HQ Job Description (JD)
Band 8
Directorate: Strategy, Planning and Performance
Job Description - Operational Assurance Manager
Document Ref.
HQ-JES-1900 Operational Assurance Manager v3.0
Document Type
Management
Version
3.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
31/03/20
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
HQ-JES-1900 Operational Assurance Manager v3.0
Job Description
Job Title
Operational Assurance Manager
Directorate
Strategy, Planning and Performance
Band
8
Overview of the job
Accountable to the Head of Operational Audit (HOA) and reporting to the
Operational Audit Lead (OAL) for a designated Area, the OAM will be a key Manager
within the National Operational Audit Team. They will be accountable for delivering
effective operational audit and quality assurance services in order to inform and
support operational and commercial contract management, commissioning and
system development activity. The OAM will be accountable for delivering discrete
elements of the Directorate’s Annual Service Quality Assurance Plan (ASQAP) in their
designated area.
The OAM will contribute to the audit and assurance of the quality of delivery of
contracted services amounting to a total estimated value of around £600 million per
annum. The OAM is accountable for delivering effective and efficient audit and
assurance activity in their designated Area. They will critically analyse and quality
assure delivery of commissioned services, in order to inform the management of
CRC contracts. These Contracts amount to a total value of between around £145
million and £163 million in each Area.
The OAM will develop effective working relationships with local Contract
Management teams and with Providers in relation to the audit and assurance of
contract delivery in their area. They will represent the OA Team in their designated
Area, liaising with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders including: CRC
Managers, Governors, HMI Probation and HMI Prisons and will deputise for the OAL
as required.
Summary
The OAM will undertake localised in depth operational audit work to support the
Area Contract Management Team (CMT). They will use their analytical skills to make
independent judgements about Contractor performance and the quality of services
delivered. The information, analysis and advice provided by the OAM will support
the CMTs in assuring the delivery of service outcomes and improved value for
money, across the rehabilitation system covering the CRCs and the interfaces
between contractor, the NPS, prisons, and other providers such as EM and BASS in
their designated Area.
The OAM will be accountable for delivering specific aspects of the ASQAP in their
Area. They will provide an objective and independent view of the delivery of
contracted service requirements, and related processes and activities.
The OAM will deliver ‘inspection’ style assurance activities across a number of CPAs,
critically assessing operational practice in order to identify good, innovative practice,
and areas for improvement. CMTs may commission specific audit and assurance
activity where they identify issues of concern that warrant further in depth
investigation.
The OAM will work collaboratively with other OAMs, with CMT colleagues and with
colleagues from other HMPPS/MoJ functions. The OAM will work across a number of
CPAs and CMT Areas for efficiency and effectiveness and to inform comparisons
across the country.
The OAM will make recommendations based on their audit/assurance activity
findings in order to inform operational and commercial contract management,
service integration, service planning, development and commissioning, and system
development activity.
HQ-JES-1900 Operational Assurance Manager v3.0
The geographical base for the OAM post can be flexible within their contract
management Area, and will require some work in London and other locations.
The post-holder may be required to carry out other tasks commensurate with the
nature of the role and grade of the post.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
Activities and Duties
and duties:
? Managing operational audit and assurance services for a designated Area team
in order to provide assurance about the delivery of contracted services:
? Reviewing, observing and monitoring provider delivery, and assessing and
making independent judgements about Provider data.
? Critically assessing operational audit data and intelligence to support the Area
CMT in assuring service delivery against contractual requirements, to inform
performance management, payments, monitoring of provider interface points
and issue/dispute resolution as required
? Leading focused in depth operational audit activity e.g. spot-checks and planned
‘inspection’ style audits
? Accountable for delivering effective audit activity within their Area, contributing
to the development and delivery of the Directorate’s ASQAP
? Accountable for working collaboratively with other Operational Assurance
Managers and CMT colleagues (in particular the Senior Area Contract Manager)
to provide an effective and consistent operational audit resource that will
inform and support contract management and system development activities.
? Accountable for ensuring that local operational audit practice is consistent with
the strategic approach and is informed by Audit and Inspection findings and
current research, evidence and good practice.
? Working on their own initiative to identify key themes, examples of good
practice and areas for improvement, and making recommendations to inform
service integration, planning, development and commissioning, and system
development activity.
? Accountable for making informed judgements about offender management
practice and service delivery based on audit and assurance findings.
? Accountable for analysing information to support the resolution of operational
issues and/or disputes between providers
? Accountable for liaising and collaborating with management teams and HMPPS
support functions to ensure that local operational audit activities are effective
and efficient
? Deputising for and representing the OAL as required.
? Representing the OAT with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders at
Management level.
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.
Behaviours
? Seeing the bigger picture
? Communicating and influencing
? Changing and Improving
? Managing a Quality Service
? Working Together
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
HQ-JES-1900 Operational Assurance Manager v3.0
Experience
Experience and skills relevant to management, operational audit of services, contract
management and/or commissioning are required:
The essential requirements for this post would include:
? Experience of working in the probation service or a comparable operational
environment (e.g. within the criminal justice system or involving delivery of
offender/public services), at management level
? In depth operational knowledge of probation and/or prison service delivery
? Knowledge of contract and performance management and/or service
development and commissioning of community based offender services
? Knowledge and understanding of policy and operational practice in relation
to the delivery of offender services in the community and ‘Through the
Gate’, and the relevant legislative frameworks
? Knowledge of operational audit policy, practice and procedures, such as
inspection and audit, preferably in a criminal justice setting
? Experience and skills in relation to audit and/or assurance activity
? Experience and skills in relation to analysing and implementing findings from
inspections and audits
? An understanding of the challenges involved in assuring the delivery of large
complicated commercial contracts, and experience of assessing the
performance of complex services
Technical
N/A
Requirements
Ability
? Sound judgement, and good communication and analytical skills
? Ability to influence and negotiate with stakeholders at a management level
in a complex and multi layered delivery landscape
? Project management experience and skills
? Practical ability to achieve demanding objectives.
? Vocational experience
Minimum 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
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
HQ-JES-1900 Operational Assurance Manager v3.0
Success Profile
Strengths
Behaviours
It is advised strengths
Ability
Experience
Technical
are chosen locally,
recommended 4-8
Seeing the Big Picture
Sound judgement, and good
Experience and skills relevant to
communication and analytical skills.
management, operational audit of
services, contract management and/or
commissioning are required.
Communicating and
Ability to influence and negotiate with
Experience of working in the probation
Influencing
stakeholders at a management level in a
service or a comparable operational
complex and multi layered delivery
environment (e.g. within the criminal
landscape.
justice system or involving delivery of
offender/public services), at management
level.
Changing and Improving
Project management experience and
In depth operational knowledge of
skills.
probation and/or prison service delivery.
Managing a Quality Service
Practical ability to achieve demanding
Knowledge of contract and performance
objectives.
management and/or service
development and commissioning of
community based offender services.
Working Together
Vocational experience.
Knowledge and understanding of policy
and operational practice in relation to the
delivery of offender services in the
community and ‘Through the Gate’, and
the relevant legislative frameworks.
Knowledge of operational audit policy,
practice and procedures, such as
inspection and audit, preferably in a
criminal justice setting.
Experience and skills in relation to audit
and/or assurance activity.
HQ-JES-1900 Operational Assurance Manager v3.0
Experience and skills in relation to
analysing and implementing findings from
inspections and audits.
An understanding of the challenges
involved in assuring the delivery of large
complicated commercial contracts, and
experience of assessing the performance
of complex services.
HQ-JES-1900 Operational Assurance Manager v3.0