Prison Offender Manager (Ref: 20639)

This position is based at HMP Lancaster Farms, LA1 3QZ

Job Summary

Please refer to Job Description

Overview of the job

The job holder will lead the management and assessment of selected low to medium risk prisoners and prepare, implement, review and evaluate their sentence plans with them. The job holder will build effective, appropriate and supportive relationships with prisoners, with the aim of reducing re-offending.

The job holder will act in a supportive role only to probation officers in the case management of high risk prisoners. The job holder will have undergone selection and additional training to carry out this specialist delivery job as a Prison Offender Manager to prisoners.

This is a non-operational job with no line management responsibilities. This role is rotational.

Will have regular prisoner facing activities/duties.

Summary

Typical tasks associated with this role include:

• Supervise, Manage, Signpost and advise prisoners decently, safely and securely while carrying out all activities.
• Understand, apply and conform to national and local policies.
• Establish, develop and maintain professional relationships with prisoners and staff.
• Maintain and update systems in line with local agreements.
• Prepare relevant documentation to managers for verification/quality checking purposes.
• Attend and contribute to relevant meetings as required.
• Providing information and advice to other criminal justice agencies and partner organisations.
• Supervise offenders during custodial sentences.
• Contribute to the management of risk.
• Work with other agencies and groups to prevent reoffending and meet the needs of victims and offenders.

Responsibilities, Activities And Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• To undertake the full range of offender management tasks with low to medium risk cases.
• No ownership of high risk cases will be held, but support to probation officers in the case management of high risk prisoners will be given when required.
• As Prison Offender Manager, be involved in all relevant processes in the prison such as ACCT and violence reduction/anti-bullying for those within your case load, if this is applicable.
• Act as the ACCT Case Manager for individuals if appropriate (Prison Offender Managers should not routinely be used as ACCT Case Managers, only when appropriate to do so).
• Interview prisoners within prescribed timescales of their arrival. Set and review targets with prisoners and update case management notes on PNOMIS or relevant IT systems.
• Use the Offender Assessment System (OASys) to identify risks and manage offenders appropriately.
• Obtain further information if required from outside agencies to complete a comprehensive OASys report.
• Lead the sentence planning meeting in order to prepare and review appropriate plans.
• Coordinate the activities within the sentence plan through liaison with prisoners and other departments and agencies, including gathering and exchanging information and understanding/investigating conflicting opinions on prisoner progress.
• Encourage and support prisoner to participate in education, interventions and workshops as defined within the sentence plan. Develop strategies to assist prisoners to overcome reluctance to attend.
• To provide professional advice and assessment, including written reports to criminal justice agencies and partner organisations.
• Liaise with the Community Offender Managers regarding Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) and Home Detention Curfew (HDC). Make recommendations to the Governor on suitability for early release. Inform relevant agencies of release dates and address of prisoners considered a risk on release.
• Support Community Offender Managers with the delivery of plans to enable recalled prisoners to be re-released.
• Complete all paperwork for the cases, including lifer and ISP specific paperwork in line with relevant policies, standards and set timescales.
• Highlight any prisoner who gives significant concerns by their behaviour to the Heads of Offender Management or Orderly Officer. Concerns may be for a variety of issues, for example, any prisoner who has presented in the past risk of suicide or self harm, or if there are any outstanding concerns with regards to victims or further offences and racial harassment.
• Contribute to and attend Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Boards and work with all relevant external agencies to protect the public when releasing prisoners under MAPPA.
• Liaise with the Foreign National Department or UK Border Agency regarding foreign national prisoners, as appropriate.
• Instigate public protection child contact checks and share relevant safeguarding information with authorities.
• Undertake the role of the resettlement advisor for prisoners in the specific caseload. Forge, develop and maintain the links between the programmes, the progress, or otherwise, made by the participants and the prisoner’s ongoing path through their sentence.
• To work collaboratively with colleagues and maintain effective team relationships, in particular with Key Workers.
• Demonstrate pro-social modelling skills by consistently reinforcing pro-social behaviour and attitudes and challenging anti-social behaviour and attitudes.
• To use computer based systems to produce, update and maintain records and other documentation within agreed timescales.
• To work within the aims and values of HMPPS.

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 or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.

Behaviours

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

Ability

• Ability to analyse complex information in order to make assessments and decisions.
• Ability to communicate clearly verbally and in writing with offenders, professionals, and at hearings such as Parole Boards.
• Ability to empathise constructively with people from diverse backgrounds.
• The ability to complete all mandatory training as required to support the job role.

Experience

• Experience of working with a diverse range of people who have experienced a range of social/personal difficulties, and of using tact and discretion when dealing with confidential and sensitive issues.
• Understanding of factors related to offending, e.g. substance misuse, accommodation issues.
• Understanding of and commitment to the principles of case management.
• Knowledge and understanding of risk management/risk assessment pertaining to offenders and the impact on victims of crime.
• Experience in planning and coordinating work.
• Experience of working with groups or individuals in order to motivate and change behaviour.
• Experience of working with diverse communities including promoting equality and valuing diversity.
• Knowledge and understanding of the work of the criminal justice system.
• Experience of working with people who have committed offences.
• Have received Women Awareness Staff Training (WASP) if working in a female establishment.
• Have received Juvenile Awareness Staff Programme (JASP) and child protection training if working in a Juvenile establishment.
• A working knowledge of relevant legislation and National Standards.
• Knowledge of Evidence Based Practice and risk/needs assessment tools.

Technical

Desirable - Higher level academic qualification(s).

Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances

37 hour working week.

Experience

• Experience of working with a diverse range of people who have experienced a range of social/personal difficulties, and of using tact and discretion when dealing with confidential and sensitive issues.
• Understanding of factors related to offending, e.g. substance misuse, accommodation issues.
• Understanding of and commitment to the principles of case management.
• Knowledge and understanding of risk management/risk assessment pertaining to offenders and the impact on victims of crime.
• Experience in planning and coordinating work.
• Experience of working with groups or individuals in order to motivate and change behaviour.
• Experience of working with diverse communities including promoting equality and valuing diversity.
• Knowledge and understanding of the work of the criminal justice system.
• Experience of working with people who have committed offences.
• Have received Women Awareness Staff Training (WASP) if working in a female establishment.
• Have received Juvenile Awareness Staff Programme (JASP) and child protection training if working in a Juvenile establishment.
• A working knowledge of relevant legislation and National Standards.
• Knowledge of Evidence Based Practice and risk/needs assessment tools.

Technical

Desirable - Higher level academic qualification(s).

Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances

37 hour working week.

Person specification

Please Refer To Job Description

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

Alongside your salary of £34,440, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £9,977 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: the MOJ

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Strengths.

the MOJ

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Strengths.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and 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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : ***email_hidden***
• Telephone : View phone number on uk.workus.org

Recruitment team

• Email : ***email_hidden***

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (View email address on uk.workus.org) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: