OFFICIAL
HQ Job Description (JD)
Band 8
Directorate: Area Executive Director (AED)
Job Description: AED Business and Performance Lead
Document Ref.
HQ-JES-3182 AED Business & Performance Lead v2.0
Document Type
Management
Version
2.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
19 March 2025
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
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HQ-JES-3182 AED Business & Performance Lead v2.0
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Job Description
Job Title
AED Business & Performance Lead
Directorate
Area Executive Director (AED)
Band
8
Overview of the
The job holder will report directly to the Area Executive Director’s
job
(AED’s) Head of Office and will form part of the Area Executive
Senior Management Team, which is accountable for the
performance and development of prison and probation services
within the Area. In certain instances, this will also include the
National Service for which the Area Executive Director has
responsibility.
This is a leadership role, managing and developing an
immediate team as well as establishing strong working
relationships with the Area Executive Senior Management Team,
to enable a cohesive Area Team that works well together.
Additionally, strong stakeholder management skills are required
to gain the confidence of and build productive relationships with
central teams, senior managers, and external partners.
The job holder will be responsible for contributing to the
management, oversight, and development of the Area Executive
Office function.
The job holder will have line management and development
responsibility for staff in the Area Executive Director’s office and
may include management and oversight of staff within the
Directorate working remotely from the office team.
The job role will be based primarily within the relevant Area and
there will be a requirement to visit operational places of work
within the area.
This is a non-operational role.
Summary
This is a Senior Manager post, and the job holder will need to
ensure that the Area Executive Director is effectively supported.
This will include contributing to efficient business management
processes, problem-solving, providing relevant and useful
advice, demonstrating sound judgement, managing risk
(escalating and communicating where appropriate), and
conducting ad hoc activities and non-routine work as required.
They will be involved in setting the priorities for their Area and
have shared oversight of delivery of these and key performance
measures.
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The job holder will provide leadership and contribute to the vision
and strategic direction for the Area Executive Directorate holding
accountability for ensuring any risks are communicated to Head
of AED Office to manage so that the work by the Directorate
contributes to HMPPS priorities.
They will have ownership for specific areas within Area
Executive Directorate to lead, manage and deliver on
programme deliverables.
The job holder will need to be abreast of significant
developments within HMPPS and wider government, advising
where appropriate the Area Executive Director of where
engagement or input may be required to ensure that impacts on
the Area are considered, and, where possible, reflected in
decision-making.
The job role can be fast paced with priorities often shifting
quickly and significantly, requiring the job holder to be able to
flex plans and be skilled in prioritising.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following
Activities and
responsibilities, activities, and duties:
Duties
• Providing strong leadership to the immediate Area office
team and, as part of the Area Executive Senior Management
Team, helping to establish a healthy culture and leading
through challenges and change.
• Contribute to the management of the Area Executive Office to
ensure that the Area Executive Director is fully supported.
• Support Head of AED office with strategic and business
planning for the Area, working closely with the wider Area
team and ensuring an understanding of wider organisational
objectives to identify Area priorities.
• Support Head of AED office in playing a key role in the
continuous improvement of the Area to promote safe and
secure prisons, effective rehabilitation, protection of the
public and reductions in reoffending. This will include
identifying opportunities for better ways of working and
improved join-up between prisons and probation and across
the Area, including maintaining and developing constructive
links with key organisations and partners.
• Working on behalf of Head of AED office, attend discussions
with performance leads and teams, to gain an oversight of
performance, assurance and risk management of prisons and
probation services within the Area to be able to advise and
brief the Head of AED office appropriately.
• When required, representing the Head of Area Executive
Director’s Office, undertaking activities on their behalf,
including attending meetings as required.
• Work alongside Business Partners to ensure effective
workforce planning and budget management for the office
and Area.
• Building productive working relationships with the rest of the
Area Executive Senior Management Team and their wider
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teams to ensure the effective running of the Area as a
cohesive unit.
• Manage AED office’s role in a specific business-related
project, undertaking activities in support of the project such
as developing processes, chairing AED meetings with key
stakeholders, planning and preparing quarterly updates so
Area Executive Director is informed of upcoming issues and
any potential matters of concern.
• Retain oversight of work within the project field, including
dealing with queries, seeking advice from subject matter
experts and sharing best practice across the AED area.
• Act as a liaison point in the project field for staff within AED
area and wider organisation.
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.
Civil Service Success Profile Criteria
Behaviours
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
Strengths
Note: we recommend you choose 4 to 8 strengths locally - select
from the list of Civil Service strength definitions on the intranet.
Experience
• Experience of business planning and budget management.
• Is a competent and proven senior manager with previous
operational experience or a strong understanding of the
operational environment in which this role is delivered.
• Experience and skills in leading and managing in a complex
change management context.
• Effective high-quality skills to lead and manage staff to
achieve demanding objectives.
• Demonstrates sound judgement and has the ability to build
effective working relationships, and to influence and negotiate
with internal and external stakeholders at a senior level in a
complex and multi-layered delivery landscape.
Technical
Requirements
Ability
• Have high levels of integrity and professional credibility.
• High level written and oral communication skills to prepare
and deliver ministerial level briefs.
• Ability to function effectively and autonomously in a
challenging environment with a high level of personal
resilience.
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Minimum
Please do not alter this box
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 HMPPS consider to be racist.
Hours of Work
37 hour working week
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
RHA - TBC by Recruiting Manager
This role requires working regular unsocial hours and a payment
at the current approved organisation rate will be made in addition
to your basic pay to recognise this. Unsocial hours are those
hours outside 0700 - 1900hrs Monday to Friday and include
working evenings, nights, weekends and Bank/Public Holidays.
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HQ-JES-3182 AED Business & Performance Lead v2.0