National Sector Development Manager (Ref: 22602)

Job summary

This is a National Role

Job description

Few roles in the Civil Service offer the opportunity to influence national employers, shape workforce solutions and directly contribute to reducing reoffending through changing lives. As a National Sector Development Manager with New Futures Network, you'll lead engagement with employers and sector bodies across England and Wales, developing partnerships that create life-changing opportunities for people in prison and on release. This is a high-profile role for an ambitious and experienced relationship-builder who enjoys working at the interface between business, government and social impact. You'll work with senior leaders from industry, prisons and government to develop innovative solutions to workforce challenges, helping employers access talent while creating better futures for thousands of people. If you're motivated by influence, challenge and purpose, we'd love to hear from you.

We will be holding two information sessions for these roles to give you the opportunity to learn more about them. Details and links are below:

Information session 1- Tuesday 6th October 10:30-11:30. Link to join:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/357306699729817?p=pZ3jrLNNoBk58MVvCi

Information Session 2- Wednesday 7th October 3-4pm. Link to join:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/355401169666615?p=4Qwa1aiysIPFXQ9oFM

About the team

New Futures Network (NFN) is the specialist employer engagement team within HMPPS. We work with employers across England and Wales to increase employment opportunities for people in prison and on release, recognising that securing sustainable employment is one of the most important factors in reducing reoffending.

Working in partnership with prisons, probation, employers and government departments, NFN develops employer partnerships that create real job opportunities while supporting prisons to align employment and skills provision with labour market demand.

Employment Advisory Boards (EABs) and Employment Councils are a key part of this work. They bring prisons and senior business leaders together to strengthen employer engagement, improve employment pathways and ensure that local and regional activity is responsive to labour market needs and HMPPS priorities.

About the role

This is an employer engagement role, which sits at the heart of New Futures Network’s work to increase employment opportunities for people in prison and on release. You will be responsible for building and managing a portfolio of employers, developing strong partnerships that translate into meaningful employment opportunities across the prison estate.

You will proactively identify and engage prospective employers, meeting with businesses to understand their workforce needs and demonstrate how working with HMPPS can support both their organisation and people leaving prison. You will develop new relationships from initial conversations through to delivery, while maintaining and growing existing partnerships to maximise their impact over time. This reflects the role’s focus on generating national-scale employer partnerships and developing strategic relationships with both existing and prospective employers.

Working closely with prisons will be central to the role. You will build a strong understanding of the opportunities, needs and constraints across the prison estate and bring employers and operational colleagues together to develop opportunities that work in practice. This could include employment on release, opportunities through Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL), and activity that connects work and skills development in custody with employers’ recruitment needs.

You will need to be confident representing New Futures Network externally and engaging with stakeholders at all levels, from operational colleagues to senior business leaders. You will attend employer meetings, networking events and other external forums, using your influencing and relationship-building skills to generate new opportunities and develop a strong pipeline of employer engagement. The role will suit someone who is proactive, commercially minded and comfortable opening doors, building trusted relationships and turning those relationships into tangible outcomes.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,398, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £16,628 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a standard (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries w