PS Job Description (JD)
PS Band 6
Directorate: Probation Service
Job Description: National Security Division Senior
Operational Lead
Document Ref.
PS-JES-0114 National Security Division Senior Operational Lead
v1.0
Document Type
Management
Version
1.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
17 January 2023
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Asurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
PS-JES-0114 National Security Division Senior Operational Lead v1.0
PS Job Description
Job Title
National Security Division Senior Operational Lead
Directorate
Probation Service, National Security Division
Band
PS Band 6
Overview of the
The National Security Division (NSD) is formed of 5 regional units across England and
job
Wales. Each National Security Unit (NSU) is responsible for the management of
national security and national interest probation cases outside of the Probation
Service (PS) regional structures. The units are:
• North of England
• Midlands
• Wales and the South West
• East and South Central
• London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Each unit has operational satellite locations and consists of a combination of office
and remote based working.
The operational function comprises of a team who deliver enhanced sentence
management to Terrorist Convicted/Connected cases (TACT), Terrorist Risk (TR),
Critical Public Protection Cases (CPPC) and Serious Organised Crime cases (SOC)
assessed as posing the highest threat/highest harm throughout England and Wales,
and who require a national response to sentence management.
The NSD Senior Operational Lead supports the Head of National Security Division
working to the Director for the National Security Division, accountable to the Chief
Probation Officer, to provide operational leadership within a regional National
Security Unit.
The NSD Senior Operational Lead is responsible for operational management and
oversight of critical cases under the supervision of the Probation Service, ensuring
that an enhanced level of sentence management is delivered.
The job holder will have direct line management responsibility for both operational
and administrative staff within the unit.
Summary
Delivery of risk management within this team presents challenges and complexities
outside of the usual experience of Team Managers/Senior Probation Practitioners.
The job holder will require a high level of resilience and an understanding of national
priorities to oversee the significant levels of ministerial and media scrutiny this cohort
of cases attract. They will need to be confident presenting to senior HMPPS staff as
well as senior officers in partnership agencies.
The job holder is responsible for the day-to-day delivery of all operational aspects of
their function within National Security Division. This requires a high level of
operational knowledge of probation work and national priorities to be able to
effectively line manage Probation Practitioners who are working to enhanced national
standards.
The job holder will be expected to manage and lead a geographically dispersed team
of staff within a specialised team to deliver enhanced management of terrorist
offenders, serious organised criminals and other critical public protection cases who
present a national threat. This includes maintaining the delivery of function across a
national landscape.
The job holder will need to acquire and maintain an understanding of all relevant
departments across HMPPS and Department of Security including: Probation Regions,
Joint Extremism Unit, Serious Organised Crime Unit and other relevant departments.
PS-JES-0114 National Security Division Senior Operational Lead v1.0
They will need to demonstrate an ability to broker and maintain operational
relationships with HMPPS colleagues and law enforcement partners at senior
operational grades.
The job holder must at all times demonstrate a commitment to equality and inclusion
and an understanding of their relevance to the work they do, in line with wider
Probation Service (PS) policies and procedures and in accordance with a specific
understanding of the NSD cohorts of offenders.
If relevant to the role, some out of hours working may be required.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
Activities & Duties and duties:
• Provide direct Line Management to a geographically dispersed specialist team
of practitioners to deliver enhanced national standards to national security
and critical public protection cases, which include TACT convicted, TACT
concern, terrorist risk, high threat and high harm Serious Organised Crime
nominals and most critical, highest profile CPPC cases.
• The job holder is required to demonstrate an awareness of operational and
reputational risk and be accountable for the quality delivery of good practice
and team performance. They will be required to identify areas for
improvement within policy and enhanced national standards in line with gold
standard practice through quality assuring all assessments completed with
the National Security Division.
• Be alert to fast changing political climate and responsive to both National and
International Security information to effectively manage risk posed by cases
held in the National Security Division.
• To access, interpret, analyse and apply performance data pro-actively in order
to maximise National Security Division/team performance, evaluate practice
and deliver organisational aims and provide operational assurance to Head of
National Security Unit and Head of Performance and Quality. Support the
division by ensuring accurate performance data is reported, and cases of
concern are identified and escalated as required.
• Represent the Unit/Division in national and regional multi-agency and cross
government department meetings which may involve undertaking specific
areas of responsibility as delegated by the Head of National Security Unit to
support national portfolio projects.
• To proactively manage staff development, issues of underperformance,
attendance, health and safety, employee relations and diversity matters.
Adopt a consistent, fair and objective standpoint when making decisions in
relation to individual staff issues.
• Develop and maintain relationships with operational counterparts in
Probation regions and national/regional HMPPS departments such as JExU,
SOCU, PPG. This may include developing and delivering training and
continuous professional development activity with internal and external
stakeholders.
• Carry out safeguarding children and adults duties in accordance with the PS
statutory responsibilities and agency policies and robustly demonstrate the
need for safeguarding in the national security landscape.
• Promote, chair and develop a core group approach to support MAPPA,
incorporating a range of specialist operational functions including
psychologists, polygraph leads and relevant external stakeholders.
• Represent the National Security Division by engaging with internal and
external partners and attending regional partnership forums such as
MARSOC, Pathfinder and Prevent Boards for a multi-agency delivery of
service.
• Ensure the appropriate handling of highly sensitive information/intelligence.
• Provide input into regional and national conferences, showcasing the work of
the National Security Division, identifying opportunities for operational
innovation and delivery whilst providing consultation for sentence/risk
management where appropriate.
PS-JES-0114 National Security Division Senior Operational Lead v1.0
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. This is particularly pertinent
given the relatively new formation of the national security division and the evolving
nature of the work.
An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium
of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.
Behaviours
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
Ability
• Able to demonstrate well developed IT skills, including evidence of ability to
interpret and apply performance reports.
• Ability to work flexibly as a member of a team to achieve performance targets
across a national division.
• Evidence of ability to evaluate practice.
• Evidence of ability to provide a practice perspective on policy development.
• Ability to chair multi-disciplinary meetings at a senior operational level.
Experience
• Substantial experience with a proven record of good practice in a variety of
settings (including offender risk assessment and management) as a Probation
Officer or from working within another criminal justice agency or related work
context.
• Experience, knowledge and understanding of the role of the Probation Service in
the Criminal Justice System and in a multi-disciplinary setting.
• Demonstrable achievements in managing/supporting change and effecting
improvements in quality and efficiency.
• Experience of monitoring performance against predetermined targets, setting
local targets and effecting necessary improvements.
• Experience of managing relationships including working with key local and
national agencies and stakeholders.
• Evidence of preparing high level detailed written reports to be shared both
internally and externally.
• Experience in delivering training internally and to external agencies.
Technical
• Probation Qualification Framework Graduate Diploma/Honours Degree in
Community Justice integrated with Level 5 Diploma in Probation Practice.
Or, a qualification which was recognised at the time of qualification by the
Secretary of State for Justice as per Section 10 of the Offender Management Act
2007. The following qualifications gained in England and Wales were previously
recognised as providing such eligibility:
o Diploma in Probation Studies
o Diploma in Social Work (with Probation Option)
o CQSW (with Probation Option.)
• There will be a requirement for NSD Senior Operational Lead within the National
Security Division to apply for an enhanced level of vetting and to hold DV
clearance.
PS-JES-0114 National Security Division Senior Operational Lead v1.0
Minimum Eligibility
Please do not alter this box
• 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
Leave Blank
(Unsocial Hours)
To be used by the JES Team only
Allowances
PS-JES-0114 National Security Division Senior Operational Lead v1.0
Success Profile
Strengths
Behaviours
It is advised strengths
Ability
Experience
Technical
are chosen locally,
recommended 4-8
Seeing the Big Picture
Evidence of ability to evaluate
Experience, knowledge and
There will be a requirement for NSD
practice.
understanding of the role of the Senior Operational Lead within the
Probation Service in the
National Security Division to apply for
Criminal Justice System and in a
an enhanced level of vetting and to
multi-disciplinary setting.
hold DV clearance.
Changing and Improving
Evidence of ability to provide
Substantial experience with a
Probation Qualification Framework
a practice perspective on
proven record of good practice
Graduate Diploma/ Honours Degree in
policy development.
in a variety of settings
Community Justice integrated with
(including offender risk
Level 5 Diploma in Probation Practice.
assessment and management)
Or, a qualification which was
as a Probation Officer or from
recognised at the time of qualification
working within another criminal by the Secretary of State for Justice as
justice agency or related work
per Section 10 of the Offender
context.
Management Act 2007. The following
qualifications gained in England and
Wales were previously recognised as
providing such eligibility:
• Diploma in Probation Studies
• Diploma in Social Work (with
Probation Option)
• CQSW (with Probation Option.)
Leadership
Ability to work flexibly as a
Experience of managing
member of a team to achieve
relationships including working
performance targets across a
with key local and national
national division.
agencies and stakeholders.
Working Together
Able to demonstrate well
Demonstrable achievements in
developed IT skills, including
managing/supporting change
evidence of ability to interpret and effecting improvements in
and apply performance
quality and efficiency.
reports.
PS-JES-0114 National Security Division Senior Operational Lead v1.0
Delivering at Pace
Ability to chair multi-
Evidence of preparing high level
disciplinary meetings at a
detailed written reports to be
senior operational level.
shared both internally and
externally.
Managing a Quality Service
Experience in delivering training
internally and to external
agencies.
Developing Self and Others
Experience of monitoring
performance against
predetermined targets, setting
local targets and effecting
necessary improvements.
Making Effective Decisions
PS-JES-0114 National Security Division Senior Operational Lead v1.0