Regional Manager (Midlands)

Report to Head of Region (North)

Closing date 25th November at 9am

Salary £33-37K (dependent on experience)

Hours Full time

Location Birmingham (with some travel to London and Manchester)

Contract Permanent

The organisation

Unlocked Graduates aims to improve rehabilitation in the UK by creating a movement of future leaders across society who are driven to address cycles of reoffending. At the core of our organisation is a two-year leadership development scheme for outstanding graduates. Participants on the graduate scheme work as frontline prison officers for two years while completing a master’s degree.

Unlocked works closely with HMPPS, but is independent. We run our own recruitment and training separate from, but validated by, HMPPS. This means the scheme is tailored to our cohort, innovative in its approach, and ambitious in scope. Our graduates do a six-week intensive period of initial training, called Summer Institute This introduces them to their Master’s degree and covers all aspects of POELT.

Mentoring is central to the success of the scheme. Participants on the graduate scheme work closely with a Mentoring Prison Officer (MPO) from day one of their training, until the end of the two years. MPOs are experienced prison officers seconded to Unlocked Graduates. They work with 15-20 participants across two prisons. Unlocked Graduates invests heavily in the MPOs’ own development, with a day a week of training and support in Head Office. As part of this package, Unlocked delivers a coaching qualification from the Institute of Leadership and Management.

The role

Unlocked Graduates more than doubled in size from its first to its second cohort of outstanding graduates. The third cohort saw the expansion of the programme into the North with our first ever placements in prisons around Manchester and Warrington. For the 2020 cohort, we are going to be expanding into the Midlands and intend to place in several prisons in and around Birmingham and Staffordshire. As a result we are looking for an exceptional individual to work as Regional Manager for the Midlands.

The regional manager will, with the support of the Head of Region (North), set the culture, ambition and quality of the programme in the midlands. As such, the regional manager (Midlands) will be a critical bridge between the central head office team and the regional team. For this, communication, teamwork and feedback skills are essential.

It is imperative that the regional manager shares the passion, drive and work ethic to make Unlocked’s vision a reality. Enthusing and empowering others will be critical. This centres around governors of prisons in the local area, both before and during placement and also includes local organisation and individuals. Gaining the support of local stakeholders is key for the programme’s success.

They will lead a team of Mentoring Prison Officers (MPOs) in the midlands, supporting their development so that they can effectively support the participants on the wings. This will include delivering training on coaching, mentoring and adult facilitation.

The regional manager will take responsibility for the performance of the participants in the region, striving to develop staff and systems as appropriate to maximise participants’ impact on prisoners and the prison system.

Key responsibilities

- Recruit, line manage, train and develop a team of Mentoring Prison Officers (MPOs)

- Build and maintain positive and purposeful relationships with middle and senior leaders at prisons in the region, building their understanding and support for the Unlocked Graduates scheme

- Maintain oversight over the participants’ progress and performance, ensuring that participants are well supported and that their well-being and retention is good.

- Oversee the logistics and planning of regional training for participants, including coaching meetings, training sessions and lecture days

- Promote high expectations and a culture of leadership among participants in the region, maintaining a clear picture of participants’ progress and impact over time, implementing effective actions plans, and communicating this clearly within your region and to the central Unlocked Graduates team

- Create and shape meaningful partnerships with local organisations (corporate and third sector) that can support the programme

Person specification

Knowledge and experience

- Experience of line management and, in particular, managing performance

- Experience of mentoring and/or coaching

- Understanding of effective teaching and learning, especially facilitation of adult learners

- Able to interpret performance reports, using the data to drive effective decision making

- Understanding of public sector graduate leadership development schemes (desirable)

- Knowledge of, or interest in, the prison service and the prison officer role (desirable)

Characteristics and skills

- Efficient, organised and hard-working

- Passionate about reducing reoffending and positive about the capacity for change

- Able to inspire others and work alongside a diverse group of people

- Takes responsibility for team performance and constantly seeks improvement

- Excellent written and verbal communication skills

- Good at building relationships, gaining support, and holding stakeholders to account

- Able to have difficult conversations, give feedback and find solutions.

Other requirements

- Right to work in the UK and subject to Disclosure Barring service

- Able to travel regularly to visit prisons in the Midlands

- Able to travel regularly to Manchester and London offices

- You must be able to attend Summer Institute during July and August each year.