Ministry of Justice
16777 - Prison Group Drug and Alcohol Lead - South Central
🇳🇿Aylesbury, England, New Zealand29 days ago
£55,457 – £61,003SeniorFull Time
This is a Group Lead role with the expectation that the successful candidate will be able to carry out prison visits across the group.
The role is responsible for leading the development and management of the regional drug and alcohol strategy, ensuring alignment with national policies and HMPPS objectives. This includes supporting establishments in reducing drug and alcohol supply and demand, overseeing provider contracts and fostering recovery environments like Incentivised Substance Free Living Units (ISFLs) and Drug Recovery Wings (DRWs). The post holder will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring integrated service delivery and effective joint working across the region. Additionally, the role involves monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of drug strategies, conducting assurance visits, and identifying areas for improvement. The post holder will disseminate best practices, support the annual needs analysis process, and provide responsive support during drug-related incidents. They will also ensure compliance with national drug policies and drive improvements in service delivery and outcomes within the region.
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
• Lead the development, implementation and ongoing management of the regional drug and alcohol strategy, ensuring alignment with national policies, strategic goals and HMPPS objectives, including the development of recovery environments (ISFLs, DRWs) across the assigned establishments.
• Provide detailed management information to the Area Executive Director, Prison Group Director and HQ, offering insight into performance, governance and practices within each establishment.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders (e.g., safer custody, security, healthcare providers and drug and alcohol services) to reduce drug and alcohol supply and demand, supporting the development and implementation of relevant policies and strategies.
• Support establishments in reducing drug and alcohol supply and demand, offering direct support to Governors, conducting assurance visits and providing advice on improving drug strategy outcomes.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of drug and alcohol strategies within establishments, using established tools to assess outcomes against local action plans, identifying areas for improvement and providing ongoing support.
• Oversee and manage provider contracts for services related to drug and alcohol, ensuring services meet outcomes and are aligned with national standards and regional needs.
• Support an annual needs analysis process to ensure that drug-related needs are identified and addressed appropriately within each establishment.
• Drive improvements in service delivery and compliance with national drug and alcohol strategies and policies, fostering a whole-prison approach to rehabilitation and recovery.
• Identify, capture and disseminate good practices and lessons learned across establishments and the wider Prisons Directorate to promote consistency and enhance service delivery.
• Respond to drug and alcohol- related incidents (including deaths in custody) and support HMIP outcomes related to drug strategies, ensuring timely action, reporting and improvements.
• Collaborate with Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators (H&JPC), local Criminal Justice Partnerships (LCJP), Lived Experience Recovery Organisations (LEROs) to strengthen external partnerships, continuity of care, and enhance service delivery.
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. The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.
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 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. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.
If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.
The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.
Benefits
Annual Leave
-The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.
Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays
-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment
Pension
-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Work Life Balance
HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ
Season Ticket Advance
-After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work
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, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes
-There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts
-All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles
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
-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist
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
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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 TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.
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Diversity & Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
A Great Place to Work for Veterans
The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans
Redeployment Interview Scheme
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
Civil Service Nationality Rules
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
Reserve list
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.
MoJ:
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Please quote the job reference 16777
HMPPS
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Please quote the job reference 16777
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.