87385 - Operational Contract Manager
| Posting date: | 20 May 2024 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £46,549 to £60,478 per year |
| Additional salary information: | The national salary range is £46,549 - £55,862, London salary range is £49,079 - £60,478. Your salary will be dependent on your base location |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 05 June 2024 |
| Location: | UK |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | Ministry of Justice |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 87385 |
Summary
The Prison Contracts Group (PCG) group sits within the Directorate of Contracted Operational Delivery (DoCOD) which is responsible for the operational contract management of a large portfolio of contracts, including Prisoner Escort Custody Service, Electronic Monitoring, Community Rehabilitation Serices, Prisoner Education and Operational Contracts for a variety of goods and services. PMP contracts alone have an annual value of £564m.
PMPs were first introduced to the UK in 1992 when the Conservative Government issued short-term contracts to security companies to operate a limited number of publicly owned prisons, the first being HMP Wolds in Yorkshire which was operated by G4S. The first wholly private prisons were often financed through the use of a Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) under private finance initiatives (PFI). These were often known as DCMF prisons as they were designed, constructed, managed and financed by the private sector, the first being HMP Altcourse which opened in December 1997 and was operated by G4S.
There are currently 15 privately operated prisons in England and Wales* operated by G4S Justice Services, Serco Custodial Services and Sodexo Custodial Services. In total they currently accommodate approximately 20% of the closed prison population across England and Wales. (*HMP Parc is managed under the Area Executive Director (AED) for Wales and not the PCG).
PMPs are subject to the same scrutiny from official bodies as those in the Public Sector, including HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP), Ofsted, and Operational and System Assurance Group (OSAG).
Governors of private prisons are referred to as ‘Directors'. They each have their own staffing structure and they work to their respective Chief Operating Officer (COO). Prison Custody Officers (PCOs) are trained to the same level as Prison Officers and are licenced by Controllers to operate as a PCO once they are fully qualified.
All privately managed prisons have a named Controller who, with their team, ensures the prison is operated in line with the agreed contract.
The Controller (B9) is the most senior representative of the Secretary of State. As such, he/she is accountable for ensuring delivery, negotiating change, encouraging innovation and the highest levels of performance. The Controller must ensure any contractual failings are remedied and/or the application of contractual levers when necessary, escalating unsatisfactory performance to the Head of Group and PCG Senior Leadership Team.
The Deputy Controller (B7) is the senior on-site representative of the Prison Contracts Group, their role is to oversee and report the activities, outputs and deliverables as stated in statute, contract, and law within a prison setting. They have responsibility for monitoring the contract, act as the authority in a number of contexts and oversee the contract and operations delivered inside the establishment. They are accountable to the Controller and Head of Group on areas of delegated authority.
The Contract Assurance Specialist (B5) is responsible for the production of complex strategic reports, including in-depth research and statistical analysis for high-level management information to support decision making. They develop and undertake quality assurance procedures to ensure data is captured correctly and efficiency savings are identified, therefore ensuring that contracts are compliant and work effectively.
The Assistant Controller (B4) is a specialist role that supports assurance in contract and delivers support to the Controller/Deputy Controller in the formal monitoring arrangements. The Assistant Controller will also carry out assurance and compliance work, co-ordinate Notice of Change (NOC) reviews, analyse and present performance progress at monthly and quarterly meeting (highlighting successes and failings), maintain accurate collation of penalty points, and other core contract management tasks.
Overview of the job
This is a HQ role, located in geographically dispersed teams across England. The post is based in the Directorate of Contracted Operational Delivery (DCOD)
The job holder will provide robust contract management to ensure successful delivery of a portfolio of operational contracts. The job holder will be responsible for between 2 and 20 operational contracts covering varying degrees of complexity, value and risk.
The job holder will also work with business users and senior stakeholders to make sure that the contracts are delivering expected outcomes and problem solving operational issues.
Total value of these contracts is approximately £60 million.
The Contract Manager will be a key interface for HMPPS in the supply chain and be responsible for managing and developing relationships with internal and external stakeholders at Senior Manager and Deputy Director level to represent and ensure the HMPPS and DCOD strategic vision is delivered.
The post holder will work to the Senior Contract Manager and may hold line management responsibilities and/or be responsible for allocation of work to team members. It may also include project management.
This post is non-operational.
Summary
Accountable for robust management of the contract review process, including financial and performance monitoring, to completing related reports for discussion in holding providers to account and negotiating budgets and targets.
Accountable for securing relevant assurances of compliance on the implementation of specifications, new services, national instructions, audit and Inspectorate recommendations and highlight barriers to compliance and provide feedback and recommendations.
PMPs were first introduced to the UK in 1992 when the Conservative Government issued short-term contracts to security companies to operate a limited number of publicly owned prisons, the first being HMP Wolds in Yorkshire which was operated by G4S. The first wholly private prisons were often financed through the use of a Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) under private finance initiatives (PFI). These were often known as DCMF prisons as they were designed, constructed, managed and financed by the private sector, the first being HMP Altcourse which opened in December 1997 and was operated by G4S.
There are currently 15 privately operated prisons in England and Wales* operated by G4S Justice Services, Serco Custodial Services and Sodexo Custodial Services. In total they currently accommodate approximately 20% of the closed prison population across England and Wales. (*HMP Parc is managed under the Area Executive Director (AED) for Wales and not the PCG).
PMPs are subject to the same scrutiny from official bodies as those in the Public Sector, including HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP), Ofsted, and Operational and System Assurance Group (OSAG).
Governors of private prisons are referred to as ‘Directors'. They each have their own staffing structure and they work to their respective Chief Operating Officer (COO). Prison Custody Officers (PCOs) are trained to the same level as Prison Officers and are licenced by Controllers to operate as a PCO once they are fully qualified.
All privately managed prisons have a named Controller who, with their team, ensures the prison is operated in line with the agreed contract.
The Controller (B9) is the most senior representative of the Secretary of State. As such, he/she is accountable for ensuring delivery, negotiating change, encouraging innovation and the highest levels of performance. The Controller must ensure any contractual failings are remedied and/or the application of contractual levers when necessary, escalating unsatisfactory performance to the Head of Group and PCG Senior Leadership Team.
The Deputy Controller (B7) is the senior on-site representative of the Prison Contracts Group, their role is to oversee and report the activities, outputs and deliverables as stated in statute, contract, and law within a prison setting. They have responsibility for monitoring the contract, act as the authority in a number of contexts and oversee the contract and operations delivered inside the establishment. They are accountable to the Controller and Head of Group on areas of delegated authority.
The Contract Assurance Specialist (B5) is responsible for the production of complex strategic reports, including in-depth research and statistical analysis for high-level management information to support decision making. They develop and undertake quality assurance procedures to ensure data is captured correctly and efficiency savings are identified, therefore ensuring that contracts are compliant and work effectively.
The Assistant Controller (B4) is a specialist role that supports assurance in contract and delivers support to the Controller/Deputy Controller in the formal monitoring arrangements. The Assistant Controller will also carry out assurance and compliance work, co-ordinate Notice of Change (NOC) reviews, analyse and present performance progress at monthly and quarterly meeting (highlighting successes and failings), maintain accurate collation of penalty points, and other core contract management tasks.
Overview of the job
This is a HQ role, located in geographically dispersed teams across England. The post is based in the Directorate of Contracted Operational Delivery (DCOD)
The job holder will provide robust contract management to ensure successful delivery of a portfolio of operational contracts. The job holder will be responsible for between 2 and 20 operational contracts covering varying degrees of complexity, value and risk.
The job holder will also work with business users and senior stakeholders to make sure that the contracts are delivering expected outcomes and problem solving operational issues.
Total value of these contracts is approximately £60 million.
The Contract Manager will be a key interface for HMPPS in the supply chain and be responsible for managing and developing relationships with internal and external stakeholders at Senior Manager and Deputy Director level to represent and ensure the HMPPS and DCOD strategic vision is delivered.
The post holder will work to the Senior Contract Manager and may hold line management responsibilities and/or be responsible for allocation of work to team members. It may also include project management.
This post is non-operational.
Summary
Accountable for robust management of the contract review process, including financial and performance monitoring, to completing related reports for discussion in holding providers to account and negotiating budgets and targets.
Accountable for securing relevant assurances of compliance on the implementation of specifications, new services, national instructions, audit and Inspectorate recommendations and highlight barriers to compliance and provide feedback and recommendations.