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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £54,148, London salary range is £57,580 - £59,366. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
04-Sep-2026
Business Unit
Prison Estate Transformation Programme
Post Type
Fixed Term
Civil Service Grade
SEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
19435

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Introduction to the role:

Overview:

This HMPPS role supports the Senior Design & Delivery Manager and Senior Competitions Manager in the preparation and delivery of prison operator competitions. It is a varied and fast-paced position that is critical to the delivery of a complex procurement process, including transferring services from expiring prison operator contracts to new ones. The post holder will lead and support core activities within the competition process and engage extensively with stakeholders across various business functions. The role requires a passionate, proactive, and adaptable individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and can navigate ambiguity effectively.

Summary:

HMPPS is committed to expanding the number of UK prison places to meet expected increases in demand over the coming five years. This incorporates several projects and programmes that aim to maintain and expand capacity by building 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. This work will keep available and improve thousands of existing prison places and deliver a vital component of the Criminal Justice System.

The role of the Private Prison Expiry & Transfer Project & New Prisons Programme within the Prison Supply Directorate (PSD) is to manage the successful delivery of three key areas:

  • Leading the delivery of the additional prison places: including new prisons, house blocks, major refurbishments, small scale investments.
  • Operator Competitions: in the event of a decision to compete new prisons, or existing privately managed prisons where their contracts are due to expire, this involves designing and running a competition in line with Government Procurement Regulations, working closely with Commercial and Project Management functional professionals.
  • Expiry and Transfer of Private Finance Initiative (PFI)/existing Private Prisons: planning and delivering the safe, efficient and effective transfer of existing private prison services (PFI and Manage & Maintain arrangements) to a new provider (public or private).

The project is currently delivering its third tranche of competitions, which covers HMP Dovegate (Staffordshire), HMP & YOI Doncaster (South Yorkshire), HMP Oakwood (West Midlands). It is also developing a long-term strategy to inform future decisions on the balance of public and private sector provision across the prison estate.

The job holder will take on a wide range of responsibilities designed to support the successful delivery of prison operator competitions, mobilisation of new contracts, and other related activities. Working to the Band 9 Programme Manager (Senior Design and Delivery Manager), you will support one or more core workstreams, lead bespoke pieces of work as and when required, and collaborate with key internal and external stakeholders to meet organisational goals.

Below are some of the most common activities associated with the role. This section provides additional context on how the Key Responsibilities set out in the Job Description (and section below) translate into the team's day-to-day work and delivery priorities:

Taking ownership of and supporting core workstreams: You will be responsible for leading on pieces of work within the competition process and providing support throughout other areas of the process. You may be assigned to the delivery of operator competitions for an expiring private prison, new prison, or supporting cross-cutting activities outside of the competition process e.g., the team's Continuous Improvement workstream or wider strategy work. All areas of work include helping to identify opportunities to improve ways of working, analysing evidence, facilitating improvement activity, supporting innovation and digital solutions, and embedding sustainable changes across the programme.

Collaborating with stakeholders across teams and organisations: You will work closely with teams across the Ministry of Justice (MoJ); including Commercial, Legal, Property, and Contract Management teams, as well as engaging with suppliers and other external organisations. You will be expected to conduct extensive stakeholder engagement to support the delivery of day-to-day work and the successful running of competitions.

Engaging with subject matter experts (SMEs): Regularly consulting with SMEs to ensure their knowledge and expertise are incorporated into the competition process. This is critical to ensuring technical requirements and weighting criteria set during the competition are aligned with both organisational goals and the specific needs of individual prisons.

Shaping the competition process and requirements: A key part of the role involves supporting the Band 9 to design competition processes and refine requirements, which may include:

  • Setting the minimum response criteria for the competition.
  • Developing clear and concise bidder-facing documents for publication in the Data Room.
  • Collaborating with stakeholders to agree on a vision for the regime, services, and outcomes for each prison.
  • Designing content for market engagement events and bidder dialogue sessions.
  • Supporting the Commercial team in reviewing and updating the baseline contract and supporting documents to ensure they meet the unique needs of each competition.

Managing requests for information: Supporting the Request for Information (RFI) process with incumbent suppliers, ensuring key data is gathered, validated, and published in the competition Data Room.

Contributing to governance processes: You will assist in drafting and presenting governance papers to project boards, ensuring transparency and alignment with governance requirements.

Communicating progress to senior stakeholders: Contributing to project progress reports, and providing regular updates to senior management and the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) will be critical for maintaining transparency, ensuring progress is tracked, and identifying any risks or issues early.

Evaluation and Moderation: You will assist in organising the evaluation and moderation of bids.

Additional responsibilities may include deputising for the Band 9 when required and maintaining an up-to-date awareness of policy developments to ensure alignment with priorities.

Key Responsibilities for the role (from the Job Description):

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

  • Day to day management of the project, project theme or workstream.
  • Ensures project delivers to quality, time and budget within agreed tolerances.
  • Prepare appropriate project documentations in conjunction with any Project Assurance roles and agree them with Project Boards.
  • Plan, monitor and control the project in order to achieve programme/project objectives.
  • Create a mechanism to identify, measure and report risks and mitigation.
  • Ensure that progress is appropriately reported, controlled and maintained.
  • Identify the resources and processes necessary to deliver each stage of the project’s lifecycle.
  • Responsibility for change control and any configuration management.
  • Act as a central point of contact and source of information for stakeholders.
  • Prepare and report to the Project Board through Highlight Reports or any other relevant documentation.
  • Help lead and motivate the project management team.

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.

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

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference

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 - 19435

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
500
Making Effective Decisions
Working Together
Delivering at Pace

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Expected: September-October 2026
Behaviours
Making Effective Decisions
Working Together
Delivering at Pace
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.

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?
Presentation, Written Exercise
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.