Descriptions & requirements
Overview of the job
The Crime in Prisons Coordinator (CiPCo) plays a crucial role in strengthening establishment security, supporting law enforcement, improving justice outcomes and supporting victims and witnesses of crime committed in prison. The primary focus is to ensure that offences committed in prison are effectively identified, addressed, and met with proportionate consequences.Summary
The job holder will be responsible for managing crime-related activities within a prison setting, including gathering and maintaining crime-related information and evidence to support investigations and decision-making. They will develop an in-depth understanding of operational risks, legal frameworks, and security policies, providing expert guidance to senior managers to ensure compliance and informed action. Acting as a central communication point, they will liaise with internal teams, law enforcement, and external stakeholders to enhance crime management efforts.Responsibilities, Activities and Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties: The job holder will be responsible for:- Developing a comprehensive understanding of the operational environment in the prison, including the establishment’s priorities, risks, threats, and opportunities, to effectively contribute to crime management efforts.
- Building expertise in relevant legal and policy frameworks relating to crime in prisons, security, and safety, providing bespoke advice and guidance to senior managers to ensure compliance and informed decision-making in all activities.
- Acting as a central point of contact for communication regarding crime in prisons work, liaising with internal departments, law enforcement, and other key external stakeholders to ensure seamless coordination and information sharing.
- Coordinating a triage and assessment process for crimes committed in prison, providing evidence-based advice and guidance to senior managers and law enforcement for decision making purposes.
- Organising and maintaining accurate records of crime-related data, utilising appropriate local, regional, or national storage platforms to support evidence-based decision-making and compliance with relevant policies.
- Identifying and monitoring trends, themes, and challenges affecting the progression of crime cases within the establishment, escalating recommendations to senior management to drive improvements in operational practices.
- Supporting the coordination of crime management activities, liaising with victims, witnesses and key stakeholders , preparing information and evidence, and ensuring the dissemination of key information to relevant teams.
- Ensuring positive working practices and adherence to established protocols surrounding crime case coordination, promoting efficiency, accuracy, and compliance across all required tasks.
- Facilitating cohesion and collaboration between key internal and regional teams, contributing to the alignment of crime management strategies with broader organisational priorities and objectives.
- Supporting the care and wellbeing of victims and witnesses by collating relevant information, maintaining regular updates on case progression and providing clear rationale for decisions made in relation to crime cases, signposting to relevant specialist support teams and services.
Civil Service Success Profile Criteria
Behaviours
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Changing and Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
Experience
Experience working in a prison environment is desirable.Technical Requirements
Information technology knowledge and understanding is essentialAbility
- Strategic Awareness – Ability to understand broader organisational priorities, assess risks, and contribute to effective crime management.
- Adaptability and Innovation – Capacity to identify areas for improvement, implement best practices, and enhance processes.
- Judgment and Decision-Making – Skill in assessing crime-related information, making evidence-based recommendations, and supporting effective resolutions.
- Clear and Persuasive Communication – Ability to convey complex information, influence stakeholders, and ensure alignment on crime management strategies.
- Relationship Builder – Competence in working across teams, liaising with law enforcement and external partners, and fostering a cooperative work environment.
- Operational Excellence – Skill in maintaining accurate records, ensuring compliance with policies, and delivering efficient, high-quality crime
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. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment
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
- To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk);
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
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.
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: 19469
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: 19469
Job Description Attachment
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3211 CIP Coordinator v.1.0 .pdf (Job Description Attachment)
Application form stage assessments
Interview stage assessments
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.