Offender Management: Prison Offender Manager in City of Westminster

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 reoffending. The job holder will act in a supportive role only to probation officers in the case management of high risk prisoners. This is a non-operational job with no line management responsibilities. This role is rotational and will have regular prisoner facing activities/duties.

Key Responsibilities

• 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.
• Assess and manage the risk posed by offenders to protect victims of crime and the general public by 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.

Additional Responsibilities

• 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 applicable.
• Act as the ACCT Case Manager for individuals if appropriate.
• 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.
• Encourage and support prisoners to participate in education, interventions and workshops as defined within the sentence plan.
• Develop strategies to assist prisoners to overcome reluctance to attend.
• 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 addresses 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.
• 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 made by the participants and the prisoner's ongoing path through their sentence.
• 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.
• Use computer based systems to produce, update and maintain records and other documentation within agreed timescales.
• Work within the aims and values of HMPPS.

Qualifications and 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.

Ability

• Ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or Welsh.
• 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.

Technical and Academic Requirements

• Technical Desirable - Higher level academic qualification(s).

Benefits and Working Conditions

• The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows.
• 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.
• Annual Leave – The holiday year runs from 1 March.
• Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays – You are entitled to 9 days in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays.
• Pension – The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes.
• Work Life Balance – HMPPS is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements.
• Season Ticket Advance – After two months' service, you'll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance.
• 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.

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.

Equal Opportunities

• All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist.
• The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
• The MoJ is a Disability Confident employer, offering adjustments throughout the recruitment process and in the workplace.