Ministry of Justice

Please note, if you are successful in the recruitment process, you will be added to the merit list for the campaign. We will then appoint candidates as Regional Property Operations Manager posts become available. This will be based on merit order and your location preference. Your location preference will be captured during the application process. Please be advised, that being successful in the recruitment process and being placed on the merit list does not guarantee an offer of employment.  

Please note that the application window for this campaign remains open until July 2025. However, we will be reviewing applications and conducting regular screening, interviewing, and onboarding procedures throughout the duration of the campaign. 

A webinar will be held on Monday, 16th June 2025 at 3 PM to provide further information and answer queries about the role. Please come along and ask your questions. Register by clicking on the following link: Regional Property Operations Manager - Webinar.

 Overview

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Property Directorate is a customer focused organisation that exists to enable our customers to perform to their very best. We do this by providing high quality, easy to use services, and working environments that our customers want to work in, which support them to deliver their individual outputs efficiently. Our job is to manage one of the most diverse and complex estates in Government – hosted by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). The MoJ Property Directorate brings together a property portfolio including Prisons, Probation, and MoJ HQ and Arm’s Length Bodies. 

MoJ Property provides specialist services including facilities management, health and safety, fire safety and security, technical design expertise, and sustainability.  We also have business management teams who support the entire Directorate and each of our partners is supported by account management teams. We are responsible for a great deal - our portfolio consists of properties valued at £8.5bn for the MoJ alone. We are part of the Government Property Profession (GPP) and through active membership and engagement we will work with the Office of Government Property to develop the maturity of the profession and encourage our people to join the GPP. We continue to build our capability through training and recruitment, aspiring to be the best that we can be as individuals and as a directorate.

We continue to deliver new ways of working across our portfolio – leading on the scale and pace of activity for central government – proposing ways to achieve, and then providing more dynamic and flexible workspace, while driving down the cost of the estate.

Overview

•    The Regional Property Operations Manager (RPOM) on behalf of the Head of Property Operations (HOPO) and the regions.

•  Prison Group Director provides specialist expertise and advice to establishments and other key stakeholders. (In the absence of a central HMPPS Estates Management function estates and property responsibility is devolved to regions).

•      The Regional Property Operations Manager works to the HOPO for the custodial TFM contract (the SM) and with Area Property Operations Managers (APOMs) in the region to oversee custodial TFM contractor performance and ensure delivery in line with the contract, including due governance and process, and with MoJ Property to ensure works and building projects are defined and delivered in line with stakeholder requirements.

•   The RPOM provides assurance to HMPPS and MoJ Property that services are being delivered to agreed standards and oversees the resolution of any regional issues regarding the provision of goods and services. The RPOM will lead APOMs and work with other RPOMs to identify wider or ongoing issues that need to be resolved at contract level involving the HOPO.

•     This is a Head of Group post reporting to the HOPO with a dotted line relationship to the regional Prison Group Director.

•  This is a specialist role that has responsibility for regional policy, budgetary accountability, service delivery management, custodial TFM contract and line management responsibilities based within a Prison Service Region.

Note: The custodial TFM contract includes legislative compliance associated with the maintenance of buildings, equipment and grounds, Health and Safety and Fire safety maintenance, small-scale works and building projects, management of stores, cleaning of non-prisoner areas, waste, energy and environmental management and escorts for contractors and their vehicles.

Summary

•        The job holder will provide management leadership, vision and strategic direction for regional estates management and ensure effective contract management is delivered.

•        The job holder is deemed the senior lead for the care and development of Public Sector Prison buildings and site infrastructure to maximise the asset value of all mechanical, electrical and building elements. This will include:

o   Monitoring and assurance of statutory and mandatory compliance activities and overall management of the TFM contract for HMPPS in their region subject to the strategic contract management responsibility of the HOPO for the contract Lot.

o   Delivery management for TFM services to ensure consistency at regional and contract level; to support Area Property Operations Managers where issues require to be escalated; and to support and advise the HOPO.

o  Monitoring the performance measurement MI of the TFM contractor in their region and identifying, challenging and where necessary bringing any performance issues to the attention of the HOPO and the Contractor for rectification.

•     Exercising delegated budgetary authority and manage spend or where budgets are delegated to governors, coordinate prioritisation of spend in their Region.

•        Contributing to coordination and consistency of contract performance MI across the contract lot.

•        Liaison with the Procurement Contract Manager for their Region for the effective commercial contract management of the contract.

•        Seeking approval from HOPO for all spend above delegation.

•        Line managing the Area Property Operations Managers in their region.

•        Reporting to the HOPO as line manager and for overall prioritisation and contractual/performance matters.

•      Accountable to the Prison Group Director as lead customer for estates and contract delivery management in the region.  Providing specific necessary information and advice.

•        In liaison with Ministry of Justice Property Directorate (MoJ PD) and the Prison Group Director the job holder will represent the region’s custodial and non-custodial property needs regarding the MoJ PD’s wider Estates Transformation strategy.

•    The job holder will work collaboratively alongside the Region’s Senior Management Team taking forward any initiative proactively to ensure effective delivery within the custodial setting.

•       This role requires working unpredictable and unsocial hours and to be on call to provide advice or attend sites at any time. 

•        This is a non‐operational job with line management responsibilities.

Job Description, Duties and Responsibilities

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

•        Accountable to SM for leading regional team including managing the transition to the new contract and operating model, identifying continuous improvement and delivering corporate requirements.

•        Responsible for the custodial TFM contract supported by Area Property Operations Managers in the region (APOMs) and for overseeing contractor performance ensuring delivery in line with the contract, including due governance and process, and with MoJ PD for ensuring works and building projects are defined and delivered in line with stakeholder requirements.

•        Responsible for assurance to HMPPS and MoJ PD that services are being delivered to agreed standards and for overseeing the resolution of any regional issues regarding the provision of services and providing leadership to the APOMs and working with other RPOMs to identify wider or ongoing issues that need to be resolved at contract level involving the HOPO.

•        Accountable and responsible for the care and development of Prison Service buildings and site infrastructure to maximise the asset value of all mechanical, electrical and building elements).  This will include:

o   Monitoring and assurance of statutory and mandatory compliance against the contract and delivery management for Works and FM services to ensure consistency at regional and contract level;

o   Supporting the Area Property Operations Managers where issues require to be escalated; and 

o   Supporting the HOPO in exercising overall strategic control and contract management responsibility.

•        Accountable to the Prison Group Director and MoJ PD to provide a regional overview on estates and property issues. The job holder will manage competing pressures whilst maximising asset value, physical security requirements and maintaining optimum operational requirements, including taking account of Health and Safety and Fire Safety advice and providing estates/maintenance guidance to H&S Advisor. 

•        Accountable for developing and co‐ordinating Regional and National initiatives such as the Capital Asset Investment Programme (CAIP) for the Estates related services in the custodial estate.

•        Accountable for developing and co‐ordinating regional strategies and policies to implement national organisational required outcomes.

Manage the regional estates function and business unit which includes line management of a team with significant budgetary and statutory accountability.

•        Accountable for ensuring the contractor produces and delivers a fit for purpose Regional Maintenance Strategy for Public Sector Prisons, ensuring the maintenance and development of the HMPPS custodial estate within the region.

•        Accountable for ensuring all associated risks of building work in a live custodial setting are effectively managed to ensure both HMPPS expectations are met in respect of mitigating operational risk and MoJ PD expectations of programming, project timescale is delivered.

•        Accountable or ensuring that the maintenance work is well planned and delivered by contractors and is effectively managed to achieve the forward maintenance plan and estates management strategy.

•        Work, where required, on complex and specialist issues with contractor and MoJ PD with support of Area Property Operations Managers and the HMPPS HOPO, ensuring implementation of any Estates related remedial actions and engaging with enforcing authorities where necessary to prevent re‐occurrences both locally, regionally and at contract level.

•        Ensure visits are undertaken as required to the Region’s Public Sector Prisons establishments to assess contractor performance and compliance, addressing emerging issues and produce reports on specialist and technical subjects for and on behalf of the Prison Group Director for escalating to the HOPO and onward progression to HMPPS/ MoJ PD Directors if required.

•        Validate regional performance data through appropriate checks; and analyse regional performance data and review contract KPIs. 

•        Responsible for collating and reviewing regional and APOM input and contributing on a quarterly basis to update report coordinated by SM for MoJ PD contract management oversight purposes, reflecting any material changes to the contract or performance, any remedial action/recovery plans that have been put in place and changes to the contract plan.

•        Provide advice and support to establishments and the Prison Group Director to inform decision making about contract and estates related issues within overall strategy coordinated by the SM.

•        For minor works within delegated authority ensure that all relevant specialist contract information is available for bidding purposes for contract. Act as 'managing agent' and supervise performance and payment agreements once contract awarded. Carry out technical evaluations of tenders and enter competitive dialogue where appropriate.

•        Scrutinise, consider and approve business cases, the specification provided by the contractor, and associated contract documentation to allow the procurement and delivery of specialist capital and maintenance services.

•        Prioritise and approve all Estate Investment Proposals for onward progression to MoJ PD for major maintenance, essential maintenance, and development schemes.

•        Accountable for supporting competition processes, providing all necessary information both to the MoJ PD Asset Management Unit and HMPPS project teams.

•        Provide performance data as required by NCM and MoJ PD to supplement data gathered by Planet FM and CAIP.

•        Accountable for the management, prioritisation and allocation of financial resources to deliver the Regional Strategies including sustainability and maintenance.

•        Accountable for ensuring all HMPPS/MoJ PD Financial policies are complied with, and that appropriate governance is in place.

Various ongoing Estates functions outside the TFM contract

•        In coordination with other RPOMs (and the HOPO where appropriate) provide regional contribution/act as Point of Contact for topics including:

o   Historic Estate (ePIMS, Quadrennial)

o   Estates Planning, Perambulation Reports, Land Disposal

o    MoJ PD Transformation strategy

o   Responses to HQ policy initiatives

o   Working Groups (MoJ PD)

o   Major Project (Delivery, Management, Liaison, Escort Management)

o   Post Project Evaluation

o   Closure Programme

o   Management Information Returns (Regular Returns, Waste, Cell Certificates, Physical Security)

o   Compliance Audits

o   CPIG/HSE Enforcement Actions, DDA

o   Local Maintenance Bidding, Allocation Management, Capital Allocations Operational Support (Incidents)

o   Asset Replacement in line with strategies (e.g. Catering)

o   Investigations/Enquiries

o   Security Vetting

o   Regional PFMe Oversight (Principal Users)

o   Recruitment/Boards

o   HR Issues (Oracle/Industrial Relations)

o   Contingency Planning

o   PQs and FOI requests 

o   Estates related data not defined within the TFM contract, for MoJ PD, HMPPS, and other agencies including Building Research Establishment, NAO and enforcement and supervisory bodies. 

•        Develop regional contingency plans in conjunction with contractor, APOM and HOPO and be available to be part of the regional Prison Group Director’s command team in the event of an emergency/incident.

•        Manage HMPPS properties where tenancy and lease agreements to and from third parties are in place. Ensure compliance with occupier liability procedures e.g. landlord/tenancy enforcement.

•        Provide establishments with support in emergency situations/incidents and work with contractors to co‐ordinate resources to provide mutual aid to support of business continuity.

Other management tasks including: 

•        Provide professional supervision, coaching and mentoring of staff to enable their self‐development and succession arrangements.

•        Provide leadership and management of the Function.

•        Will have the skills to apply all Human Resources (HR) related policies and practices.

•        May be required to provide line management for the Regional H&S and Fire Safety Advisor and team.

•        Manage devolved budgets in accordance with the financial procedures outlined in the budget delegation exercising delegated budgetary authority and managing spend or where budgets are delegated to governors, coordinate prioritisation of spend in their Region.

•        Responsible for the management of all staff within their area.  This includes staff performance, development and annual appraisal through to sickness absence management.

•        Ensure all HMPPS standards and KPIs are implemented and managed within the relevant work area.

•        Ensure all national and local policies and procedures are implemented and compliant e.g. National Security Framework (NSF), Local Security Strategy (LSS), Finance Manual.

•        Attend as directed any relevant boards/meetings and actively contribute, either as chair or team member.

•        Provides leadership and direction to managers and staff within their defined work area through briefings, building informal and formal relationships and effective communication.

•        Produce relevant reports as required and ensure all correspondence is replied to within agreed timescales.

•        Liaise and form good relationships with internal and external stakeholders. 

•        Manage resources to deliver the activities within the defined work area and contribute to the mid‐to‐long term business planning process.

•        Ensure the defined work area and associated activities comply with Health and Safety legislation.

•        Provide assurance that all risk assessments are undertaken, and staff are made aware of their personal responsibility towards ensuring Health and Safety compliance.

 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.

Skills and Experience

Essential to have strong commercial and financial awareness, drive and resilience, effective team management leadership and interpersonal skills and ability to work accurately under pressure. 

Essential to have relevant Project Management and contract management experience.

Must have experience in managing a diverse geographically spread estate portfolio preferably with custodial characteristics.

Qualifications

•        Must have relevant technical or trade experience and qualification.

•        Must have industry recognised qualification equivalent to the BTEC Advanced Diploma in Maintenance Management covering building technology, contract and measurement procedures, mechanical technology and electrical technology.

•        Essential to hold National Examination Board Occupational Safety Health National Certificate in Construction Health and Safety.

•  Must have completed the National Engineering and Construction Contracts Accredited Training and have or be able to rapidly acquire excellent understanding of the TFM contract, NEC3 provisions and the associated processes.

•  Should hold or be willing to work towards CIWFM, MRICS or CEng. If not already held, the successful candidate must be willing to commence a training programme, apprenticeship or application process within 6 months of starting the role.

Licences

Full UK Driving Licence is required – RPOMs are required to attend sites across their Portfolio Area in the course of their duties that would not be practical to be reached by foot or by public transport.

Government Property Profession (GPP) Technical Skills

The GPP Framework is aimed at staff working in property or property-related roles and consider property to be their career anchor profession. This usually encompasses posts where professional qualifications and experience are directly relevant to the work being undertaken. However, it is also applicable to those who are currently not qualified property practitioners but wish to make this their profession of choice. Those with a property background at any level are encouraged to register with the GPP, which exists to support property practitioners at all levels. Details of the GPP Career Framework can be found at:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-government-property-profession-career-framework--2

This role falls under Facilities Management Senior Practitioner and the following Technical Skills will be tested during the selection process:

·       Stakeholder Engagement  - Expert

·       Property Professional Expertise – Expert

·       Health and Safety, Compliance and Inclusion - Expert

Behaviours

We will assess you against some or all these behaviours during the selection process:

•        Changing and Improving

•        Leadership

•        Communicating and Influencing

•        Working Together

•        Developing Self and Others

•        Managing a Quality Service

•        Delivering at Pace

Flexible working hours

MoJ Property offers flexible working subject to local agreement.

This post is advertised as Permanent & Full Time, part-time applicants will be considered under job share arrangements. The unit is supportive of and encourages flexible working and compressed hours candidates will also be considered.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. We are happy to accommodate any reasonable adjustments you may require during the selection process. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Non-civil service candidates will start on the pay band minimum.