Group Leader

Job summary

The Criminal Cases Review Commission has a unique statutory role in independently reviewing such cases and deciding whether there is a real possibility that a conviction or sentence would not be upheld by the appeal courts.

Following the recent HMCPSI inspection of the CCRC’s casework, the Group Leader role is central to improving the quality, consistency and timeliness of reviews. We are looking for leaders who can provide clear direction, constructive challenge and proportionate assurance so that Case Review Managers focus on the right issues and produce well reasoned recommendations.

We have six casework groups. Each Group Leader manages one group of around eight Case Review Managers (CRMs), each of whom holds a challenging case portfolio. The Group Leader is responsible for leading people, overseeing portfolios and supporting improvement across the organisation. Group Leaders are accountable to the Head of Casework Operations for their group’s performance and for maintaining high standards across the team.

Case reviews vary significantly in complexity and may require analysis of trial and appeal material, applications, public body records, expert evidence, legal advice, investigative enquiries and sensitive stakeholder communications. The Group Leader helps ensure that reviews are properly scoped, planned and progressed.

This is a leadership role with a strong first-line assurance function. This includes scrutinising proposed lines of enquiry, making sure that all reasonable lines are followed, challenging unnecessary or unfocused work, ensuring requests for material are justified, and helping CRMs identify when legal, investigative, forensic or specialist input is needed. Group Leaders set expectations for casework quality, provide early case direction, challenge case plans where appropriate, monitor progress, identify drift and support CRMs to make sound, timely recommendations for Commissioners to consider.

You will need to be confident analysing complex information, exercising impartial judgement and giving clear, constructive feedback. You will also need to create a supportive environment in which staff feel able to seek advice, discuss risk, learn from quality assurance findings and continuously improve their casework practice.
You will set the tone for how the group works with applicants and stakeholders, including victims of crime and agencies across the criminal justice system. You will advise on complex cases and work with Case Review Managers and Commissioners to support fair, well-reasoned outcomes.

Job description

Role Purpose:

To enable the effective delivery of the CCRC’s casework operations by leading one of six casework groups and providing first-line assurance over the quality, consistency and timeliness of case reviews. In the context of the HMCPSI inspection report, the Group Leader role supports stronger casework oversight by ensuring reviews are properly planned, focused, progressed and recorded. Group Leaders thereby contribute to:

• fulfilling the CCRC’s purpose of finding, investigating and referring suspected miscarriages of justice; and
• achieving the CCRC’s strategic aims, including the post-inspection focus on improving casework quality, assurance, consistency, proportionality and timeliness

Group Leaders balance autonomy with appropriate consultation and collaboration, providing constructive challenge and documented oversight of casework activity within their groups.

Key Responsibilities & Tasks
Dimensions/Key Responsibilities
• Responsibility for the management and performance of a team of Case Review Managers;
• Responsibility for the management of cases awaiting allocation, including anticipating likely resource requirements.

The core responsibilities are:

Leadership and first-line assurance

• Lead the group so staff understand the CCRC’s purpose, values and post-inspection priorities.
• Set expectations for timely, proportionate and well-reasoned casework.
• Support implementation of HMCPSI related improvements and stronger assurance arrangements.
• Be accountable to the Head of Casework Operations for the quality, timeliness and oversight of work delivered by the group.
• Provide first-line assurance by reviewing case plans and draft decisions, monitoring progress, challenging drift or inactivity and ensuring supervision is clearly recorded.
• Escalate significant casework, performance, resource or assurance issues where necessary.

Management

• Line manage group members, including setting objectives, supporting development and addressing performance or quality concerns
• Manage resources across the group, taking account of portfolio size, case complexity, priority and risk
• Meet regularly with staff to review case progress, priorities, wellbeing and barriers to delivery.
• Use performance information and assurance findings to identify delay, quality issues, training needs or additional support required.
• Contribute to recruitment, induction and wider casework process improvements.

Casework quality assurance

• Provide advice and constructive challenge to ensure case reviews are focused and linked to the real possibility test.
• Review case strategies, case plans and key milestones, ensuring issues are clear and enquiries are justified.
• Monitor portfolios to identify delay, inactivity, risk, complexity or lack of progress
• Scrutinise key casework products, including draft Statements of Reasons, for accuracy, clarity, reasoning and consistency
• Undertake proportionate dip sampling, provide feedback and follow up where improvement is needed.
• Share learning from supervision and assurance activity with CRMs, other Group Leaders and relevant teams.
• Work with other Group Leaders and specialist teams to manage cases awaiting allocation and resolve significant casework issues.

Other

• Communicate key messages to group members and senior management, including changes arising from HMCPSI recommendations.
• Contribute to organisational learning by sharing assurance findings, good practice and recurring barriers to quality, timeliness or consistency.
• Promotes equality of opportunity and deals with people fairly. Understands the benefits of diversity and values individual differences in line with CCRC policies.
• The Group Leader also helps create an environment where CRMs feel able to seek advice, discuss risk, receive constructive feedback and learn from assurance findings.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• Lead: Experience within the criminal justice system – Significant experience within an investigative role within the UK criminal justice system, or a UK legal qualification and experience of/or practice within the UK criminal justice system
• Lead: Leadership Skills – Experience of leading, motivating and constructively challenging individuals to improve quality and performance, with the ability to embed HMCPSI-related improvements in casework quality, consistency and assurance. Demonstrates commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Comprehensive experience of complex legal or investigative casework – Proven experience of successfully managing a complex portfolio of cases with competing deadlines and conflicting priorities
• Analytical/thinking skills – Ability to analyse complex information, identify key issues and evidential gaps, and make sound, evidence-based decisions within
  delegated authority. Demonstrates strategic and solution-focused thinking to support HM