HM Inspectorate of Prisons Business Manager - B2 in Edinburgh

This opportunity is only open to applicants who are currently 'Priority Movers'. Applications from individuals not currently on the Priority Mover list will be rejected and not considered.

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS) is an independent body responsible for the inspection and monitoring of Scotland's 17 prisons, in order to establish the treatment of and the conditions for prisoners and to report publicly on the findings, and the inspection of the conditions in which prisoners are transported or held in pursuance of prisoner escort arrangements.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland (HMCIPS), Sara Snell, is currently supported by a deputy, a Thematic Lead Inspector, a Lead Inspector of Prisons, an Inspector of Court Custody Units, four Prison Monitoring Co-ordinators, a Head of Business Management/Inspector, two Senior Researchers, a Scottish NPM Co-ordinator, a Business Manager (this post), a Business Support Officer/Chief’s PA, an Independent Prison Monitoring Support Officer and an Inspection/Business Administrative Assistant. There are also around 100 Independent Prison Monitors (IPMs) nationally, who are volunteers from the local community.

The work location is Saughton House, Edinburgh. HMIPS operates a hybrid working policy, under which you are required to work away from home for 40% of your working time each month. This includes attending the office on Thursdays, which are designated as team anchor days. This is a part-time post, equivalent to 0.8 FTE.

Responsibilities

• Respond to FOI and SAR requests timeously.
• Act as HMIPS Hiring Manager, leading on the recruitment and secondment of staff to HMIPS.
• As BCLO, manage the HMIPS budget to ensure accurate financial control and timely responses to all information requests.
• Produce and present a quarterly financial forecast paper for the HMIPS Quarterly Strategic Meeting.
• Carry out the role of Senior Business Manager for HMIPS.
• Maintain and update the HMIPS Risk Register and organisational objectives on an ongoing basis, providing formal quarterly updates to the Chief Inspector and Strategic Meeting.
• Support the day to day management and co-ordination of inspection work including the planning of inspections and production of associated timelines.
• Work with the Lead Inspector to recruit, induct, and train Guest Inspectors, Associate Inspectors, and new inspectors, ensuring all new recruits receive appropriate onboarding and training within agreed timescales.
• Maintain accurate records of inspector availability, time commitments, and expense claims, ensuring these are monitored and processed promptly.
• Be a member of the pre-inspection survey team and join every inspection to assist with focus groups.
• Manage inspection reports through to publication, including sending it to APS and arranging upload to the website.
• Manage SPS responses to inspection reports by maintaining accurate and up-to-date trackers, coordinating the timely publication of responses on the HMIPS website, and provide feedback to prisoners on progress against desired outcomes.
• Liaise with volunteers, key partners, relevant SG colleagues, external organisations and HMIPS colleagues as appropriate.

Qualifications

This role is a permanent part time level transfer position, equivalent to 0.8 FTE.

How to Apply

Applications for this position will only be accepted from substantive B2 employees. Please submit a statement outlining your suitability for the role, relevant skills and experience, and what you would bring to the team (maximum 500 words). Vacancy closes at 11:59pm on Friday the 24th July.

Selection Process

All applications will be invited to an informal discussion with the hiring manager. Informal discussions are to be confirmed.

Further Information

If you have specific questions about the role, please contact kerry.love@gov.scot. Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.