Publications Officer

**Publications Officer - 77451**
**£35,405 - £39,000**
**London**:
**Job Title**:
Publications Officer, Independent Monitoring Boards and Lay Observers Secretariat.

**Grade**:
Band C

**Location**:
Canary Wharf, London

**Salary**:
The salary for this role is set within the MoJ HEO pay range.

**Full/Part Time**:
This role is being offered on a part-time basis of 22 hours a week (flexible working arrangements considered).

**Contract Type**:
This role is being offered on a permanent basis.

**About Independent Monitoring Boards**:
Members of Independent Monitoring Boards (IMBs) are unpaid public appointees (volunteers) who provide statutory, independent scrutiny of the treatment and care of people in prisons and immigration detention. There are approximately 1100 IMB members, organised into around 130 Boards, each with its own Chair. They are appointed by ministers and operate in prisons and young offender institutions (run by HM Prisons and Probation Service - MOJ), in immigration removal centres, various short-term holding facilities and on repatriation flights for those being removed from the UK (run by the Home Office).

Lay Observers (LOs) are also unpaid volunteers appointed by ministers, whose responsibility it is to check on the welfare of individuals in court custody suites and while they are traveling in the care and custody of escort contractors.

As independent scrutiny bodies, IMBs and LOs have a growing public profile and play an increasingly crucial role in providing assurance to ministers and the public on the conditions and treatment of those held in detention. They are members of the UK’s National Preventive Mechanism, under the UK’s international human rights obligations to prevent torture and other ill-treatment of people in detention. They work closely with HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, who also play a key part in the oversight and assurance of places of detention. The findings of IMBs and LOs are fed into the performance and scrutiny information used by government to contribute to prisons and immigration detention policy and process changes, in line with the government’s commitment to ensuring safe, humane and effective places of detention.

**About the role**:
IMBs have a statutory duty to produce an annual report covering the monitoring in their prison every year. This role is responsible for supporting Boards to publish these reports and ensuring the evidence provided supports what is being said. Day to day, you will also provide excellent customer service and expert advice to Boards/members to ensure that reports are factchecked, formatted, branded and published in line with national standards and expectations.

You will be a motivated, enthusiastic individual with experience of working in a fast-paced environment.

The increasing profile of the IMBs make this an exciting time to join the organisation.

**Key Responsibilities**

Key responsibilities will include, but may not be limited to:

- Run a professional and timely production, tracking, scheduling and publication process for all Board annual reports
- Proofread and format all reports in line with annual report templates and guidance, ensuring all reports are as clear and accessible as possible and recommending changes to Boards as needed.
- Identify any potential breaches of GDPR, contradictory statements, or content that could attract unwarranted media attention or be considered defamatory.
- Be the single point of contact for Board Chairs and members on Board annual reports. Liaise with members on the production of individual reports, taking into account Board needs but ensuring national standards are met.
- Carry out all national pre-publication factchecking and internal circulation procedures in line with national MoUs/SLAs with monitored services (MoJ, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service and the Home Office).
- On occasion support struggling Boards with the drafting of their annual report, either directly or through the regional support.
- Ensure guidance for writing of annual reports, including the IMB style guide and annual report templates/guidance, is regularly reviewed and refreshed.
- Liaise with the communications team to ensure that press releases are prepared for publication.
- Liaise with the communications team regarding key messages Boards are reporting that might warrant press interest.
- Liaise with the policy team regarding key concerns Boards are reporting that might warrant further policy exploration.
- Coordinate and advise on copyright issues and permissions.
- Manage the IMB report inbox.
- Deliver training to members on the annual report process when necessary.
- Work collaboratively with the Secretariat team. Performing other job-related duties as assigned.

**Skills**:
**Essential criteria**
- Excellent writing, editing and proofreading skills
- Excellent liaising and influencing skills to deal effectively with a diverse team of volunteers an