92121 - Commissioning and Partnership Officer FTC until March 2026
Number of jobs available: 1
Detail of reserve list: 12 Months
Region: North West
City/Town: Accrington, Barrow-in-Furness, Blackburn, Blackpool, Burnley, Carlisle, Chorley, Kendal, Lancaster, Penrith, Preston, Skelmersdale, Workington
Grade: Other
NPS Pay Band: 4 National
Post Type: Fixed Term
Duration of appointment: Up to until March 2026
Working Pattern: Full Time
Role Type: Operational Delivery
Will the successful applicant have line manager responsibilities? Yes
Overview of the job
The purpose of the Commissioning and Partnerships team is to work closely with operational and contract managers within the region, commercial colleagues, policy leads, external partners/commissioners, providers, and service users to identify service needs, review existing services, build partnerships, develop knowledge, and build expertise within the business, design new services, source providers, and then monitor the effectiveness of commissioned services to promote innovative and strategic solutions and deliver quality, value for money services that meet service user needs and reduce reoffending.
The Commissioning and Partnerships Officer will develop and implement commissioning plans and products and be responsible for delivering commissioning and partnership activity. They will lead on secretariat, planning, and research activities to deliver commissioning and/or recommissioning of services across the region.
They will be line managed by a Commissioning and Partnerships Manager, who will lead on the delivery across the full range of services.
Summary
The post holder will produce and implement specific commissioning plans that support the regional commissioning strategy. They will be responsible for developing reports and briefings for senior managers, regional leads, and local/regional partners to support the monitoring and reporting of the regional commissioning strategy and specific commissioning plans. They will support operational staff and managers to deliver their responsibilities across the full range of services. This may include offering consultancy and advice, delivering local training, and briefings.
Responsibilities, Activities & Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities, and duties:
1. Collate and provide quantitative and qualitative analysis of needs and demand data to support Commissioning and Partnerships Managers and the wider Community Integration Team, including conducting focus groups with staff and service users.
2. Draft and amend service specifications for new and existing services and support the development of a portfolio of evidence-based service specifications, including the development and creation of Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) and Board reports.
3. Responsible for developing regional and local area reporting systems to monitor the effectiveness of existing commissioning arrangements and availability of local services to inform development of services, reviews, and planning.
4. Manage regional involvement in grants and procurement processes, including organizing market warming and engagement, producing key grant and procurement documents, and evaluation of bids.
5. Provide secretariat support to regional, cross-regional, and multi-agency governance or project groups and boards with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
6. Organize and facilitate stakeholder engagement events and meetings and produce timely minutes and actions.
7. Establish productive and effective relationships with relevant internal and external stakeholders at a local, regional, and national level in line with designated area to support commissioning activity.
8. Develop, maintain, and update regional partnership contacts and agreements and ensure these are linked to business planning for the region, as well as updating relevant documents for contacts within the partnership portfolio.
9. Undertake, lead, and manage specific project work as instructed by the Commissioning and Partnerships Manager and/or Head of Community Integration.
10. Attend meetings and represent the Commissioning and Partnerships Manager when necessary, demonstrating an understanding of the Probation Service, Region, and subject matters at all times.
11. Promote a culture of innovation and continuous improvement whilst undertaking reviews and making recommendations as necessary.
12. Implement and manage full commissioning processes including the commissioning cycle, internal and external stakeholders’ involvement, continually checking progress of different stages of work being completed and being vigilant on timescales.
13. Support the work with MOJ Commercial, Sourcing, and Procurement to develop strategies for the commissioning of services.
14. Undertake research, market warming, market engagement, negotiation.
15. Create service specifications, develop technical questions for competitions, design payment mechanisms, and ensure service enablers such as TUPE and information sharing are considered.
16. Undertake bid evaluations and moderation sessions.
17. Provide contract mobilisation support.
18. Accountable for ensuring all Commissioning and Partnerships activity includes and conforms to equalities regulations, policies, and processes.
19. Support on developing and supporting partner organisations with their on-boarding onto the Dynamic Framework.
20. Work with Regional leads and PDU colleagues to develop the engagement of People on Probation to ensure that commissioned services align to the EPOP agenda.
21. Support on the Contract Management of commissioned and co-commissioned contracts where required.
22. Input into inspections, working with OSAG and HMIP inspectors and implementing actions plans.
23. Work with Commissioning and Partnership Officers and Managers nationally to ensure alignment of commissioned services on a pan-regional basis.
24. Lead on the initiation of data sharing agreements, DPIAs, DAs, and all other information sharing agreements.
25. Engage with and co-ordinate between providers and Information Assurance Lead for the completion of the DPIA.
26. Undertake budget and financial monitoring of all commissioned and co-commissioned contracts.
27. Support on the induction and training of new and existing staff.
28. Own the process for Cyber Security to ensure completion in advance of services being launched to the operation team.
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.
An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.
Civil Service Success Profile Criteria
Behaviours
1. Seeing the Big Picture
2. Delivering at Pace
3. Communicating and Influencing
4. Working Together
5. Managing a Quality Service
6. Changing and Improving
Experience
1. Experience of commissioning and/or recommissioning services, including assessing need, reviewing services, and developing service specifications.
2. Awareness of procurement and grants within the public sector context.
3. Experienced in the field of partnership working.
4. Awareness of community safety, criminal justice, social care, housing, or health care setting.
5. Good oral and written communications skills.
6. Experience of undertaking research and formulating options, along with problem-solving abilities.
7. Experience of project management.
8. Proven experience of working in a community safety, criminal justice, social care, housing, or health care setting.
9. Good understanding of services to offenders delivered in the community or through-the-gate (upon release from prison).
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.
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.
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform.
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.
Benefits
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual Leave
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service, plus public holidays.
Pension
The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF).
Training
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Support
* A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
* Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers, and discounts on a range of goods and services.
* Paid paternity, adoption, and maternity leave.
* Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent, and abilities.
Diversity & Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found.
Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
* Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
* Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
* Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
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