Ministry of Justice Hiring for Head of Education, Skills and Work Job at Sutton, London, England , UK Full Time

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.

To learn more about the Head of Education, Skills and Work role please join one of the candidate digital information sessions on the following dates:

• Tuesday 14th February 9:30-10:30am
• Friday 17th February 9:30 – 10:30am

To request a link to one of the sessions, please email [email protected]

To watch a current HoESW talk about their day-to-day role and experience of moving out of mainstream education sector into education in prisons, please follow the links below:

Want to teach inside a prison? Head of Education, Skills and Work – YouTube

The role is available at full time or part time hours to be discussed at interview/offer. Please note that we cannot guarantee an offer for all ranges of flexible working patterns.

Background to the Role

The reoffending rate has remained broadly static at around 29% since 2010. Reoffending is costing society approximately £18bn per year and almost half of all prisoners reoffend within 12 months of release.

The Prisons Strategy White Paper was published in December 2021. As part of the paper, MOJ and HMPPS committed to:

“A new Prisoner Education Service, to make sure offenders can improve their basic literacy and numeracy, as well as acquire further vocational qualifications, like construction and computing, making them more employable when they leave prison.”

The Accelerator project will play a key role in meeting this commitment. The project seeks to work with prisons to reduce reoffending and improve outcomes for prisoners and prison leavers.

As part of this we are introducing a new role: Head of Education, Skills and Work within prisons.

This is an exciting opportunity to work within a prison and be responsible for the whole of education, skills and work.

Overview of the Job

This is a functional management job within an establishment.

Responsible for delivering high-quality education, skills and work provision, in line with prisoner need and aligned with regional, national and Ofsted standards and frameworks, to support prisoners into employment upon release.

This is either an operational or non-operational job with line management responsibilities. If operational, please see technical requirements.

Summary of the role

The job holder will be responsible for setting and leading the strategic direction for all of education, skills and work within the prison. This will involve developing a coherent approach to all areas of “Education, Skills and Work”, ensuring that sequencing of activities is purposeful and directed towards maximising prisoners’ opportunities to access employment, education and training on release.

The job holder must ensure that all Education, Skills and Work activities are structured around the 5 pillars of the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework, supporting other function heads within the prison to maximise this approach in areas of prisoner residence and social interaction.

They will work with education providers, prison industries and local private enterprise to make the most appropriate use of workshops and all other prisoner places of work, providing prisoners with the learning and skills required to compete for and achieve employment within the local labour market.

As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the job holder will contribute and implement their Function’s objectives as defined in the establishment’s Business Plan.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

• Responsible for setting and leading the strategic direction for all of education, skills and work within the establishment.
• Responsible for creating effective approaches to learning and teaching in line with HMPPS’ education vision and values, as well as regional and national directives and developing a coherent, evidence-based, strategy for all education, skills and work so that the learning, skills and qualifications gained in prison work to maximise opportunities for employment on release.
• Responsible for delivery of the following related functions/pathways in a prison in line with national frameworks and guidance, and in a way which meets user needs. This will include, but not be limited to, Education, Neurodiversity, Employment on release, Work in Prison/Industries, Farming & Gardens.
• Work in strategic partnership with the Head of Reducing Reoffending and other Head of Functions across each of their respective responsibilities to maximise education, skills and work opportunities, to reduce reoffending and support with effective prisoner resettlement.
• Work with the Governing Governor to maximise Release on Temporary License (ROTL): and develop strategy to support higher volumes of prison leavers into employment on release.
• Responsible for managing the quality of education, skills and work (ESW) provision using Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework criteria, including providing guidance and expertise to the prison’s senior leadership team to ensure the requirements of Ofsted’s inspection framework are prioritised.
• Responsible for leading on inspections, including preparation, and driving forward the delivery of actions arising from them. This includes Standard Audit, Her Majesty Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP), OFSTED/Estyn, Action Plans and Managing Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) surveys.
• Responsible for ensuring that a culture of employment is maintained within the prison, and responsible for prisoner outcomes in relation to employment post release.
• Responsibility for guiding the Prison Employment Lead (PEL) to embed this culture, utilising the Employment Hub (EH) and maximising the prison’s relationships with New Futures Network, Probation service, Community Rehabilitation Service providers and other education/employment stakeholders and networks who support prison leavers.
• Responsible for ensuring the delivery of Prison Industries, Retail, Catering & PE Services (IRCPE), New Futures Network and local private enterprise work within prison workshops.
• Responsible for the line management and development of staff within the function, including creating a culture of high expectations and taking appropriate action when performance is unsatisfactory.
• Dependant on operational accreditation, will undertake some or all other operational management tasks including, but not exclusively:
• Acting as the Governor’s representative by chairing adjudications and taking charge of day-to-day establishment operations as Duty Governor.
• Promoting the Prison Service policy in all activities and behaviours e.g., promote diversity, decency, safety, diversity and inclusion and reducing re-offending agendas.
• 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.

Success Profile / Criteria

Behaviours

• Leadership
• Working Together
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions

Experience

• Experience of operating at a middle or senior level in a Primary, Secondary, or Post-16/Adult education setting; including community and voluntary sectors.
• Detailed knowledge of OFSTED/Estyn’s EIF (Education Inspection Framework) and further education and skills criteria.
• Experience of working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders including senior leaders, external organisations, staff and students.
• Significant experience of developing and delivering effective and engaging curricula for a wide range of learners.
• Experience of using data to set clear education outcomes and monitor progress towards these.
• Experience of implementing change within an educational context.
• Knowledge and understanding of how Ofsted/Estyn’s Education Inspection Framework apply to a prison setting.
• Knowledge and understanding of OFSTED/Estyn’s further education and skills criteria for prisoners with Additional Learning Needs and how these apply in the prison context.
• Experience of implementing strategies to support learners secure meaningful ‘next steps’ (e.g. further training, employment).

Technical Requirements

• PGCE, Cert Ed or Level 5 in Education and Training.

If Operational

• Must be successfully accredited by passing the Head of Function Assessment Centre (HFAC), or prior to 2016 be accredited as an Operational Manager (or in post as a G5 prior to 1999).
• Where HFAC accreditation was gained from 2018, the Incident Management Silver Command (IMSC) assessment must also be passed to be eligible for operational Head of Function roles.
• Successful completion of the workbook.
• When transferring to a Young Persons establishment the job holder will be required to successfully undertake an assessment to demonstrate suitability to work with Young People.

Ability

• Demonstrable evidence of innovation and impact in an educational context.
• Strong written and excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

Salary

£46,696 – £56,037

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 are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid.

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

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

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 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

• 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.