Ministry of Justice

Job Title:  Policy Lead, Independent Monitoring Boards and Lay Observers.

Grade:  HEO

Location:  Canary Wharf, London

Salary

The salary for this role is set within the MoJ HEO pay range.

Full/Part Time

This role is on a full-time basis (flexible working arrangements considered).

Contract Type

This role is on a temporary basis for an initial period of 12 months, with the potential for this to be extended.

About Independent Monitoring Boards

Members of Independent Monitoring Boards (IMBs) are unpaid public appointees (volunteers) who provide statutory, independent scrutiny of the treatment and care of people in prisons and immigration detention. There are approximately 1100 IMB members, organised into over 130 Boards, each with its own Chair. They are appointed by ministers and operate in prisons and young offender institutions (run by HM Prisons and Probation Service - MOJ), in immigration removal centres, various short-term holding facilities and on repatriation flights for those being removed from the UK (run by the Home Office).

Lay Observers (LOs) are also unpaid volunteers appointed by ministers, whose responsibility it is to check on the welfare of individuals in court custody suites and while they are traveling in the care and custody of escort contractors.

As independent scrutiny bodies, IMBs and LOs have a growing public profile and play an increasingly crucial role in providing assurance to ministers and the public on the conditions and treatment of those held in detention. They are members of the UK’s National Preventive Mechanism, under the UK’s international human rights obligations to prevent torture and other ill-treatment of people in detention. They work closely with HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, who also play a key part in the oversight and assurance of places of detention. The findings of IMBs and LOs are fed into the performance and scrutiny information used by Government to contribute to prisons and immigration detention policy and process changes, in line with the Government’s commitment to ensuring safe, humane and effective places of detention.

About the role

The post holder will, alongside two others, lead on and be responsible for the development and provision of policy and research advice, across prisons, immigration detention, court custody and escorting. They will provide support to the IMB and Lay Observer National Chairs and to individual IMBs and LOs to maximise the reach and impact of their work. They will be line managed by the Policy Manager.

The post holder will also be key to identifying avenues where the IMB and Lay Observers can influence policy development. They will ensure that the IMB and Lay Observers are up to date with policy changes so that we can inform the membership and ensure that monitoring is in line with latest guidance.

The post holder will be expected to meet the minimum office attendance requirements of the MoJ. Currently this is set at three days per week, although due to current space constraints our team is only expected two days per week, with Tuesday being a fixed in-person day. The office is in Canary Wharf. Additional in-person attendance may be required during the induction phase and/or as required by the role, however flexibility can be offered where it suits both parties.

Key responsibilities

Key responsibilities will include, but may not be limited to (and in no order of precedence or regularity):

• Collate and analyse a range of internal and external information sources, including IMB annual reports, quarterly feedback, surveys, monitoring reports, and data sets, to identify emerging themes, trends, and opportunities to inform policy work.
• Support and undertake research for policy and impact work, including proposing appropriate methodologies, collecting and analysing evidence, and producing written outputs.
• Review quarterly feedback from IMBs to identify strategic themes and produce high level analysis to support IMB member forums and wider policy work.
• Develop and improve reporting methods to strengthen policy analysis and maximise the value of information gathered from IMBs and Lay Observers.
• Draft presentations, policy positions, briefing papers, national reports, and thematic reports to support the work of the IMB and Lay Observers.
• Identify opportunities for the IMB and Lay Observers to influence policy, undertaking horizon scanning for developments in policy, research, and practice, in conjunction with the Policy Manager.
• Support the IMB and Lay Observer National Chairs in developing and maintaining relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, while building and managing your own stakeholder relationships.
• Coordinate, manage, and draft responses to consultations, working closely with individual Boards, members, and the National Chairs.
• Draft submissions to parliamentary committee inquiries, collating evidence from Boards, annual reports, and other relevant sources.
• Prepare briefings, Q&A, speaking notes, and supporting material for parliamentary committee hearings, stakeholder meetings, visits, and external events, including attending meetings where appropriate to provide advice and record actions.
• Deliver presentations and facilitate engagement sessions for members and external stakeholders, working alongside the Communications Lead where appropriate.
• Act as the first point of contact for members on policy matters, providing timely advice and support.
• Produce policy updates and summaries of new policy frameworks for publication on the various members' websites or other appropriate channels.
• Provide policy expertise to the monitoring advice and guidance team and the training team, where required.
• Ensure equality, diversity, and inclusion considerations are embedded throughout policy work and championed in engagement with members and stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively with the team of policy leads and wider across the whole IMB and Lay Observer staff team to support wider team objectives.
• Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade, as required.

Skills

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following skills:

Essential criteria

• Experience and understanding of at least one of the following three areas: prisons and YOIs, immigration detention, or court custody and escorting.
• An understanding of working with volunteers
• Strong inter-personal skills and the ability to work as part of a team
• Strong organisational skills
• Understanding of the UK National Preventive Mechanisms (Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture – OPCAT) or general human rights related issues
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with proficiency in use of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• Excellent research and analytical skills
• Proven ability to work with a range of internal and external stakeholders on multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to make evidence-based decisions and provide senior leaders with timely, accurate advice.
• A willingness to travel occasionally, within the UK, to visit places of detention, conferences and events. This may include overnight stays.

Desirable criteria

• Experience and understanding of more than one of the following three areas; prisons and YOIs, immigration detention or court custody and escorting.
• Social research skills
• Understanding of new technology such as AI and its potential for the policy profession
• Knowledge and understanding of the IMB and LOs
• An understanding of the parliamentary and legislative process

Important information

Applicants can contact Mitchell.Long1@justice.gov.uk to request information about this role prior to submitting an application.

This role is being offered as a fixed term contract of 12 months for external candidates. This role has the possibility of being extended and/or made permanent.

Candidates successful at interview, but who are not the top-scoring candidate, will be placed on a reserve list. As other policy lead vacancies arise in the team, we will recruit from the reserve list in merit order.

Existing civil servants (see eligibility below) will be transferred in on a loan of 12 months, (again the role has the possibility of being extended and/or made permanent). Therefore, for the loan you will need agreement from your current line manager prior to applying that they are content with releasing you quickly if successful. Not gaining agreement, may result in being subject to redeployment processes at the end of the relevant period, if the role is not extended or made permanent, subject to MoJ resourcing policies. 

Loan opportunities are open to employees who:

• Have been recruited in line with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles (appointment on merit through fair and open competition).
• Have successfully completed their probationary period.
• Have demonstrated acceptable performance and attendance levels.
• Do not have any immigration visa restriction which specifies a particular place of work.