Immigration Policy Lead, Independent Monitoring Boards and Lay Observers.
HEO
Canary Wharf, London
The salary for this role is set within the MoJ HEO pay range.
This role is on a full-time basis (flexible working arrangements considered).
This role is on a temporary basis for an initial period of 12 months, with the potential for this to be extended.
About Independent Monitoring Boards
Members of Independent Monitoring Boards (IMBs) are unpaid public appointees (volunteers) who provide statutory, independent scrutiny of the treatment and care of people in prisons and immigration detention. There are approximately 1100 IMB members, organised into around 130 Boards, each with its own Chair. They are appointed by ministers and operate in prisons and young offender institutions (run by HM Prisons and Probation Service - MOJ), in immigration removal centres, various short-term holding facilities and on repatriation flights for those being removed from the UK (run by the Home Office).
Lay Observers (LOs) are also unpaid volunteers appointed by ministers, whose responsibility it is to check on the welfare of individuals in court custody suites and while they are traveling in the care and custody of escort contractors.
As independent scrutiny bodies, IMBs and LOs have a growing public profile and play an increasingly crucial role in providing assurance to ministers and the public on the conditions and treatment of those held in detention. They are members of the UK’s National Preventive Mechanism, under the UK’s international human rights obligations to prevent torture and other ill-treatment of people in detention. They work closely with HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, who also play a key part in the oversight and assurance of places of detention. The findings of IMBs and LOs are fed into the performance and scrutiny information used by government to contribute to prisons and immigration detention policy and process changes, in line with the government’s commitment to ensuring safe, humane and effective places of detention.
About the role
The post holder will lead on and be responsible for the development and provision of immigration detention policy and research advice, although will also be required to work across the team when necessary on prison and court custody and escort policy and research advice. They will provide support to the IMB National Chair and to individual IMBs to maximise the reach and impact of the work of IMBs. They will be line managed by the Policy Manager and work closely alongside the Prison Policy Lead and the Lay Observer Policy Lead.
The post holder will also be key to identifying avenues where the IMB can influence immigration detention policy development. They will ensure that the IMB is up to date with immigration detention policy changes so that we can inform the membership and ensure that monitoring is in line with latest guidance.
Key responsibilities
Key responsibilities will include, but may not be limited to (note hyperlinks are embedded within the text to point to published examples of key responsibilities):
Drafting presentations, policy positions, briefing papers and national / thematic reports
Collating and analysing various internal and external sources to identify themes/trends and inform policy development, including IMB annual reports and quarterly feedback, associated surveys/information and numerical data sets
Supporting research as required for policy and impact work, including proposing an appropriate methodology, collecting and analysing data and drafting national/thematic reports
Supporting the IMB National Chair to develop and manage relationships with key internal and external stakeholders
Identifying, coordinating, managing and drafting IMB responses to external consultations in liaison with individual Boards/members and the National Chair
Drafting and producing written submissions to relevant parliamentary committee inquiries, collating information from Boards and recent annual reports
Providing briefings, Q&A and support for parliamentary committee hearings etc, including attending, advising and taking notes
Delivering presentations and providing presentations, briefings, Q&A and supporting information for internal and external stakeholder meetings, including the immigration detention forum, identifying agenda items and following up actions as necessary
Considering, trialling and embedding better IDE reporting methods for easier policy analysis
Reviewing Board quarterly feedback to provide top-level analysis of themes prior to the quarterly immigration detention forum
Being the first point of contact for IMB members on immigration detention policy queries
Providing policy updates to members via the members’ website or equivalent
Summarising new policy frameworks and updating the members’ website
Providing immigration detention policy input to the monitoring advice and guidance team when required
Briefing the National Chair/CEO for visits to Boards/establishments/external events
In conjunction with the Policy Manager, horizon scanning for developments in policy, research or practice affecting the work of immigration detention IMBs including identifying opportunities to influence these
Alongside the Communications Lead, organising internal engagement sessions for IMB members on a range of immigration detention policy topics, including liaising with speakers, and producing summaries
Working closely alongside the Prison and Lay Observer Policy Leads, covering prison and court custody and escort policy work whenever necessary
Ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion is considered during the application of all tasks and championed during interaction with the membership
Working collaboratively with the IMB/LO staff team.
Performing other job-related duties as required.
Skills
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following skills:
Essential criteria
An excellent understanding of the immigration detention system
An understanding of working with volunteers
Strong inter-personal skills and the ability to work as part of a team
Strong organisational skills
Understanding of the UK National Preventive Mechanisms (Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture - OPCAT) or general human rights related issues
Excellent written and oral communication skills, with proficiency in use of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Powerpoint
Excellent research and analytical skills
Proven ability to work with a range of internal and external stakeholders on multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
Ability to make evidence-based decisions and provide senior leaders with timely, accurate advice.
Desirable criteria
An understanding of prisons and/or court custody and transport services
Social research skills
Understanding of new technology such as AI and its potential for the policy profession
Knowledge and understanding of the IMB and LOs
An understanding of the parliamentary and legislative process
Important information
Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the vacancy manager for an informal conversation prior to applying. Please contact Mitchell.Long1@justice.gov.uk.
This role is being offered as a fixed term contract of 12 months for external candidates. This role has the strong possibility of being extended and/or made permanent.
Existing civil servants (see eligibility below) will be transferred in on a loan of 12 months, (again the role has the strong possibility of being extended and/or made permanent). Therefore, for the loan you will need agreement from your current line manager prior to applying that they are content with releasing you quickly if successful. Not gaining agreement, may result in being subject to redeployment processes at the end of the relevant period, if the role is not extended or made permanent, subject to MoJ resourcing policies.
Loan opportunities are open to employees who:
Have been recruited in line with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles (appointment on merit through fair and open competition).
Have successfully completed their probationary period.
Have demonstrated acceptable performance and attendance levels.
Do not have any immigration visa restriction which specifies a particular place of work.