We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMI Prisons) for England and Wales is an independent inspectorate which reports on the treatment of, and conditions for, those in prison, young offender institutions and court custody suites in England and Wales, and immigration detention facilities in the United Kingdom. HMI Prisons also inspects Border Force customs custody (jointly with HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services) and secure training centres (jointly with Ofsted). By invitation, HMI Prisons inspects some military detention facilities, as well as prisons in Northern Ireland and in other jurisdictions with links to the UK, such as the Isle of Man.
The role of HM Inspectorate of Prisons is to provide independent scrutiny of the conditions for and treatment of prisoners and other detainees, promoting the concept of healthy establishments in which staff work effectively to achieve positive outcomes for those detained and for the public.
The Inspectorates work constitutes an important part of the United Kingdoms obligations under the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment. This Protocol requires signatory states to have in place regular independent inspection of places of detention.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons is an Arms Length Body (ALB) of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). The Chief Inspector of Prisons is a Crown Appointee, while the staff of the Inspectorate are civil servants employed by the MoJ. The established values of the Inspectorate are:
- Independence, impartiality and integrity are the foundations of our work.
- The experience of the detainee is at the heart of our inspections.
- Respect for human rights underpins our Expectations.
- We embrace diversity and are committed to pursuing equality of outcomes for all.
- We believe in the capacity of both individuals and organisations to change and improve, and that we have a part to play in initiating and encouraging change.
Job Description
Inspection Support Officer (AO) HM Inspectorate of Prisons
About The Role
This is a unique post within a small and friendly secretariat team, which principally involves providing administrative support to ensure that our inspections run effectively. Key responsibilities include supporting the Deputy Chief Inspector with managing the current ongoing inspection programme and allocations plan, liaising with a range of internal colleagues, external partner organisations and stakeholders about our inspections and inspection/thematic reports and managing the correspondence sent to our general enquiries in-box from prisoners families and friends and other members of the public. The role involves dealing with sensitive material on a regular basis, so a high level of discretion and judgement is required.
The post sits within the secretariat team at HM Inspectorate of Prisons which provides a wide range of services to support the effective delivery of inspections. The post holder will also provide administrative assistance within the Secretariat such as booking hotels and travel for inspection teams and taking minutes at corporate meetings. There will be the opportunity to get involved with other elements of the secretariat teams work and shadowing an inspection. The post holder will be line managed by the Executive Assistant to the Chief Inspector/Deputy Chief Inspector. This post involves working a minimum of three days a week in the office and two days from home.
Grade
AO (Band E)
Responsibilities
1. Support the Deputy Chief Inspector with managing the current ongoing inspection programme and allocations plan, which involves reviewing the plan at monthly meetings and communicating changes to internal colleagues, external partner organisations and stakeholders as required. This involves handling and storing appropriately Official Sensitive documents, crucial to the delivery of HMI Prisons core functions.
2. Create inspection announcement letters for Independent Review of Progress (IRP) visits and announced inspections within the appropriate timeframe.
3. Work with colleagues within the secretariat team to arrange travel for inspection teams and the Research Team including car hire, hotels, flights.
4. Act as secretary to the Equality and Diversity Action Group (EDAG). Understand the objectives of the group and support the Head of Secretariat to ensure that priorities are reflected in the Inspectorates Equality and Diversity Action Plan. Provide administrative support to the Chair including confirming meeting dates, organising papers, liaising with attendees, and taking and distributing minutes of meetings.
5. Act as secretary to quarterly meetings to discuss safeguarding referrals in collaboration with safeguarding inspectors. Provide administrative support to the Chair including confirming meeting dates, organising papers, liaising with attendees, and taking and distributing minutes of meetings.
6. Circulate inspection debriefs to HMPPS HQ and other external stakeholders the week after an inspection.
7. Monitor the arrival of action plans from HMPPS, HO and HMCTS after the publication of inspection and thematic reports, save in the relevant file on the shared drive and send to the Research team for monitoring purposes.
8. Keep an ongoing separate list of in-year publications for use at the time of writing the annual report. In liaison with the communications team, circulate the draft annual report and introduction to HMPPS, HO, HMCTS and other in-year inspected bodies, receive factual accuracy responses, and send back replies.
9. Manage the Inspectorates public inbox and respond to or pass on correspondence as appropriate, working in collaboration with colleagues within the secretariat team. This involves responding to enquiries, raising safeguarding issues with places of detention, and resolving queries from prisoners, family members of prisoners and other members of the public.
10. Work with the Head of Secretariat and Executive Assistant to the Chief Inspector/Deputy Chief Inspector to draft responses to FOI requests.
11. Circulate daily/weekly briefings from HMPPS to an agreed copy list.
12. Provide cover for the Chief Inspector/Deputy Chief Inspectors executive assistant post as required.
13. Provide administrative support to the Head of Secretariat as required.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and this list is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to undertake additional tasks of a similar level as required.
