HQ Job Description (JD)
Band 5
Directorate: Strategy, Planning and Performance
Job Description - Measuring Quality of Prison Life
(MQPL) Research Officer
Document Ref.
HQ-JES-1431 Measuring Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) Research
Officer v3.0
Document Type
Management
Version
3.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
03/04/20
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
HQ-JES-1431 Measuring Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) Research Officer v3.0
Job Description
Job Title
Measuring Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) Research Officer
Directorate
Strategy, Planning and Performance
Band
5
Overview of the job
This is a non-operational, specialist research and assurance role within HMPPS
Operational and System Assurance Group. The MQPL Research Officer will report to
the Head of Survey Delivery who is a Band 9 Surveys Senior Manager within the
Custodial Assurance team.
The Operational and System Assurance Group (OSAG) provide the necessary
operational audit and quality assurance service to HMPPS and Ministry of Justice
(MOJ) stakeholders. This service provides assurance on delivery of service outcomes
and value for money across the offender system.
The Measuring the Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) and Staff Quality of Life (SQL)
surveys are carried out as part of the wider assurance role for HMPPS and the MOJ.
The surveys are designed to provide an understanding and measurement of the
most important aspects of a prison’s performance from the perspective of prisoners
and staff, measuring the ‘difficult to measure’ in an accessible way and providing
insights into prison culture in a timely fashion. The information from the surveys is
used to hold prison governors to account.
The MQPL Research Officer is responsible for providing support, training and line
management to the team of Research Assistants who carry out the surveys of
prisoners and staff in prisons across England and Wales. The Research Officer will
also lead on ensuring the analysis and interpretation process is conducted effectively
and will produce timely reports that clearly communicate a holistic view of the
prisons culture to a wide range of stakeholders including Prison Governors,
Executive Directors, Chief Executive Officer of HMPPS and MOJ. They will also quality
assure the data produced by the team within both regular reports, bespoke analysis
and contribution to the Custodial Performance Tool (CPT).
Summary
The MQPL Research Officer is pivotal to the team’s success and as a group will work
together to fulfil key supervisory responsibilities. This includes oversight of the
Research Assistants’ training plan and continual development along with the
allocation of work.
The job holder is required to:
? manage an allocated programme of the MQPL surveys (prisoners and staff)
conducted primarily by Research Assistants - although may be involved in
conducting them on occasion;
? analyse and interpret MQPL data to identify findings and produce reports of
these findings using both technical skills and experience of MQPL research or
other relevant research knowledge;
? provide quality assurance for MQPL data and final reports for a wide audience
from establishments to the HMPPS board etc.; and
? present the results of analysis to Governing Governors and other Senior
Managers, facilitate discussions about the findings and use own judgement to
answer queries and comment on relationships/patterns within the data.
HQ-JES-1431 Measuring Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) Research Officer v3.0
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
Activities and Duties
and duties:
? Act as line manager for MQPL Research Assistants and/or Business Support staff
(includes: providing training, feedback, support and supervision in all aspects of
the role as necessary - either in person or by co-ordination with other third
parties). As manager for the office based Business Support Officer, the job
holder is responsible for the training and supervision of this member of staff and
for all aspects of the ‘office based’ support function roles this member of staff
completes.
? Take a lead in the training and supervision of new Research Officers in all
elements of the role (including report writing and feedback presentations).
? Take responsibility for managing all aspects of the MQPL surveys allocated to
the job holder, providing advice and support to Research Assistants completing
these tasks to ensure that surveys are completed within the appropriate ethical
guidelines and as efficiently as possible.
? Take responsibility for the accuracy of MQPL data by following established MQPL
protocols regarding the cleaning and analysis of MQPL data (includes: providing
advice and feedback to other MQPL team members and identifying
issues/anomalies to the Senior Research Analyst if necessary).
? Take responsibility for the initial edit of draft reports completed by Research
Assistants, ensuring accuracy; further analyse and fully interpret data to write and
complete the report; review/edit the summary sections produced by other
Research Officers to provide a final report for sign off by the Head of MQPL.
? Facilitate MQPL survey feedback sessions and telephone discussions, delivered to
the Governing Governors/SMTs or establishment staff as required. (This includes:
selecting materials for inclusion and ensuring the timely production and accuracy
of these; preparing for questions and queries; providing considered advice about
the meaning and interpretation of the report and its statistical findings based on
MQPL data and previous experience; and facilitating discussion with the aim of
increasing understanding of the findings and how these might relate to contextual
information.)
? Where applicable record contextual information throughout the survey or
feedback session, and complete bespoke analysis as required before final checks
by the Senior Research Officer and/or the Head of MQPL.
? Contribute to the maintenance of collated data sets and perform management
checks as required.
? Undertake management visits to MQPL surveys providing Research Assistants
with feedback on performance and management with feedback on the MQPL
process.
? Contribute to the ongoing development of MQPL methodology, survey
procedure, MQPL reports, feedback sessions and other key aspects of the work.
? Attend and contribute to team meetings, functional group meetings and other ad
hoc meetings as required.
? Contribute to other non-standard research/thematic reviews as necessary.
In addition to the above, Research Officers are required to complete all tasks
pertaining to the Research Assistant role both in order to ensure their skills and
knowledge are up to date, to provide cover to meet the business plan and also in
order to review MQPL systems, procedures and performance of Research Assistants.
? Liaise with establishments prior to survey visits to plan the schedule, publicise
and explain the survey approach and ensure that the survey samples are
appropriate.
? Facilitate focus/discussion groups (prisoners or staff), arranging the sessions and
resources required, taking responsibility for resolving ad hoc issues, ensuring
sufficient numbers are surveyed and informed consent is gained.
? Complete comprehensive notes during discussion groups and ensure these are
placed accurately into the MQPL dimensions. Complete a similar categorisation
task with qualitative data from the survey itself. These tasks require the job
holder to make informed decisions based on the data and the context.
HQ-JES-1431 Measuring Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) Research Officer v3.0
? Hand out surveys to individual prisoners who cannot attend groups when
required, explaining the survey and gaining informed consent. Also support
individuals who have difficulty completing the questionnaire.
? Input and organise both qualitative and quantitative data collected, cleaning the
data and introducing individual establishment data to the collated data sets to
deadline.
? Analyse data as required using Excel and SPSS, checking for errors or issues in
outputs, templates and syntax to deadline.
? Prepare first draft survey reports accurately to deadline.
? Facilitate an initial meeting at the establishment with the Governor and/or
members of the SMT detailing the MQPL process, responding to queries and
collecting contextual information about the establishment for use in the report.
? Attend feedback sessions and co-facilitate where appropriate, ensuring
materials are prepared accurately and notes taken are clear, thorough and an
informative contribution to the report context section.
? Undertake required supervision and attend/contribute to practitioner meetings
in order to ensure continued good practice and high standard of delivery.
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
? Making Effective Decisions
? Communicating and Influencing
? Managing a Quality Service
? Delivering at Pace
? Changing and Improving
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
Experience
? The job holder will be required to have experience and knowledge of MQPL
research and reporting, or experience and knowledge of other research and
reporting in a similar field.
? Experience of analysing data using statistical methods is also required.
Technical
? A first degree in social sciences or equivalent is required.
Requirements
Ability
Minimum Eligibility
Please do not alter this box
? 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.
HQ-JES-1431 Measuring Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) Research Officer v3.0
Hours of Work
37
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
HQ-JES-1431 Measuring Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) Research Officer v3.0
Success Profile
Strengths
Behaviours
It is advised strengths
Ability
Experience
Technical
are chosen locally,
recommended 4-8
Changing and Improving
The job holder will be required to
A first degree in social sciences or
have experience and knowledge of
equivalent is required.
MQPL research and reporting, or
experience and knowledge of other
research and reporting in a similar
field.
Making Effective Decisions
Experience of analysing data using
statistical methods is also required.
Communicating and Influencing
Managing a Quality Service
Delivering at Pace
Choose an item.
Choose an item.
Choose an item.
HQ-JES-1431 Measuring Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) Research Officer v3.0