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We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

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Job Title: Approvals and Compliance Senior Assurance Manager

Directorate: Security, Order and Counter Terrorism, Operational Security Group (OSG)

Band: 6

Overview of the job

The role sits in the newly formed Risk and Capabilities Unit (RaCU) within the Security, Order and Counter Terrorism Directorate.

The Risk and Capabilities Unit (RaCU) was formed in October 2020 by the merging of Security Countermeasures Unit and Security Risk Unit to form a single unit dedicated to identifying and prioritising security risk and providing and enhancing capabilities in prisons, probation and youth custody to counter them. The term ‘Capabilities’ covers a wide spectrum of support and interventions. For example, our technological or physical advances to detect, prevent usage of, or disable illicit items; our formal training and skilling; our clear and constant learning communications; as well as our contemporary security procedures and practice improvement to enable staff to perform their duties consistently well. These are all ‘Capabilities’ and give people the tools to achieve.

The Approvals and Compliance team are part of RaCU. Located in Newport, Wales the team is responsible for evaluative decisions on the suitability of all applicants applying to join the Ministry of Justice and HMPPS Agency who are subject to security vetting.

The job role reports to the Head of the Approvals and Compliance Team. The team contribute to the management of corporate risk on behalf of the organisation, working closely with the Head of Personnel Security Countermeasures and Shared Services Connected Limited (SSCL). The role also affords the opportunity to build relationships with individuals and agencies across the criminal justice landscape including the National Contractor Vetting Scheme Team who are endorsed by the National Police Chief Constables (NPCC) Vetting Portfolio Lead to undertake police vetting for those accessing both the VISOR and PNC systems.

The role will manage the acceptance or refusal of vetting on over 6000 applications in the central Ministry and over 24,000 cases per annum in HMPPS.

The post manages a team that provides verbal and written advice to senior managers and recruitment managers across HMPPS with a responsibility to oversee the co- ordination and management of police vetting checks for front line probation staff, as well as providing relevant management information to a range of stakeholders.

The job role involves close, regular liaison and discussion with recruiting managers, the police and SSCL vetting teams to ensure any risk to HMPPS is effectively managed. It also involves partnership working with a number of internal and external stakeholders including the police and other criminal justice agencies.

The team is located in Phoenix House, Newport in order to afford closer working and interaction with the Shared Services vetting teams, who undertake the transactional vetting procedures.

This is a non-operational post.

Summary

The Senior Assurance Manager manages the work of the Approvals and Compliance team primarily in relation to the interaction between the probation service, the police and SSCL on pre-employment checks for front line operational probation personnel.

This team is responsible for making evaluative decisions in a range of substantial work areas on the suitability of applicants to work within the Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Services HMPPS. It contributes to the management of corporate risk in compliance with agreed policy and procedures.

The job holder will be responsible for assuring all applicants are evaluated on a consistent basis managing business continuity in their absence, making decisions in consultation with the head of team where necessary.

There will be a requirement to undertake sampling checks and audit on vetting applications ensuring checks are accurately submitted to third party organisations.

To manage, review and update the record of staff dismissed and workers excluded held on the HMPPS Exclusion List as required in a timely manner.

Contribute to the management of the overall operation of the Approvals and Compliance team, the post holder will establish and develop stakeholder partnerships, ensuring the organisation applies best practice in security vetting in the most cost effective manner.

Contribute to the analysis of data on vetting applicants and decisions, identifying trends and patterns which may require revision and change to existing protocols or deliver procedural improvements.

Ensure that all applicants are evaluated in compliance with agreed policy and procedural guidelines, consulting with the Head of team in more complex cases with wider policy, legal or procedural implications.

Ensure the team respond to appeals from applicants refused vetting for HMPPS and Ministry of Justice appointments within agreed timescales.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

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

• Ensure the quality and consistency of decision making, retaining and an evidentiary audit trail and knowledge bank for future referral for both the Ministry of Justice and HMPPS.
• Operate within the Ministry of Justice SLA constraints and turnaround work to contribute to those timeframes being met.
• Consider the applications presented via the Oleeo recruitment platform and make balanced decisions on their eligibility and suitability to progress to a panel review.
• Manage a team of assurance managers in undertaking core duties in relation to staff transferring into the probation service from third party providers as well as other key applicant cohorts.
• Direct follow up work for clarification purposes with Shared Services Vetting teams and the National Contractor Vetting Scheme for non-police personnel vetting (NPPV) as appropriate.
• Manage both the relationship and contract with the NPCC National Contractor Vetting Scheme provider.
• Provide fair, consistent and defensible decisions on the suitability of applicants, maintaining the security and credibility of the service.
• Work collaboratively and liaise regularly with a number of key stakeholders including the National Police Chief Council (NPCC) National Contractors Vetting Scheme for VISOR access, ACRO, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), Corporate Security Branch, National Security team in Shared Services, recruiting managers and HRBPs.
• Applications under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS) should be progressed taking into account relevant policy and codes of practice.
• Manage any appeals/representations against a vetting decision whether from an applicant or third party, providing written notification of outcomes in a timely manner ensuring an appropriate audit trail.
• Build relationships with key stakeholders within the probation service, wider Ministry and externally.
• Manage the storage of critical data and customer information to support decision making and conduct regular reviews to ensure it is stored accurately, confidentially and responsibly.
• Ensure National Contractors Vetting Scheme comply with agreed service levels raising any issues on quality or consistency of service with the Head of the Unit via the Head of the Approvals team.
• Ensure data is handled in line with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).
• This post is part of an adaptable resource and the post holder may be flexibly deployed in response to Ministry priorities.

Parliamentary Questions, FOI Requests

The post holder will manage the timely collection of quality assured data sets held within the A&C function contributing towards Parliamentary Questions, Freedom of Information Act requests, submissions etc.

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
• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others
• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the Big Picture

Experience

• The post holder will have a thorough understanding of operational practice, particularly the appropriate management of risk in the custodial and law enforcement setting.
• The post holder should have an understanding and familiarity with the principles, legislation, rules, policies and tools of the vetting function, and HMPPS personnel security and associated policies.
• Have extensive knowledge and experience of using Microsoft packages including Excel, Word and Power Point.
• The post holder must have experience of managing a team and a working knowledge of the above processes and procedures.
• Previous line management experience.

Salary

£33,201 - £38,184

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 working hours for this post are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate’s Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Benefits

Annual Leave

• The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays

• You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment

Pension

• The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance

HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ

Season Ticket Advance

• After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work

Childcare Vouchers

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

Training

HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes

• There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts

• All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles

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 the HMPPS considers to be racist

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

• To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm) or e mail [email protected]);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([email protected]);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. 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 SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.