Contract Assurance Specialist

Salary
- £36,001 - £37,729

Number of jobs available
- 1

Detail of reserve list
- 12 Months

Region
- London

City/Town
- Ashford (Surrey)

Building/Site
- HM Prison Bronzefield, TW15 3JZ

Grade
- HEO

Organisation Grade for HMPPS
- Band 5

Post Type
- Permanent

Working Pattern
- Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working, Other

Role Type
- Procurement and Contracts Management

Job description

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).

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 **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 role is within the Custodial Contracts Directorate. The post holder will report to the Senior Contract Delivery Manager.

The post holder will ensure that all contract data is contract compliant and captured correctly and the analysis of complex and diverse data sets.

The post holder will provide support to Contract Delivery Managers and other stakeholders.

This is a HQ role located in geographically dispersed locations. This role may have line management responsibility.

This role is non-Operational.

**Summary**

The job holder will support the development of reporting data sets by providing analytical support for management information. They will develop and maintain data analysis tools to manage, summarise and present data in an understandable and usable format to internal and external stakeholders.

**Responsibilities, Activities and Duties**

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

- Ensure that all contract data is contract compliant and captured correctly.
- Develop and ensure that all quality assurance procedures for the contracts work effectively.
- Identify efficiency savings and bring to the attention of the relevant contr