HQ Job Description (JD)
Band 11
Directorate: Strategy, Planning and Performance
Job Description - Head of Custody Improvement,
Effective Practice and Service Improvement Group
(EPSIG)
Document Ref.
HQ-JES-2841 Head of Custody Improvement, EPSIG v1.0
Document Type
Management
Version
1.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
19 October 2021
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
HQ-JES-2841 Head of Custody Improvement, EPSIG v1.0
Job Description
Job Title
Head of Custody Improvement, Effective Practice and Service Improvement Group
(EPSIG)
Directorate
Strategy, Planning and Performance Directorate
Band
11
Overview of the job
The Effective Practice and Service Improvement Group (EPSIG) is responsible for
supporting continuous improvement across HMPPS. EPSIG helps identify priorities
for improvement across the whole system (Prison, Probation and the Youth Custody
Service) and develops products and services which are responsive to the needs of
HMPPS.
The Head of Custody Improvement will work as a senior strategic leader to influence
the development of an improvement culture within all HMPPS and contracted
offender services in Custody which supports and complements national programmes
and strategies, including Prison Reform, Prison Recovery (Covid-19) and HMPPS
Reducing Reoffending.
The post holder, as the subject matter expert in custodial improvement, will be
responsible for agreeing improvement priorities to cover all HMPPS and contracted
offender services in Custody and developing and delivering the EPSIG Custody
Improvement Strategy agreeing both with senior stakeholders including the Director
General for Prisons, the Executive Director for Youth Custody and with relevant
governance including the Prison Performance Committee (PPC).
The post holder will form and maintain effective relationships with senior leaders in
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons to ensure HMPPS Custody improvement work
takes into account the Inspectorates Expectations and is responsive to their findings
and recommendations including urgent, high profile situations including Urgent
notification.
The post holder will lead the development of ‘place based’ support across Custody
including leading national teams such as the Prison Performance Support
Programme (PPSP) (for the prisons of most concern) and the Standards Coaching
Team. Working closely with national senior leaders and locally with Prison Group
Directors (PGDs) and governors to identify and address the root cause of
performance issues, applying evidence based interventions, and ensuring a
disciplined focus to measure the impact of our services which target more efficient
and effective processes and improved outcomes.
The post holder will lead the development of ‘thematic’ products to support service
improvement across all HMPPS and contracted out custodial services ensuring they
meet business need. This will include a review of existing products and the
development of new that are responsive to changes in policy, standards, delivery
models and emerging practice and performance issues.
The post holder will lead and coordinate EPSIG support for the Next Generation
Prison Reform Programme in achieving its ambition of delivering a modern and more
efficient prison service.
The post holder will have a significant span of control leading and holding budget
responsibility for a Custody Improvement team (circa 40 staff) including a group of
senior managers and their performance as an SLT. The span of control and
accountability of the post holder will extend to (approx.) 40 further operational staff
to be deployed across a range of prisons as part of the Standards Coaching Team and
be managed by EPSIG Custody Improvement Team during their deployment, and
(approx.) six PPSP Service Improvements leads.
HQ-JES-2841 Head of Custody Improvement, EPSIG v1.0
The post holder will work collaboratively as one of 5 members of a newly formed
EPSIG SLT to ensure the EPSIG operating model, and associated group wide ways of
working across the four EPSIG functions, support the effective and efficient delivery
of cross-cutting work for the Group where ‘thematic’ work spans HMPPS. The post
holder will lead the development of products and services which will support
improvement in both community and custody settings.
The post holder will ensure the EPSIG service offer and our group ways of working
actively address inequality and that EPSIG demonstrates support for the HMPPS and
MoJ Belonging agenda including Diversity and Inclusion and Race Action Plans and
strategies.
Summary
The post holder will:
• Ensure the EPSIG Custody Improvement function is understood across HMPPS
and with wider stakeholders. The post holder will lead EPSIG engagement with
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons.
• As the Strategy Planning and Performance Directorate (SPP) subject matter
expert in custody improvement, be expected to advise and consult with the
HMPPS Leadership Team (HLT), the Director General for Prisons and Executive
Director for Youth Custody around priorities for custody improvement and how
to target the resources of the agency’s custodial services budget as well as
EPSIG resource to maximise impact of national teams, making decisions in line
with data and evidence provided by Data Working Group and Prison
Performance Committee. The post holder will have a significant influence over
spend associated with PPSP and Standards Coaching Team including how to
target both capital and revenue investment.
• Produce, lead and review the EPSIG Custody Improvement Strategy and Plan
ensuring activity supports agreed improvement priorities across all HMPPS and
contracted out custodial services. Leading the plan through governance and
ensuring appropriate quarterly reviews are shared with key stakeholders.
• Be responsible for embedding and further developing EPSIG improvement
services and products for custody including for the Youth Custody Service (YCS)
ensuring reach across the PGD and YCS areas securing better outcomes via more
efficient and effective processes and services.
• Ensure EPSIG staff, our customers and wider stakeholders learn from our
approach through a disciplined and continuous approach to applying evidence,
measuring the impact of our products and services, refining and sharing impact.
• Ensure effective representation and engagement with appropriate HMPPS and
partnership governance to support understanding of the EPSIG custody
improvement function and its complementary approaches with Prison and YCS
system governance.
• Work across the Strategy Planning & Performance Directorate with Deputy
Directors and their SLTs to achieve effective collaboration and ‘joined up’
delivery; ensuring customers and stakeholders experience the directorate
approach as cohesive.
Location is flexible, but is likely to involve some travel to venues in England and
Wales which may require some overnight stays.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
Activities and Duties
and duties:
• Lead the development of Custody ‘place based’ and ‘thematic’ services and
products to address the underlying causes of performance and quality issues,
addressing inefficient and ineffective services. Placed based work will include
further development and implementation of the Prison Performance Support
Programme (PPSP) working with the most challenged prisons (circa 6 prisons
typically performing at the lowest level) and the deployment, leadership and
management of the national Standards Coaching Team informing deployment
decisions with data and evidence from the data working group.
• Place based work includes another circa 12 to 18 establishments with multiple
performance issues and likely of concern or serious concern to HMPPS. For
thematic work this includes the further development of products, services and
tools to support performance improving the effectiveness and efficiency of
HQ-JES-2841 Head of Custody Improvement, EPSIG v1.0
processes and services to get better outcomes such as increasing the confidence
and competence of inexperienced prisons officers.
• To develop new products and services to meet business improvement need
across HMPPS, testing and learning from new approaches including Human
Factors and Criminal Exploitation to achieve better outcomes from existing
resource.
• To implement a disciplined, evidenced based impact assessment to measure the
impact of our services and products, leading quarterly reviews and engaging
senior stakeholders to ensure a shared understanding of impact and ongoing
engagement in prioritisation of our services.
• To lead ESPIG support for Prison reform, ensuring the EPSIG contribution is
coordinated across Next Generation Prison Reform Programme targeting our
knowledge and experience so its impact is reflected both in national strategy
and local delivery.
• Lead the implementation of the EPSIG Prison Stakeholder Strategy ensuring
effective collaboration with a range of senior stakeholders including HMPPS
Leadership Team, HMPPS Performance Committees and Operational
Management Committees, Director Generals and Executive Directors across the
agency, Deputy Directors/their SLTs within the SPP Directorate, MoJ Deputy
Director Policy Leads including Analytical Services and external stakeholders
including HM Inspectorate, in order that they influence and understand our
improvement priorities, products and services, planned activity and impact.
• The post holder will be responsible for ensuring effective representation and
engagement with appropriate governance including the agency HLT and working
with the Head of Performance Intelligence to provide effective support to both
the Prison Performance Committee and the chairing of the associated Data
Working Group. They will work collaboratively across the Strategy Planning and
Performance Directorate ensuring our activity is joined up and efficient and
where appropriate lead or contribute to cross-Directorate activity being an
active member of the Extended Leadership Team.
• Lead horizon scanning activity to ensure EPSIG projects are informed by
changing political priorities and associated developments.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership to the geographically dispersed
Custody Improvement team and operational staff deployed to numerous prison
establishments as part of the Standards Coaching Team and new improvement
leads within the PPSP Leading and managing Senior Managers responsible for
the delivery of Custodial Improvement Plans and managing their performance as
part of a Senior Leadership Team.
• The post holder will have the seniority and authority to represent the Deputy
Director on significant, sensitive, high profile operational improvement issues
including with Ministers.
• Lead the Strategy Planning and Performance Directorate’s engagement with
MOJ policy colleagues on custody improvement matters and lead on the
drafting of advice, information and updates to contribute to submissions to
Ministers.
• Work with the Head of Business Development to organise team resources, to
meet agreed priorities documented with an annual plan; ensuring a flexible
approach to enable a ‘responsive’ service to be activated for urgent need
associated with the most acute performance concerns/business need and
manage people resources dynamically to deliver key milestones achieving
outcomes across a range of projects and BAU activity.
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.
HQ-JES-2841 Head of Custody Improvement, EPSIG v1.0
Behaviours
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• See the Big Picture
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
Ability
• The ability to analyse performance issues working sensitively with national and
local leaders and across organisational boundaries taking account of political and
economic considerations.
• The ability to respond quickly to urgent, high profile performance concerns such
as Urgent notifications. Managing highly political situations with balance and
good judgement.
• The ability to direct new and creative solutions to address performance issues,
identifying learning and refining.
• Highly developed skills to apply a detailed knowledge of policy and strategic
developments in relation to offender services.
• Ability to use authority, influence and negotiation skills with senior stakeholders
(both internal and external) within a political and economic environment where
there are likely to be conflicting interests.
• The ability to lead and chair senior leadership groups, which cross organisational
boundaries, embedding collaborative approaches to achieve challenging
objectives within tight deadlines.
• Ability to support senior leaders to direct, lead and manage their teams to
achieve demanding objectives across geographically dispersed areas.
• The ability to develop, nurture and foster mature, productive relationships with
internal and external stakeholders at all levels using highly developed
communications skills in a complex and multi-layered delivery landscape.
• Substantial skills and ability to function effectively with a high level of personal
resilience.
Experience
• Experience of working as a successful senior leader informing and influencing
senior decision makers often around sensitive high profile issues, including
Ministers, governance bodies and stakeholders, providing constructive challenge
as appropriate.
• An in-depth knowledge of the required standards of delivery in custodial settings.
• A proven track record of improving performance and quality of practice.
• Experience of design and implementation of strategic business plans to achieve
improvement.
• Experience of leading programmes of work or large complex projects.
• Experience of applying project management techniques to implement significant
change and/or practice improvements.
• Experience of applying analytical thinking to understand and simplify complex
problems.
• Significant experience of preparing and delivering written and oral reports
including strategic proposals based on evidence and data.
• Experience of delivering presentations to multi-agency audiences and large
groups.
• Knowledge of the strategic priorities of HMPPS and wider MoJ.
• A political awareness which informs everyday working within the civil service
including a knowledge of procedures for working with and briefing Ministers.
• Experience of effective management of a complex array of stakeholders including
the most senior leaders, enabling clear, honest communication to ensure the
successful delivery of a programme or project.
• Significant experience of leading teams, inspiring and developing people to
deliver their best. Commitment to continued professional development of self
and team.
• Experience of working under pressure and to tight deadlines.
• Experience of managing budgets and securing value for money.
HQ-JES-2841 Head of Custody Improvement, EPSIG v1.0
Technical
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.
Hours of Work
Leave Blank
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
To be used by the JES Team only
HQ-JES-2841 Head of Custody Improvement, EPSIG v1.0
Success Profile
Strengths
Behaviours
It is advised strengths
Ability
Experience
Technical
are chosen locally,
recommended 4-8
Changing and Improving
The ability to analyse performance
Experience of working as a successful
issues working sensitively with
senior leader informing and
national and local leaders and across
influencing senior decision makers
organisational boundaries taking
often around sensitive high profile
account of political and economic
issues, including Ministers, governance
considerations.
bodies and stakeholders, providing
constructive challenge as appropriate.
Making Effective Decisions
The ability to respond quickly to
An in-depth knowledge of the required
urgent, high profile performance
standards of delivery in custodial
concerns such as Urgent
settings.
notifications. Managing highly
political situations with balance and
good judgement.
Leadership
The ability to direct new and creative
A proven track record of improving
solutions to address performance
performance and quality of practice.
issues, identifying learning and
refining.
Managing a Quality Service
Highly developed skills to apply a
Experience of design and
detailed knowledge of policy and
implementation of strategic business
strategic developments in relation to
plans to achieve improvement.
offender services.
Communicating and Influencing
Ability to use authority, influence
Experience of leading programmes of
and negotiation skills with senior
work or large complex projects.
stakeholders (both internal and
external) within a political and
economic environment where there
are likely to be conflicting interests.
Seeing the Big Picture
The ability to lead and chair senior
Experience of applying project
leadership groups, which cross
management techniques to implement
organisational boundaries,
significant change and/or practice
HQ-JES-2841 Head of Custody Improvement, EPSIG v1.0
embedding collaborative approaches
improvements.
to achieve challenging objectives
within tight deadlines.
Ability to support senior leaders to
Experience of applying analytical
direct, lead and manage their teams
thinking to understand and simplify
to achieve demanding objectives
complex problems.
across geographically dispersed
areas.
The ability to develop, nurture and
Significant experience of preparing and
foster mature, productive
delivering written and oral reports
relationships with internal and
including strategic proposals based on
external stakeholders at all levels
evidence and data.
using highly developed
communications skills in a complex
and multi-layered delivery
landscape.
Substantial skills and ability to
Experience of delivering presentations
function effectively with a high level
to multi-agency audiences and large
of personal resilience.
groups.
Knowledge of the strategic priorities of
HMPPS and wider MoJ.
A political awareness which informs
everyday working within the civil
service including a knowledge of
procedures for working with and
briefing Ministers.
Experience of effective management
of a complex array of stakeholders
including the most senior leaders,
enabling clear, honest communication
to ensure the successful delivery of a
programme or project.
Significant experience of leading
teams, inspiring and developing
people to deliver their best.
Commitment to continued
professional development of self and
team.
Experience of working under pressure
and to tight deadlines.
Experience of managing budgets and
securing value for money.
HQ-JES-2841 Head of Custody Improvement, EPSIG v1.0