Job Description (JD)
Band 8
Group Profile - Head of Function Complex
and Standard (HOFCS)
Job Description - HOFCS : Head of Business
Assurance
Document Ref.
OR-JES-2124-JD-B8 : HOFCS : Head of Business
Assurance v7.0
Document Type
Management
Version
6.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
14 April 2025
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
OR-JES-2124-JD-B8 : HOFCS : Head of Business Assurance v7.0
Job Description
Job Title
HOFCS : Head of Business Assurance
Group Profile
Head of Function Complex Standard
Organisation
Functional Management
Level
Band
8
Overview of the
This is a functional management job in an establishment.
job
All staff have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the
welfare of children. The post holder must undertake the
appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that
they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the
organisation.
Summary
The job holder has full accountability for leading the delivery of
an efficient and effective Corporate Service Function. The scope
of this role is to provide Business Assurance to the Governing
Governor.
This includes Business Planning, identifying, implementing and
supporting the achievement of business objectives. As a
member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the job holder
will contribute and implement their Function’s objectives as
defined in the establishment’s Business Plan.
This is either an operational or non-operational, rotational job
with line management responsibilities. If operational, please see
technical requirements.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following
Activities and
responsibilities, activities and duties:
Duties
Accountable for the management of the Corporate Services
Function and all staff within this area, including the Business and
People Hubs. This function will include activities within the
following areas:
• Establishment Business Delivery & Planning
• Resource Management & Change Management
• Audit & Assurance
This role will work strategically and effectively with HMPPS
professional partners who will provide specialist support for the
post holder to achieve establishment deadlines where required.
There is no expectation for the post holder to hold specialist
knowledge or qualification in relation to key areas which will
include (but not be limited to) HR, Finance, National Contracts,
Health, Safety & Fire, Litigation, Legal matters and this work will
receive the necessary professional support.
Establishment Business Delivery & Planning
OR-JES-2124-JD-B8 : HOFCS : Head of Business Assurance v7.0
• Accountable for the development and completion of the
establishment’s Service Delivery Requirements and the co-
ordination and update of establishment development
objectives in accordance with HMPPS Commissioning
intentions.
• Responsible for ensuring information and outcomes on
Service Delivery Requirements are collected and
accountable for ensuring Business and Performance
information is available to inform the Governor within agreed
deadlines.
• Accountable for the accurate reporting of all establishment
Performance data including Hub sign off and data validation.
• Accountable for the completion of the Compliance return
which incorporates the Statement of Internal Financial
Control with specialist support from the Finance Business
Partner.
• Accountable for the annual production of the Establishment
Delivery Strategy.
• Accountable for ensuring that logistical and practical
arrangements are in place to support partnership activity
within the establishment and support the work of
individuals/teams linked to national contract management.
• Responsible for the management of budgets devolved by the
Governing Governor to the Corporate Services function and
be the Chief Approver for procurement within the
establishment where exceptional expenditure is required.
• Responsible for supporting the Governing Governor by
acting as the single point of contact (SPOC) for information
on all partnership working with external service providers
and stakeholders including performance management
information and contract management oversight of local
projects.
• Responsible for supporting the Governing Governor by
developing and delivering a performance framework which
allows the Governor oversight of a range of partnership
commissioning including local contract arrangements.
• Responsible for supporting the Governing Governor to
develop strategy and policy compatible with national strategy
and policy to effectively support a strategic understanding of
national and local contracts and to sustain and increase
partnership activity.
• To act as the Health Safety and Fire Sponsor.
• To act as the Litigation Sponsor.
Resource Management & Change Management
• Accountable for the strategic oversight and management of
the establishment’s staffing resource, including all Workforce
Planning activities.
• Responsible for ensuring the establishment’s effective and
efficient use of staffing resources including planning and co-
ordination and stakeholder engagement activities to ensure
adherence to national standard operating procedures.
• Accountable for ensuring that the establishment adheres to
National Attendance Monitoring Processes.
OR-JES-2124-JD-B8 : HOFCS : Head of Business Assurance v7.0
• Accountable for developing and delivering effective Staff
Engagement and Communication strategies for the
establishment with specialist support from the HRBP team.
• Accountable for co-ordination and delivery of the
establishment Staff training plan including the completion of
the annual Self-Assessment Review (SAR) document.
• To act as the Local Implementation Manager for Business
Change and to act as SPOC in relation to local contracting
arrangements when directed by the Governor to meet
specific Business Change requirements when required.
• To ensure effective partnership working is developed and in
place with internal and regional HMPPS specialised partners
such as HRBP and FBP.
Audit & Assurance
• Accountable for the establishment’s adherence to the
National Assurance Process.
• Accountable for the establishment’s Audit and Assurance
activities including liaison with Regional Assurance
Managers and Programme Information and Analysis Group
(PIAG).
• Accountable for adherence to Governance & Operational
(G&O) audit outcomes including Financial controls,
Information Assurance, Performance data quality and the
Assurance framework.
• Accountable for the timely reporting and understanding of all
the establishment SDRs and assurance reporting including
local Data Validation are embedded within the establishment
management structures.
• Accountable for ensuring that robust audit control
mechanisms are in place to ensure quality and integrity of
internal audit outcomes.
• Accountable for the development and monitoring of the
Establishment Delivery Plan.
• Accountable for monitoring the assurance and compliance of
the establishment to local and national policies linked with
the function and providing assurance to the Governor of the
position of mandatory outcomes.
• Accountable for local asset management.
• To act as the designated lead for assurance and quality
visits from HMIP, MQPL, G&O.
Other Duties
• Act as the Governor's representative by chairing
adjudications and taking charge of day-to-day establishment
operations as Duty Governor (operational only).
The post holder will also be responsible for undertaking some or
all other management tasks including:
• Promote Prison Service policy in all activities and behaviours
e.g. promote diversity, decency, safety and reducing re-
offending agendas.
• Review open Assessment Care in Custody Teamwork
(ACCT) as and when required in line with audit baselines.
OR-JES-2124-JD-B8 : HOFCS : Head of Business Assurance v7.0
• Manage Prisoners’ Complaints Process within the Function.
• Responsible for ensuring all litigation claims relevant to the
area have been dealt with in accordance with policy.
• Oversee the compilation and regular progress reporting of
performance improvement programmes.
• Attend relevant boards/meetings and actively contribute
either as chair or team member.
• Responsible for ensuring the defined work areas and
associated activities comply with Health and Safety
legislation. Ensure all risk assessments are undertaken and
staff are made aware of their personal responsibility towards
Health and Safety compliance.
• Contribute to the preparation of the establishment
contingency and emergency plans and ensure
implementation when required.
• Produce relevant reports as required and ensure that the
responses to all correspondence are within agreed
timescales.
• Carry out investigations and administration in relation to
incidents of potential discrimination and report on findings.
• Deliver and implement projects as directed by the Governor.
• Provide leadership and management of the Function. Will
have the skills to apply all Human Resources (HR) related
policies and practices and be able to carry out all aspects of
people management such as Attendance Management,
Disciplinary Investigations, Performance Management and
Staff Appraisals.
• Provides leadership and direction for managers and staff
within their defined work area through Briefings, building
formal and informal relationships and effective
communication.
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
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
OR-JES-2124-JD-B8 : HOFCS : Head of Business Assurance v7.0
Essential
Experience
Technical
Job holders must complete specific training in their specialism
Requirements
once they take up post.
If Operational
• Must be successfully accredited by passing the Head of
Function Assessment Centre (HFAC), or prior to 2016 be
accredited as an Operational Manager (or in post as a G5
prior to 1999).
• Where HFAC accreditation was gained from 2018, the
Incident Management Silver Command (IMSC)
assessment must also be passed to be eligible for
operational Head of Function roles.
• Successful completion of the workbook.
• When transferring to a Young Persons establishment the
job holder will be required to successfully undertake an
assessment to demonstrate suitability to work with Young
People.
Ability
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
37 hour week
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
Required Hours Allowance - TBC by Recruiting Manager
This role requires regularly working unpredictable and unsocial
hours and to be on call to attend their place of work at any time. A
payment at the current organisational rate will be paid 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.
OR-JES-2124-JD-B8 : HOFCS : Head of Business Assurance v7.0