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General Information

Salary
£81,380 - £93,820
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
Internal
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
27-May-2025
Business Unit
AGY - NOMS Agency
Post Type
Loan
Civil Service Grade
Other
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
5906

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Head of Operations for the Chief Probation Officer (CPO)

This role sits within Central Operations Support in the Probation Operations Directorate leading the Commissions and Priority Projects Team. You will be required to use extensive, up to date operational knowledge in a number of different settings including longer term strategic work and a high volume of reactive, tactical work. It’s high-profile, with daily interactions with senior leaders from the operation, central teams, HMPPS and MOJ to Director General (DG) level alongside external partners, requiring an established network of relationships across these areas and strong credibility embedded within an extensive history of delivery in context.

The role also require the post holder:

  • To attend meetings with, and on behalf of the CPO to provide advice on the spot in detailed probation delivery issues.
  • To manage relationships with stakeholders beyond their grade and generate influence and understanding with them around shared (including contentious) subjects.
  • To use intelligence from these relationships to anticipate challenges and address before they come into fruition.
  • To work across government using established relationships in key departments such as the Home Office, Cabinet Office and Number 10 teams.
  • To have detailed understanding of issues of current context, particularly where this relates to consequential impacts of changes to advise or steer senior discussions. This is particularly relevant to HMPPS capacity where intricate knowledge of both prison and probation practice and dependencies is required.
  • To be able to work independently on operational guidance and advice for sensitive matters without support of the wider team, requiring strong knowledge base.
  • To lead fast paced work to respond to Ministerial and DG level requests requiring a flexible approach and regular out of hours work requirements.
  • To be an experienced and confident drafter of advice, submissions and briefings, as well as delivering these through a team.
  • To be experienced in the management of multiple interacting information flows and decision making to ensure consequential impacts are understood and managed effectively. This will require confidence in challenging issues on a limited evidenced base, pivoting direction of activity to priorities.
  • To attend meetings with Ministers and provide appropriate advice on specific practice based issues as the primary representative of Probation.
  • To be experienced in coroner’s inquest process, in particular those relating to Serious Further Offence investigations or terrorist related events, requiring the production of information to be used in legal settings and preparing the CPO evidence.
  • To be experienced in preparing and advising on media / political responses where there are specific practice elements in contention.
  • To be responsible for leading the covid inquest response on behalf of probation.
  • To have a strong sense of corporate history in decision making, particularly relevant to long term projects such as prison capacity.
  • To undertake HR work as required by the CPO.
  • To lead work building on and developing stronger interactions between POD and operational delivery, influencing and advising on structures to strengthen this link.
  • To be a practice filter for the CPO, POD Deputy Directors and others.

This role would suit an individual already working at ACO D or Band 11 with a Probation Qualification.

The start date for this role is with immediate effect.

 Experience   

  • Significant experience of the delivery of probation services at senior manager level.
  • Substantial experience of line management of staff, including supervision, appraisal and motivating.
  • Experience of formulating and implementing policy successfully and effectively.

Technical    

Mandatory - Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP). Or, a qualification which was recognised at the time of qualification by the Secretary of State for Justice as per Section 10 of the Offender Management Act 2007.

The following qualifications gained in England and Wales were previously recognised as providing such eligibility:

  • Probation Qualification Framework Graduate Diploma/Honours Degree in Community Justice integrated with Level 5 Diploma in Probation Practice
  • BA (Hons)/Graduate Diploma in Community Justice (incorporating a level 5 Diploma in Probation Practice (Vocational Qualification))
  • Diploma in Probation Studies
  • Diploma in Social Work (with Probation Option)
  • CQSW (with Probation Option)

Please note that this is a temporary loan appointment for up to 12 months.

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made. 

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service, plus public holidays. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis

Pension

The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF).  Please visit www.gmpf.org.uk for further information.

Please note: Any current Civil Servant who is a member of the PCSPS, by accepting an offer of employment to the National Probation Services will be opted out of the PCSPS and auto enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

Support

  • A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.  

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.


Contact Information
MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 5906

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 5906

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Leadership, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Changing and Improving
Leadership
Making Effective Decisions
Seeing the Big Picture

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
To Be Confirmed
Behaviours
Changing and Improving
Leadership
Making Effective Decisions
Seeing the Big Picture
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Level of security checks required
Enhanced Baseline Standard (EBS)