Ministry of Justice

HMPPS is committed to expanding the number of UK prison places to meet expected increases in demand over the coming five years. This expansion incorporates several projects and programmes that aim to build brand new prisons, expand existing prisons, carry out major refurbishments, and deploy short-term and temporary accommodation. In addition to this we are managing the exit from and transfer of contracts for existing privately managed prisons prisons over. This work will keep available and improve thousands of existing prison places and deliver a vital component of the Criminal Justice System.

The job holder will be responsible for the strategic approach to delivering the three new prisons currently planned (in land adjacent to the prisons at HMP Gartree, HMP Garth and HMP Grendon and Springhill) as rapidly and effectively as possible. This will require negotiating the journey of the New Prisons through complex local planning requirements and government planning legislation; ensuring each of the prisons has the right level of corporate backing and funding to progress through construction; working with senior stakeholders, Ministers’ private offices and Press Office to effectively communicate progress; working with key partners internally and in the construction market to ensure compliant delivery of prisons; and consulting with local stakeholders and lobby groups to listen and respond to their concerns.

This is a Senior Manager post, and the job holder will need to ensure that the Deputy Director and Senior Responsible Owner for the New Prisons Programme is effectively supported to ensure the delivery of strategic objectives in relation to new prison builds. It will require strong written and verbal communication skills to communicate complex legislative and technical information to a wide range of stakeholders. An understanding of local planning law, prisons and their role in the wider Criminal Justice System, and large construction projects will also be desirable.

The cross-functional team is required to:

• Provide high quality advice on the New Prisons Programme to Ministers, Senior Leaders, Press Office and Other Government Departments. This includes working with functional partners to explain complex technical planning matters working to tight deadlines. This post will be the first port of call for Private Office queries about the programme.
• Develop the strategy and policy to ensure new prisons are delivered at earliest opportunity.  Critical to this will be ensuring funding is in place, which will include putting together funding proposals and securing buy-in from Investment Committees, the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury.
• Develop the public position for the New Prisons programme, pre-empting and mitigating risks to delivery, including developing press briefings and lines to take.  This includes working on the ground with public lobby groups and others opposed to the prison, attending public engagement sessions when necessary.
• Work to ensure two prisons achieve full planning permission, employing an understanding of the planning appeal process and regularly engaging senior legal counsel to understand and respond to legal risks. 
• Lead on preparing the Garth New Prison project ahead of expected full remobilisation, providing an intelligent client function on behalf of HMPPS to ensure the construction delivery partner can quickly remobilise in the event of a positive planning decision.
• Work closely with wider subject matter experts feeding into planning and construction of the new prisons.

The job role can be nationally based, but there will be a requirement to visit operational places of work related to the New Prisons (in Lancashire, Buckinghamshire and Leicestershire). Attendance in London, Leeds and other venues for meetings will also be required from time to time.

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

• Ensure that policies are legal, compliant with relevant legislation, provide value for money, and are sensitive to operational needs.

• Responsible for replies to ministerial submissions, ministers’ cases, PQs, IMB and HMIP recommendations.

• Work closely with strategic policy holders within the MoJ and across government to deliver Ministerial ambition through operational policies.

• Build strong working relationships with Ministers’ Private Offices, senior officials, external non-departmental public body stakeholders and third sector partners.

• Accountable for strategic policy that is appropriately tailored and conforms to the HMPPS business plan and wider organisational objectives.

• Develop and implement a strategic business plan that addresses how HMPPS can deliver its responsibilities; including the staffing and budgetary resource required and delivery costs.

• Provide appropriate governance for projects, identifying risks and mitigating actions and reporting on progress to senior managers and stakeholders. Quality assure and approve advice to Ministers and senior HMPPS officials related to policy area.

• Oversee and approve draft business cases and impact assessments arising from policy development/modification. Ensure requirements for any central monitoring arrangements have been discussed with relevant stakeholders and have been set up and are fit for purpose.

• Interpret relevant performance data and research evidence to develop explanations for disproportionality in outcomes - and other examples of unfairness - for offenders of different protected groups.

• Accountable for the delivery of well researched, quality assured and timely responses.

Strategic Activities

• Lead the estates strategy and development of site by site analysis to develop a more granular understanding of the prison estate. • Oversee projects within team, ensuring appropriate governance arrangements to support the project, identifying risks and mitigating action and reporting on progress to senior managers and stakeholders.

• Responsible for the delivery of well researched, quality assured and timely strategies that support identified business need.

• Provide the strategic direction for the intelligence client function, as well as the broader Agency and Ministry on issues relating to the operation and management of the prison estate from a maintenance perspective.

• Provide strategic and managerial direction for a specialist team of strategic advisors, ensuring the team provides clear and consistent messaging on the team’s overall strategic priorities and strategic direction and input for MoJ policy, property and other colleagues. 

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.

Behaviours:  

• -          Seeing the Big Picture
• -          Leadership
• -          Working Together
• -          Communicating and Influencing

Delivering at Pace

Abilities:

• Excellent briefing skills.

• Excellent communication skills.

• Excellent analytical skills.

• Excellent inter-personal and presentational skills. 

Experience:

• The role requires relevant experience in the management, review and development of policy at a national level.

• Has demonstrated competence of strategic understanding at a high level.