Community Payback Officer - Advertised on behalf of Essex CRC

Job Introduction

Are you interested in working directly with service users?  Are you interested in playing an important part in changing lives for a safer community?

We currently have an opportunity for Community Payback Officer to join Essex CRC.

You will ensure the effective, efficient and quality delivery of community payback, identifying and liaising with appropriate beneficiaries, agencies and stakeholders

You will identify and risk assess new projects, monitor performance targets for Community Payback and take action to ensure they are met.

We are looking for organised individuals who are calm under pressure and flexible towards working hours, as job holders must work weekends and some evenings. Unsocial hours pay enhancements apply for weekend working.

Role Responsibility

• Manage and develop all aspects of placement finding in line with the community payback operating model and CRC policy and Unpaid work manual.
• Quality assure all placements in line with CRC policy and health and safety legislation.
• Assess the performance of community payback supervisors at least once per month using tools agreed by the CRC and feedback to line manager.
• Where required organise staffing resources on a day to day basis  to deliver the service provision.
• Manage the upkeep and organisation of all physical resources for effective delivery and health and safety.
• Offer advocate, advice and guidance on all aspects of community payback including promotion of services.
• Cover supervisors duties as and when required and offer county wide flexible support – this will involve weekend working and unsocial hours working.
• Able to drive the community payback minibuses.
• Ensure that in all contacts with offenders, they are alert to the needs of, and any harm that may be posed to children and adults with care and support needs. In the event of any of these safeguarding issues being identified they will consult with a manager and comply with the SET procedures.
• Report immediately to the Responsible Officer (Offender Manager) when the offender’s risk escalates or a change in circumstances occurs.
• Liaise and work collaboratively with Responsible Officers, NPS, NOMS, CRC staff and other agencies in relation to community payback, in particular in order to minimise the risk of reoffending and risk of harm and to promote the safety of communities and liaise with NPS updating on suitable provision for high risk cases.
• Conduct interviews with offenders in Partnership Agency premises, individually and in conjunction with partnership staff and inform the responsible officer of the outcome of these interviews.
• Report to the CRC Contract Manager or delegate the performance of partner organisations in relation to contracted targets for throughput and outcomes.
• Participate in multi-agency panels and through these networks to identify development opportunities and service delivery opportunities, to enhance provision for offenders. Communicate these to the relevant managers for developing such provision.
• Ensure effective communications, liaison and complementary working between CRC staff and partnership agencies, stakeholders such as PCC and engage with actual and potential partner agencies including statutory and third sector agencies to ensure effective partnership working.
• Develop and maintain sufficient knowledge of health and safety quality assurance and performance targets in line with CRC policy and unpaid work manual. Have a good understanding of health and safety legislation and maintain, update all health and safety records 
• Open, maintain and close offender records in accordance with Service Policies and Procedures, including records of any contact with the offender, and complete all administrative and statistical tasks relevant to the role.
• Comply with the protocols, policies and security arrangements of any statutory agency partner, if based with the partner agency.
• Use the relevant information systems and technology and be competent to learn new systems  effectively, including, for example, Delius, Word, Excel, e-mail systems, etc, as required/appropriate and as per policy.
• Update and maintain all publicity for community payback.
• Ensure all activities are conducted in a non-discriminatory way in accordance with Service policies on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity.
• Use resources efficiently and effectively, ensuring proper use and security at all times, and maintaining and checking all equipment and resources in own area of responsibility. This includes working within set budget and financial limits.

The Ideal Candidate

You will need a current, clean driving license and will be expected to undertake a competency assessment to drive a minibus. Work breaks are taken whilst supervising service users on groups when required to provide cover.

The below selection criteria lists the essential criteria that we are seeking from the successful candidate:

• A strong team ethic
• The ability to demonstrate and instruct others
• The ability to be a positive role model
• Excellent communication skills with a range of audiences including use of IT systems
• Knowledge of Health & Safety in the work environment

Package Description

37 hours per week

Band 3 - starting salary £23,268 per annum

27 days holiday + 8 bank holidays, defined contribution pension scheme, company sick pay, group discount scheme.

About the Company

The role of Essex CRC is to rehabilitate service users, reduce reoffending and protect the public and we are one of six CRCs operated by Sodexo Justice Services in the UK.  We work with service users both in the community and in custody to deliver the sentence of the court, to rehabilitate them and to provide a range of programmes and interventions to turn their lives around.  We deliver effective offender management and rehabilitation services to low and medium risk service users and our highly skilled staff work in a range of disciplines to make a real difference.  Our aim is to create a better future for the people we work  with – service users, victims and their families and local communities.  We are proud to have strong relationships with other criminal justice agencies, local authorities, health trusts, employment and training providers, and work with contracted partners to enhance delivery to our service users. 

We serve the county from the 6 major towns: Chelmsford, Colchester, Harlow, Thurrock, Basildon, Southend. Essex CRC is  an Equal Opportunities employer. All applicants are considered on the basis of suitability for the post, irrespective of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age or religion.