-long term
strategic and business plan for the establishment, with overall responsibility for
implementation within their Function
? Attend relevant boards/meetings and actively contribute either as chair or team
member
? Responsible for ensuring the defined work areas and associated activities comply
with Health and Safety legislation. Ensure all risk assessments are undertaken
and staff are made aware of their personal responsibility towards Health and
Safety compliance
? Work collaboratively and provide constructive challenge to colleagues to ensure
that their own and other Functions are joined up and together contribute
towards the overall delivery of the establishment’s performance
? Contribute to the preparation of the establishment contingency and emergency
plans and ensure implementation when required.
? Ensure the effective use of staff resources and the provision of training and
annual leave opportunities
OR-JES-217-JD-B9 : HOFCD : Psychology DHS v7.0
? Produce relevant reports as required and ensure that the response to all
correspondence are within agreed timescales
? Ensure effective use of staff resources provide training and annual leave
opportunities
? Deliver and implement projects as directed by the Governor
? Actively encourage staff engagement within the Function to ensure objectives are
met
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
? Delivering at Pace
? Leadership
? Communicating and Influencing
? Working Together
? Managing a Quality Service
? Changing and Improving
? Making Effective Decisions
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
Essential Experience
? Experience of delivering psychological services directly, and through a
managed team.
Technical
? Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions
Requirements
Council and eligible to use a protected title.
? May be a Chartered Psychologist and Full member of the appropriate
division of the BPS if the post requires it.
? Registered for over two years and are eligible for Associate Fellowship of the
BPS.
? 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.
? Job holders must complete specific training in their specialism once they
take up post.
Ability
OR-JES-217-JD-B9 : HOFCD : Psychology DHS v7.0
Minimum 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 HMPPS consider to be racist.
Hours of Work
37 hour week
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
Required Hours Allowance - TBC by Recruiting Manager
This role requires regularly working unpredictable and unsocial hours and be on call
to attend their place of work at any time. A 17% payment will be paid in addition to
your basic pay to recognise this. Unsocial hours are those hours outside 0700 -
1900hrs Monday to Friday and include working evenings, nights, weekends and Bank/
Public holidays.
OR-JES-217-JD-B9 : HOFCD : Psychology DHS v7.0
Success Profile
Strengths
Behaviours
It is advised strengths
Ability
Experience
Technical
are chosen locally,
recommended 4-8
Delivering at Pace
Experience of delivering
Registered Practitioner Psychologist with
psychological services directly, and
the Health and Care Professions Council
through a managed team.
and eligible to use a protected title.
Leadership
May be a Chartered Psychologist and Full
member of the appropriate division of
the BPS if the post requires it.
Communicating and Influencing
Registered for over two years and are
eligible for Associate Fellowship of the
BPS.
Working Together
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.
Managing a Quality Service
Job holders must complete specific
training in their specialism once they
take up post.
Changing and Improving
Making Effective Decisions
Choose an item.
OR-JES-217-JD-B9 : HOFCD : Psychology DHS v7.0