At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a multidisciplinary team delivering impactful programmes in a prison setting.
- Company: Join Safe Ground, a charity transforming lives through arts-based support.
- Benefits: Generous annual leave, pension contributions, and mental health support.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives and foster positive change.
- Qualifications: Experience in programme delivery within criminal justice settings is essential.
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Location: Based within HMP Forest Bank, Manchester. Step Free access is not available at this service. You may be expected to travel to other services as required, including to Central London Central Office and for in-person meetings held off site. Hybrid working is permitted with an option of up to 2 days working from home when appropriate.
Salary: £36,000
Shift Pattern: 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday 07:30 - 17:30. You may be required to work outside these hours as per service and organisational requirements, including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays and forming part of the out of hours on call rota for managers.
About the Role
We are seeking a Safe Ground Programmes Manager to lead our newest family service based in HMP Forest Bank. This is an ideal opportunity if you are seeking a hands-on role within a prison setting, are confident working in complex environments, and want to create meaningful change within punitive systems. You will lead a multidisciplinary team delivering high quality, therapeutically informed, arts-based work with men in prison and their families. You will work directly with participants to deliver structured group programmes and provide relational, anti-shame, anti-punitive support in a custodial environment.
In this role, you will support the leadership of the service, providing line management and oversight to ensure high quality delivery for our participants. The team delivers our NFI-approved national programmes, Fathers Inside and Man Up, designs bespoke visits and family interventions, and develops a new, dynamic counselling provision. The role requires leadership experience managing a diverse team, with line management responsibilities to support, enable, and empower staff to deliver high-quality support to participants and their families. You will work closely with prison and Sodexo colleagues, as well as internal SIG teams, to ensure innovative, safe, anti-punitive service delivery.
Key Responsibilities Include:
- Line management and leadership of a small team, offering guidance and support throughout the employee lifecycle, and fostering a supportive leadership culture focused on staff wellbeing, learning and development
- Encourage productivity, engagement, and wellbeing through regular check-ins, training, meetings and supervisions
- Support day-to-day running of the service and programme delivery
- Ensure high-quality facilitation and counselling, and consistent participant engagement
- Monitor performance, reporting and KPI delivery
- Ensure risk management and compliance processes are followed
- Maintain quality standards in line with Safe Ground and NFI requirements
- Coordinate programme schedules, logistics, and delivery cycles
- Build effective working relationships with prison staff and partners that promote anti-shame, anti-punitive practice
Why work with Safe Ground Prisons?
At SIG Safe Ground, we do things differently. Safe Ground is an Arts-based therapeutically informed charity with over 30 years' experience working across the criminal justice system. We support people in custody and their families to build stronger and more fulfilled relationships, reflect on behaviours, and navigate change without shame.
Working with Safe Ground means working differently. It’s about meeting people without judgement, holding space for accountability, and using creativity to disrupt cycles of harm. We believe real change happens when people are seen, challenged and supported, even (and especially) inside prison walls.
Please be informed that as this role is based within a Prison environment, further vetting from SIG's enhanced DBS will be required such as MOJ clearance.
About You
This is a role for you if you truly believe change happens through relationships, not control; you will lead with warmth and clarity, and hold care and accountability together. You will be part of a values-led organisation that takes people, reflection, and creativity seriously. You will be comfortable working within a prison setting, with regular interactions with people from all backgrounds and circumstances that have led to them being imprisoned.
We’re seeking someone who has a genuine passion for making a difference to lives and helping to create safer communities for all. You will be a proactive leader, with the ability to motivate and empower a team to drive excellence, both as individuals and as a team, whilst providing practical solutions to challenges that arise. You will be knowledgeable about the criminal justice system and have experience of delivering programmes within custodial or complex environments. We’re looking for someone who can build rapport, trust, and create an environment that allows individuals to grow their skills and experience, and develop as individuals.
- Previous experience of programme delivery within the criminal justice or custodial settings essential
- Facilitation experience with groups of participants with complex needs
- Ability to provide high-quality leadership support and line management to staff
- Ability to motivate and empower a team to achieve KPIs
- Ability to challenge harmful practice and create culture shifts within the Criminal Justice System
- Confident in managing day-to-day service operations and supporting staff with daily tasks, caseloads and the overall running of the service
- Ability to work flexibly to meet the demands and needs of the service, for example providing an emergency on-call service as and when required
- IT proficiency - we use various systems so look for someone who can learn and navigate new systems including case management, Microsoft, ATS, HR systems, and other types of organisational software.
- Alignment with values such as anti-shame, anti-punitive practice, and relational working, alongside Ambition, Empowerment, Inclusivity, and Transparency
We are interviewing on an ongoing basis so this job role may close early. We advise applying as soon as possible for your application to be taken into consideration at the early stages.
What we Offer
- 25 days (Full time equivalent) annual leave, increasing with the length of service
- Employer Pension Contribution
- Eligibility to register with Blue Light Discount Card
- Access to discounted tickets for music events, shows, sports and more
- Reflective Practice regular sessions with a therapist provided by an external provider to support Mental Health and Wellbeing at work
- Training and Development, including access to courses, upskilling, and progression plans
- Employee Assistance Programme, including counselling
- Life Assurance Scheme
- Cycle-to-work scheme
- Annual Staff Awards
- EDI Ambassador programme
About Social Interest Group (SIG)
SIG is a not-for-profit organisation providing thousands of people with good-quality support and care in residential, drop-in centres, community floating support settings, probation settings, and hospitals. We do so across London, Brighton, Bedfordshire, Luton, Kent and Liverpool. Our goal is to transform lives through empowering change.
We believe good care and support improves lives with the vision to create healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities. Join us on our mission to empower independence through trauma-informed solutions and dynamic partnerships that keep people out of prison, out of hospital, and off the streets.
Please note that this job advert may close early due to screening applications on an ongoing basis. We advise applying as soon as possible for your application to be taken into consideration at the early stages.
Please note that as part of our process, we complete an enhanced DBS check, some roles may require further vetting. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide sponsorship, please ensure you have full right to work in the UK prior to applying to our positions.
Programmes Manager in Salford employer: Social Interest Group
At Safe Ground, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that values creativity, compassion, and personal growth. Located within HMP Forest Bank in Manchester, our work culture is centred around fostering a supportive environment where employees can thrive through continuous training and development opportunities. With a strong commitment to employee wellbeing, including access to mental health support and a generous leave policy, we empower our team to make meaningful changes in the lives of those we serve, all while promoting a culture of inclusivity and anti-punitive practices.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Programmes Manager in Salford
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We think you need these skills to ace Programmes Manager in Salford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for the Cause:In the nonprofit sector, it's super important to demonstrate genuine passion for the mission of Social Interest Group. Use your cover letter to showcase any personal experiences or volunteer work that connects you to their social impact initiatives. This emotional connection can really help your application stand out.
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How to prepare for a job interview at Social Interest Group
✨Show Your Passion for Social Change
When we’re prepping for interviews in the nonprofit space, it's vital to demonstrate our genuine passion for social impact. Be ready to discuss not just your skills and experiences but also why you care about the mission of Social Interest Group. Sharing personal stories or insights can really make us stand out.
✨Highlight Project Experience
We should focus on specific projects we've worked on that align with the goals of social impact. Whether that’s a community initiative, volunteering, or a class project, having solid examples that showcase our role and the outcomes will resonate well with the interviewers.
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Let’s brush up on tools and methodologies commonly used in the nonprofit sector, like project management software or outcome measurement frameworks. Being able to speak fluently about these will show that we’re not just passionate but also knowledgeable and ready to hit the ground running.
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