HQ Job Description (JD)
Band 6
Directorate: Wales and Public Protection
Job Description - Casework Team Manager PPCS
Document Ref.
HQ-JES-1546 Casework Team Manager PPCS v4.0
Document Type
Management
Version
4.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
08 August 2023
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
HQ-JES-1546 Casework Team Manager PPCS v4.0
Job Description
Job Title
Casework Team Manager, Public Protection Casework Section
Directorate
Wales and Public Protection
Band
6
Overview of the
The Public Protection Casework Section (PPCS) is placed within
job
the Public Protection Group within the Directorate of Wales and
Public Protection. The posts are based in HQ and currently
located in 1 Ruskin Square, Croydon.
It is not operational, although the business objectives of PPCS
are focused on delivering frontline public protection casework in
respect of the recall and release on parole of offenders.
The main function of PPCS is to ensure the oversight of the
Generic Parole Process (GPP) for indeterminate sentenced
prisoners and to ensure the timely processing of recalls to
custody of licensed determinate and indeterminate sentenced
prisoners from the community and processing requests for
licence variations. It also reviews cases referred by the Prisons
and Probation Ombudsman (PPO); reviews appeals against
adjudications; and assists with Royal Prerogative of Mercy
cases.
The PPCS has a large number of casework teams which: (i)
handle 16,000 recalls; or (ii) review the continued detention of
recalled offenders; or (iii) manage the parole process for 14,000
indeterminate sentence prisoners; or (iv) handle a range of
prisoner related casework. Each casework team has a manager
who is responsible for the day to day operation of the team and
the management of team members.
Team managers report to a Deputy Head of Casework.
Summary
The job holder will be responsible for managing a team of 5 - 12
case managers and case administrators.
The job holder is expected to have generic casework skills and,
with appropriate training, be able to manage any one of the 19
teams, each of which covers specific areas of casework.
Responsibilities include: providing first draft risk assessments on
indeterminate sentenced prisoners’ (ISPs); consideration of
recommendations on whether ISPs should be moved from
closed to open prisons; the consideration and processing of
recall requests; assessing an offender’s suitability for a fixed
term recall; risk assessing and providing draft reasons in support
of recalled prisoners being re-released; drafting complex
ministerial responses or undertaking a review of a prisoner’s
HQ-JES-1546 Casework Team Manager PPCS v4.0
adjudications.
Work involves daily liaison with prisons, police, Probation
Services, UKBA, the Parole Board, Treasury Solicitors and other
stake-holders as well as dealing with prisoners, solicitors and
other interested parties. They will establish good working
relationships with their counterparts in other agencies and
ensure that their staff do the same.
It falls to team managers to ensure that teams deliver their work
against targets and monitor team members’ performance. They
will ensure that work on the team is distributed fairly across team
members and prioritised appropriately.
Team managers are required to identify complex/high profile
cases and provide advice to senior managers and first draft
responses to letters before action etc. They will be required to
take a range of routine operational decisions.
Team managers require good judgment, accuracy, an ability to
analyse detailed information quickly and excellent organisational
skills. They are expected to work with a degree of autonomy
and have an awareness of wider parole and recall
issues/constraints/practices. They are accountable to Heads
and Deputy Heads of Casework and, through them, to the Head
of Section.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following
Activities and
responsibilities, activities and duties:
Duties
• Managing a team of 5-12 staff, including line management
and supervisory responsibilities, holding regular bilaterals,
cascading information to team members and convening
weekly team meetings. This work also involves
monitoring sick absence and performance
• Overseeing a team of case managers who managing the
review process for indeterminate sentenced prisoners,
dealing with a range of issues that may crop up on a daily
basis on which team managers need advice, ensuring that
dossiers are completed to a high standard, Parole Board
directions are complied with, non-disclosure applications
are processed speedily, next review dates set, release
licences are accurate, failures in open conditions are
reviewed expeditiously and either transferred back or are
submitted to the Parole Board for advice and that all work
is processed within target
• Managing the recall process for indeterminate and
determinate sentenced prisoners, authorising recall,
ensuring that legal thresholds for recall have been met,
considering and determining whether a prisoner is
suitable for a fixed term recall or a standard recall,
ensuring that there are no delays in cases being reviewed
by the Parole Board and for issuing clear and accurate
reasons in support of recall
• Overseeing the review of recalled prisoners’ continued
detention; the drafting of recommendations for re-release;
and the management of the annual review process
HQ-JES-1546 Casework Team Manager PPCS v4.0
• Ensuring that case managers manage cases that are
directed to have an oral hearing; that Parole Board
directions are complied with; and that non-disclosure
applications are processed speedily and with accuracy
• Considering applications for ISPs to transfer to open
conditions without a Parole Board recommendation, by
undertaking a detailed and accurate risk assessment and
making recommendations to senior managers
• Assist Head/Deputy Head of Casework with the handling
of Judicial Reviews raised by ISPs and determinate
sentenced prisoners, in consultation with Legal
Directorate and Treasury Solicitors
• Collate and analyse monthly performance statistics,
providing information and data for the Head/Deputy Head
of Casework
• Oversee licence variation requests ensuring that they are
completed on target and to a high standard
• Ensure that PPCS database (PPUD) is accurately
updated by team members; milestones are completed;
and documents and minutes are uploaded and that
Quality Assurance systems are applied
• Responsibility for compiling first draft replies to Ministerial
correspondence and replies to letters before action and
treat officials
• Representing Section at meetings, open days and other
forums
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.
An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence
through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales)
Welsh.
Behaviours
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Developing Self and Others
• Communicating & Influencing
• Working Together
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
Experience
None
HQ-JES-1546 Casework Team Manager PPCS v4.0
Technical
None
Requirements
Ability
None
Minimum
• All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to
Eligibility
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
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
HQ-JES-1546 Casework Team Manager PPCS v4.0