Prison Offender Manager in Wakefield

All staff have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The post holder must undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation. The job holder will contribute to and lead the management and assessment of selected low to medium risk prisoners and prepare, implement, review and evaluate their sentence plans with them.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Supervise, manage and control prisoners decently, safely and securely whilst 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.
• Exercise the powers of a Constable.
• Conduct searches on prisoners, staff and visitors as required.
• Undertake 'first on scene' incident response.
• 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.
• Undertake the full range of offender management tasks with low to medium risk cases.
• Support to probation officers in the case management of high risk prisoners when required.
• 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 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 investigating conflicting opinions on prisoner progress.
• 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 IRS 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, forging and maintaining links between programmes, progress and the prisoner's ongoing pathway through their sentence.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and maintain effective team relationships, particularly with Key Workers.
• Demonstrate pro-social modelling skills by consistently reinforcing prosocial 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.

Essential Experience

• Compete in custodial procedures, including dynamic risk assessments.
• Experience of working with a diverse range of people who have experienced a range of social/personal difficulties, using tact and discretion 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 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.
• Working knowledge of relevant legislation and National Standards.
• Knowledge of evidence-based practice and risk/needs assessment tools.

Technical Requirements

• Successful completion of POELT and probation period.
• Must have Custodial Care National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) 3.
• Must be trained in restraint techniques.
• Desirable – higher level academic qualification(s).
• When transferring to a Young Persons establishment the job holder will need to demonstrate suitability to work with young people.

Ability

• Analyse complex information to make assessments and decisions.
• Communicate clearly verbally and in writing with offenders, professionals and at hearings such as Parole Boards.
• Empathise constructively with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Complete mandatory training as required to support the role.

All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which HMPPS considers to be racist.