HQ Job Description (JD)
Band 10
Directorate:
Job Description: Head of Area Executive Director’s Office
Document Ref.
Head of Area Executive Director’s Office
Document Type
Management
Version
Classification
Official - Sensitive
Date of Issue
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Authorised by
JD Evidence
HQ-JES-2533 Head of Executive Director’s Office v3.1
Change History
Date
Version Nature of Change
Edited by
Sections Affected
HQ-JES-2533 Head of Executive Director’s Office v3.1
Job Description
Job Title
Head of Area Executive Director’s Office
Directorate
HMPPS
Band
10
HQ-JES-2533 Head of Executive Director’s Office v3.1
Overview of the
The job holder will report directly to the Area Executive Director
job
and will form part of the Area Executive Senior Management
Team, which is accountable for the performance and
development of prisons and probation services within the Area.
In certain instances, this will also include the National Service
which the Area Executive Director has responsibility for.
This is a leadership role, managing and developing an
immediate team as well as establishing strong working
relationships with the Area Executive Senior Management Team,
to enable a cohesive Area Team that works well together.
Additionally, strong stakeholder management skills are required
to gain the confidence of and build productive relationships with
central teams, senior managers, and external partners.
The job holder will be responsible for the management,
oversight, and development of the Area Executive Office
function. This will include identification and oversight of work
required within the Area, ensuring it is progressed and prioritised
effectively. They will make sound judgements on decisions that
they can make on behalf of the Area Executive Director and
those that need to be escalated to them.
The job holder will have line management and development
responsibility for staff in the Area Executive Director office. and
may include management and oversight of staff within the
Directorate working remotely from the office team.
The job role will be based primarily within the relevant Area and
there will be a requirement to visit operational places of work
within the area. Attendance in London and other venues for
meetings will also be required.
This is a non-operational role, open to operational or non-
operational staff.
HQ-JES-2533 Head of Executive Director’s Office v3.1
Summary
This is a Senior Manager post, and the job holder will need to
ensure that the Area Executive Director is effectively supported.
This will include overseeing efficient business management
processes, problem-solving, providing relevant and useful
advice, demonstrating sound judgement, managing risk
(escalating and communicating where appropriate), and
conducting ad hoc activities and non-routine work as required.
The job holder has a key role in strategic planning within the
Area, ensuring alignment with wider Agency and Ministerial
objectives and identifying opportunities for better ways of
working and improved join up between prisons and probation
and across the Area. They will be involved in setting the priorities
for their Area and have oversight of delivery of these and key
performance measures.
The job holder will provide leadership, vision and strategic
direction for the Area Executive Directorate holding
accountability for ensuring any risks are communicated and
managed and that the work by the Directorate contributes to
HMPPS priorities.
The job holder will need to be abreast of significant
developments within HMPPS and wider government, advising
the Area Executive Director of where engagement or input may
be required to ensure that impacts on the Area are considered,
and, where possible, reflected in decision-making.
The job role can be fast paced with priorities often shifting
quickly and significantly, requiring the job holder to be able to
flex plans and be skilled in prioritising.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following
Activities and
responsibilities, activities, and duties:
Duties
?
Providing strong leadership to the immediate Area office
team and, as part of the Area Executive Senior Management
Team, helping to establish a healthy culture and leading
through challenges and change.
?
Management of the Area Executive Office to ensure that the
Area Executive Director is fully supported, this will include
establishing and overseeing effective business management
processes within the Area Office team and with PGDs and
RPDs, ensuring that accountabilities and responsibilities are
agreed and understood, and that work is undertaken at the
appropriate level with escalation as appropriate.
?
Strategic and business planning for the Area, working closely
with the wider Area team and ensuring an understanding of
wider organisational objectives to identify Area priorities.
Oversight of plans to ensure that these are effectively
recorded, communicated, and monitored.
?
Playing a key role in the continuous improvement of the Area
to promote safe and secure prisons, effective rehabilitation,
protection of the public and reductions in reoffending. This
will include identifying opportunities for better ways of
working and improved join-up between prisons and probation
and across the Area, including maintaining and developing
constructive links with key organisations and partners.
HQ-JES-2533 Head of Executive Director’s Office v3.1
?
Working with performance leads and teams, oversight of
performance, assurance and risk management of prisons and
probation services within the Area to be able to advise and
brief the AED appropriately. This includes ensuring areas of
concern are flagged as well as recognition of improvements
and overseeing a coordinated response and monitoring of
progress.
?
Representing the Area Executive Director, undertaking
activities on their behalf, including attending meetings as
required.
?
Managing the Area Executive Office’s relationship with
headquarters (MoJ and HMPPS) to ensure efficient
processes, effective communication and information sharing
and utilisation of central expertise.
?
Work alongside Business Partners to ensure effective
workforce planning and budget management for the office
and Area.
?
Providing advice and briefings to HQ and Ministers on high-
profile issues within the Area as well as any Area-wide issues
or those impacting multiple prisons/PDUs within the Area,
consulting closely with the operational line on the detail.
?
Building productive working relationships with the rest of the
Area Executive Senior Management Team and their wider
teams to ensure the effective running of the Area as a
cohesive unit.
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
?
Leadership
?
Communicating and Influencing
?
Seeing the Big Picture
?
Making Effective Decisions
Strengths
NB: The below are for guidance only. It is advised strengths are
chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
Ability
?
Ability and skills to represent HMPPS to stakeholders at
senior management level and clearly demonstrated
understanding of the role of HMPPS related to stakeholders.
?
Have high levels of integrity and professional credibility.
?
High level written and oral communication skills to prepare
and deliver ministerial level briefs.
?
Ability to function effectively and autonomously in a
challenging environment with a high level of personal
resilience.
Experience
?
Experience of business planning and budget management.
?
Is a competent and proven senior manager with previous
operational experience or a strong understanding of the
operational environment in which this role is delivered.
?
Experience and skills in leading and managing in a complex
change management context.
HQ-JES-2533 Head of Executive Director’s Office v3.1
?
Effective high-quality skills to lead and manage staff to
achieve demanding objectives.
?
Demonstrates sound judgement and has the ability to build
effective working relationships, and to influence and negotiate
with internal and external stakeholders at a senior level in a
complex and multi-layered delivery landscape.
Minimum
Please do not alter this box.
Eligibility
? 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.
Hours of Work
37 hours
(Unsocial Hours)
TBC by Recruiting Manager
Allowances
This Job role may require additional hours from time to time and
this should be discussed with your line manager
HQ-JES-2533 Head of Executive Director’s Office v3.1
Factor Examples
Please provide job-specific examples to support the factors below (please refer to guidance
for completion):
Factor
Examples
Skills &
A proven record of leadership inspiring staff, successfully engaging
Knowledge
senior leaders, leading change, and performance improvement, and
building capability to deliver business objectives.
Whilst accountability will remain with the Area Executive Director the
Job holder will have advanced knowledge and strategic understanding
of wider policy work gained through their extensive knowledge of or
work in operations. They will provide authoritative advice to HMPPS
and MOJ Policy leads on incorporating this into strategic decision
making and to understand the wider organisational policy and
competing drivers (such as Finance, HR, Reform and MoJ specific).
Demonstrates ability to produce high quality management information
through others for a wide range of senior stakeholders within HMPPS
and MOJ including HMPPS Executive Board, and Ministers.
Will have the skills to negotiate with Chief Executives, Directors, Senior
managers and a broad range of subject matter experts and policy
groups to influence development of activities and ensure they inform
and meet commissioning intentions and prison and probation priorities
Able to demonstrate excellent stakeholder management skills. The
post will be required to represent the Area Executive Director and
HMPPS within a complex delivery environment including across
HMPPS (prison and probation), MOJ, HQ function and contracted
prisons.
Accountability & The job holder is responsible for strategic responsibility and line
Decision Making management of the area office support team and national support
team
On behalf of the Area Executive Director (AED holds ultimate
accountability) accountable for making decisions regarding non-
operational performance improvement initiatives made at prison and
probation group level and where necessary devising strategies to
support improved performance
Represent the Area Executive Director at strategic meetings and work
with senior personnel within the wider HMPPS Directorates and
Contracted prisons
Accountable for decision making on behalf of the Area Executive
Director (AED holds ultimate accountability) with stakeholders in the
wider Civil Service, such as Education and Health providers when
coordinating prison improvements, particularly where establishments
are under Urgent Notification or Special Measures.
Provide advice and support to HMPPS HQ initial assessment teams
during visits to prisons under Urgent Notification or Special Measures
Demonstrate the knowledge and skills to provide strategic advice with
the authority of the Area Executive Director to Prison Group Directors
and Regional Probation Directors and their offices in their designated
area.
HQ-JES-2533 Head of Executive Director’s Office v3.1
Problem Solving The post holder will be required to deal with day-to-day problems
within their functions of responsibility. In addition, more complex
problems regarding the delivery of objectives may require the post
holder to make decisions, or to recommend a solution to the Area
Executive Director.
Accountable for developing innovative solutions to problems to ensure
safe, decent, and secure environments within a rehabilitative culture.
The Job role will ensure best value for money and contribute to policy
and practice including risk-based evaluation and escalation process.
Work with the Area Executive Director to solve complex multi-faceted
problems in their area, regions and locally and between the relevant
Directorates, HMPPS HQ and wider MOJ including the Reform
agenda. This includes statistical analysis of performance and
management information in order to make informed decisions and
being innovated to meet Directorate priorities.
The post will use consultative and co-operative methods to devise
suitable processes and resolutions to problems including engagement
with Trade Unions at both local and national levels.
A significant amount of the work will be non-routine and will require the
job holder to research/investigate/consult with a wide range of
disciplines, prison groups or establishments prior to developing
solutions or proposals which may impact across the PSP Directorate,
within individual groups or wider service.
Develop solutions ensuring the integration and interpretation of
information, and exercising a significant level of independent
judgement which may require changes to existing working practices.
High levels of innovation and creativity will be necessary as the job
holder will be required to address problems and develop solutions in
areas where there is no precedent or existing relevant response. This
may impact within the Area Directorate or wider estate.
Resource
Jobholder needs to be aware of the implications on their area’s prison
Management
and probation establishments when developing/revising/advising on
and Financial
policy and when making requests to Prison Groups or Probation
Impact
Regions for action/information.
The job holder is responsible for the resources and budget within the
Area Executive Director office team and ancillary equipment and
budget. At the discretion of the Area Executive Director additional
budgetary responsibilities will be required to ensure the smooth and
efficient running of the area’s finances.
Accountable for advising Area Executive Director when developing
business cases. This will include consulting with specialist leads within
HMPPS to ensure consistent application of policy and to understand
competing pressures and priorities.
Provide advice to Area Executive Director on capital bids submitted.
Work with Finance and Estates leads ensuring that the Area delivers
value for money against identified objectives.
Organising and
Aid in the development and implementation of medium- and long-term
Planning
business and strategic priorities for their Area, consulting with key
stakeholders with MOJ and HMPPS HQ, area, regional and locally.
Additional liaison will be required with the wider Civil Service, Ministers,
HQ-JES-2533 Head of Executive Director’s Office v3.1
and external partners such as NHS and Police Commission to ensure
that all priorities align with the overall business strategies.
The post holder will be required to consult with HMPPS HQ teams on
Urgent Notification and Special Measures in order to respond to a wide
range of requests but not limited to ministerial and government
briefings, Select Committees, HMIP and GIAA reports, Select
Committees, HMIP reports, ensuring turnaround times and time limits
are adhered to
The Job holder will need an extensive understanding of the workings of
government and how their work aligns to policy and procedure linking
their work and the work of the Area to overall corporate business plans
and strategy
The Job holder will have a broad understanding of how their area
business plan aligns to the strategic priorities within the business and
other government departments
People
Responsible for the leadership of staff within the Area Executive
Management
Directors office function to include direct line management of
Operational/Non-Operational staff 1 x band4 Personal Assistant, and
other roles Band 9 and below e.g.: such as B8 Wellbeing Lead etc
Timely production and completion of SPDRs, agreeing personal
development plans and creating individual learning paths on the staff
database, timely accurate recording of any absence and clear and
accurate performance management. (Currently 1xPA)
Information
Groups within job holders’ remit (and job holder) will be required to
Management
provide responses to (for example) Parliamentary Questions, Freedom
of Information requests, prisoner Complaints, Judicial Review,
Freedom of Information requests and Ministerial Correspondence. The
job holder may be required to oversee this work and sign off on the
final lines and draft.
Collate, organise, analyse reports produced and provided from a wide
range of sources but not limited to recruitment, retention, Learning and
Development, safety, and estates for Area Executive Director for
bilateral meetings with DGO, CEO, COO. Attend bilateral meetings
when required in AED absence. Provide information and advice on
behalf of the Area Executive Director to the PGDs/RPDs Director
HMPPS including any restricted information.
Oversee analysis of performance data from all sources. Coordinate
production of management information by PGD/RPDs to highlight
areas of concern or good practice to the wider Area Directorate.
Job holder may be required to read and understand a broad spectrum
of documentation and represent the Executive Director where required
including Data Working Group and Performance Assurance Boards.
Job holder will provide advice and guidance for key stakeholders
(including HMPPS HQ Policy Leads) in relation to the policies within
the job holder’s area of responsibility.
Shares information as appropriate within the Directorate and with
internal and external stakeholders, keeping relevant data and evidence
in line with records management policies.
Access to extremely sensitive and commercially sensitive information
on behalf of the Area Executive Director
Influencing and
Maintain regular contact with area office team to ensure delivery of
interaction
agreed area priorities.
The post holder is the critical link in delivering the wider agenda for the
management of risk within their area and via interactions with their
HQ-JES-2533 Head of Executive Director’s Office v3.1
Area Executive Director., PGD/RPD/TU/HMPPS HQ/MOJ and
contracted services
Must provide a balanced view between the competing policy and
resource needs in offering advice and proposing any necessary
actions to the Area Executive Director.
The post holder will develop key relationships with PGDs/RPDs and
area SLT to achieve the organisational objectives which helps the Area
Executive Director to evaluate performance against objectives
The Job holder will have wide ranging contact with external providers
and stakeholders regarding the implementation of projects and/or the
delivery of business objectives within their Area. This work may be
unstructured and ambiguous due to the change management and
project management environment and the need to change
direction/priorities, as necessary.
Job holder is often required to attend meetings within HMPPS prison
and probation on behalf of the Area Executive Director; this may
require influencing or negotiation skills
Influencing and persuasion skills are an important part of the role.
Examples of this include:
?
The role often requires the job holder to request action/information
from prisons and probation, HMPPS HQ and MOJ.
?
The job holder will act as a point of contact for the Area Executive
Director and will filter and action matters at own discretion
escalating matters to the Area Executive Director when felt
necessary.
?
The job holder may be required to influence decision making by
Area Executive Director which contribute to the risk management
and assurance of the Area
Emotional
In the course of their duties the Job holder will represent the Area
Demand and
Executive Director and HMPPS when visiting the prisons and probation
Risk
estate. Site visits will include interaction with offenders in custody and
people on probation including but is not limited to attending meetings
and focus groups.
The Job holder will be required to access and review disturbing
casework in the course of their duties in order to resolve concerns and
conflicts
HQ-JES-2533 Head of Executive Director’s Office v3.1
Success Profile
Seeing the Big Picture
Choose an item.
Ability to make decisions about
Experience of business planning
If operational - The job holder
issues of risk arising from security
and budget management.
must have been successfully
Strengths
incidents and intelligence, audit
accredited as Senior
and assurance activity and
Operational Manager (or i.e.,
N.B. The below are for
managing these effectively and
those that have passed national
Behaviours
guidance only. It is
sensitively acr A
o b
ssi li
otry
ganisational
Experience
Governor 3T e
B cohn
ar idc a
p lrior to July
advised strengths are
2000), and operational
and contractual boundaries and in
chosen locally,
managers on promotion who
line with political and economic
recommended 4-8
have passed the STBIC or SOM
considerations.
JSAC.
Changing and Improving
Choose an item.
Ability and skills to represent
?
Is a competent and proven
HMPPS to stakeholders at senior
senior manager with
management level and clearly
previous operational
demonstrated understanding of
experience. or a strong
the role of HMPPS related to
understanding of the
stakeholders.
operational environment in
which this role is delivered.
Managing a Quality Service
Choose an item.
Have high levels of integrity and
Experience and skills in leading
professional credibility.
and managing in a complex
change management context.
Delivering at Pace
Choose an item.
High level written and oral
Effective high-quality skills to lead
communication skills to prepare
and manage staff to achieve
and deliver ministerial level briefs.
demanding objectives.
Leadership
Choose an item.
Ability to function effectively and
Demonstrates sound judgement,
autonomously in a challenging
and has the ability to build
environment with a high level of
effective working relationships,
personal resilience.
and to influence and negotiate
with internal and external
stakeholders at a senior level in a
complex and multi-layered
delivery landscape.
Communicating and Influencing
Choose an item.
Working Together
Choose an item.
Choose an item.
Choose an item.
HQ-JES-2533 Head of Executive Director’s Office v3.1