Your guide to proposals
for roles and pay 2009-2011
For staff groups represented by the POA
Why Workforce modernisation?
• We need to remain efficient and effective
• Workforce modernisation is a key part of the
public sector Prison Service’s ability to
demonstrate best delivery in a competitive
market
Workforce modernisation is essentially about two things:
• a restructured pay and grading system for everyone built on a new
job evaluation system that clearly identifies what people do at work
so that we can pay them fairly.
• a different emphasis on the way we work at establishment level
through:• simpler policies and procedures meaning there is more time
spent on front-line activity
• organisational structures in establishments reduced to fewer
layers.
What does the new structure look like?
Layers
Working role title
Layer 4
In-charge Governor
Competency & skills based
assessment process for all
Layer 3
Deputy Governor and
Senior Manager
Competency & skills based assessment
process for all management
Layer 2
Manager
Competency & skills based
assessment process for all
Team Leader
Assessment Gateway
Officer Residential
Assessment Gateway
Officer Operations
Competency escalated activities
New POELT recruits entry level
Operational Support
Entry level
Layer 1
Possible career route
How do we get there?
There are two options for POA members to consider:
Option One:
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This deal equates to a headline cash increase of over 10% for POA members over the
three year period. This offers:
a three year pay deal worth around 10% in cash terms as follows:
year one: 6% non-consolidated payment for those at the maximum of their scale equating to:
£1,065 for OSGs
£1700 for Prison Officers
£1,810 for Senior Officers
£1,957 for Principal Officers
For those not on the maximum, staff will receive rises in pay through progression and a move
across to the new pay scale equating to:
£780 - £1,690 for OSGs
£2,000 to £2,500 for Prison Officers
Year two: 2.4% uplift of all pay points plus progression
Year three: 2.35% uplift of all pay points plus progression
There are two options for POA members to consider:
Option Two:
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Working Hours Proposals
A reduction in the working week to 37 hours by 2011 at no detriment to
current pay; and with the option available to Operational Support, Officer
Operation, Officer Residential and Team Leaders to buy back additional
hours and therefore increase earnings.
For example, a Prison Officer who chooses to work 41 hours a week will
receive a salary of over £31,000; an Operational Support who chooses to
work a 41 hour week would receive a salary of over £21,000 at max, and a
Team Leader who chooses to work a 41 hour week would receive a salary
of £33,248 at max by 2011.
Potential pay progression options under option 2 (working week
reduced to 37 hours)
• 2009 pay maintained at current level on 39 hours. 6%
non-consolidated payment if on max, or progression
• 2010 working week reduced to 38 hours – pay
maintained at current level
– Option to buy back 1 or 3 hours
• 2011 working week reduced to 37 hours – pay
maintained at current levels, option to buy back 2 or 4
hours
Potential pay progression options under option 2 (working
week reduced to 37 hours)
• Example for Prison Officer at max
37 hours
38 hours
2009
41 hours
£28,138
2010
2011
39 hours
£28,191
£28,216
£28,813
£30,202
£29,490
£31,014
Both options include:
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faster progression for many to the top of pay scales
the creation of new roles to ensure we have the right people doing the
right job
flexible contracts meaning you can agree to work fewer or more hours
than the agreed average week
new training and clearer progression routes for all staff
clearly defined roles and responsibilities set out in properly evaluated
job descriptions with people doing similar work receiving equivalent pay
Simpler procedures and policies that remove unnecessary management
burden and allow deployment of resources to the frontline
More flexible use of managerial roles
What training will be available?
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Workforce modernisation continues the Service’s commitment to professionalising all
custodial care roles. Training and development forms a central part of our proposals
to enable staff to undertake their roles competently and effectively. Proposals for
new staff are:
Operational Support: A two week course to underpin skills and knowledge for the
Level 2 Custodial Care NVQ (CCNVQ) which operational support staff will need to
complete as part of their probation.
Officer Operations: A six week learning programme that reflects most of the
content of the existing POELT course and some additional elements such as;
working with prisoners with learning difficulties, resilience and assertiveness and an
increased module on incident management. It follows the current delivery model but
removes the mid-course, establishment based, experiential learning week.
Operations Officers will be required to complete the NVQ level 3 in custodial care as
part of their probation.
Officer Residential: A one week programme incorporating all of the essential
elements for this role identified in the Generic Role Profile. The course builds on
prior learning at Officer Operations level.
What training will be available?
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Team Leader: A four day learning programme which contains the essential skills for
those undertaking the supervisory leadership role of Team Leader. The course builds
on the prior learning at Officer Offender Management level.
From this programme, Team Leaders who wish to develop their leadership and
management skills will have the opportunity to access New Horizons II training.
Managers will undertake modules from the New Horizons II package in addition to
the existing provision of EMALPS (Excellence in Management and Leadership in the
Prison Service) and pre-Senior Custodial Manager Development two-day courses.
New roles explained
Operational Support
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All Operational Support Grades will become Operational
Support roles, though you will still be undertaking the same
range of activities as before.
Generally you will be carry out Operational Support duties
including some risk assessed prisoner-facing activity.
You will recognise your typical daily activities, which include:
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entrance and exit of staff and visitors and gate operation
operating electronic security equipment
conducting possession searches including use of x-ray equipment and
vehicle searches
mail sorting and distribution
risk assessed prisoner-facing officer support activities
Operational Support
You will be guided on a day-to-day basis by a shift supervisor but
will be line managed by a manager.
Your new opportunities
• You will be able to study for Level 2 Custodial Care NVQ,
which offers a good grounding in prison work, and the chance
to move along the new career progression path to Officer
Operations should you wish to do so.
Your career progression
• Now your progression path is clearer and more
straightforward than ever before,if you decide to move to the
next role.Provided there is a vacancy and you pass through
the competency gateway,you can become an
Operations Officer.
Officer Operations
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Officer Operations is a new role for newly-trained prison officers
who will enter the Service in the future.
It is important to note that no current officers or OSGs
will enter this role or transition as part of these proposals
Officer Operations are fully trained officer.
Typical activities include:
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locking, unlocking and undertaking roll checks
monitoring prisoner activity and completing relevant documentation
moving prisoners and internal and external escorts
conducting alcohol and drugs testing and
supervising activities including exercise, association, workshops,
education and visits
Officer Operations will be guided on a day-to-day basis
by a shift supervisor but will report to a manager.
Officer Operations
The opportunities
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As this is a new role we expect that many Officers Operations will
be recruited from the new Operational Support level. An
Operations Officer will need to complete the Level 3 Custodial
Care NVQ. You will also gain a thorough and gradual introduction
to prisoner-facing work.
Your career progression
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Provided there is a vacancy and you pass through a competency
gateway, you will become a Officer Residential role that brings a
favourable pay reward. You could train in a specific area such as
drugs testing or work in a residential capacity.
Officer Residential
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As an experienced prison officer your job title has now
changed to Officer Residential. This marks the difference
between your skills and experience and those of entry-level
Operations Officers.
Typical activities include:
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providing personal support to prisoners through the role of personal
officer
assisting prisoners through their sentence
supervising prisoners and prisoner activities
ensuring safer custody procedures including first night safety are carried
out
contributing to prisoner records and participating in prisoner
assessments in line with the reducing reoffending agenda.
You will report to a manager and receive day-to-day
guidance from your Team Leader.
Officer Residential
Your new opportunities
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Newly-simplified processes and procedures mean you will have
more time to focus on building key relationships with prisoners. The
importance of your work, and its impact in areas such as reducing
reoffending has been recognised, hence the new status of this job
and enhanced pay.
Your career progression
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Now your progression path is clearer and more straightforward than
ever before, if you decide to move to the next role. Provided there
is a vacancy and you pass through a competency gateway, you will
become a Team Leader which is an officer role with supervisory
responsibilities for a team of operations and
residential officers.
Team Leader
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All Senior Officers will be move to this newly created supervisory officer
role. As a Team Leader you will have shift supervisory responsibility for
officers so that they can deliver work routines and appropriate activities.
Typical activities include:
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fulfilling the duties of an Officer Residential
managing minor incidents
providing staff with guidance and feedback on work performance and
input into performance management
verifying auditable activities within the scope of your role to ensure
compliance and quality
championing adherence to prison service policy eg diversity
and violence reduction strategy.
You will have supervisory responsibilities for the
officers in your team but line management
responsibilities for you and your team will
be with your manager.
Team Leader
Your new opportunities
• This role offers you the chance to complete formal training and
development in people and business management skills, in preparation for
progression to management, should you wish to. It offers you more handson supervisory responsibility than ever, while simplified processes and
procedures mean you can focus on officers and prisoners.
Your career progression
• Now your progression path is clearer and more
straightforward than ever before. Provided there
is a vacancy and you pass through a competency
gateway, you will gain line-management
responsibility by becoming a manager.
You will receive thorough training for this
role through the Trainee Manager
Programme.
Manager
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This role reflects your managerial skills and experience and is the
new role that all Principal Officers have been transitioned into.
You will provide first line management for officer roles, including
team leaders. As a manager you will not wear a uniform and
will be on an all-hours worked standard
37 hours week contract
Typical activities include:
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managing resources to deliver the regime
managing staff including investigations, disciplinary, grievances,
absence management
SPDRs, work life balance and liaison with Shared Services
duty manager responsibilities
managing the budget for the unit or function
leading and/or contributing tothe development of local
policy,procedures and practice.
You will report to a senior manager
Manager
Your new opportunities
• Newly simplified processes and procedures mean you will have
more time to focus on managing your staff and areas effectively
and driving forward the Service’s work. If you are a newlyappointed manager you will be enrolled on the new
Management Development Programme depending on your
previous role.
Your career progression
• Now your progression path is clearer and more
straightforward than ever before, if you decide to move
to the next role. Providing you successfully complete
managerial training you can apply and be assessed
for the job of Senior Manager.
What about other manager and senior manager roles?
• A full description of roles and
responsibilities and pay proposals for
all current manager and senior
manager grades will be given once
agreement is reached with their trades
union representatives.
What happens next?
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This is the best package that we can put together, maximising all the
available money to deliver new pay systems and competitive earnings
growth.
The package has been negotiated with trades unions and we expect the
POA to ballot their members on whether to accept this deal and which
option to proceed with.
Assuming you vote in favour of this package the new pay and grading
structure, underpinned by job evaluation, takes effect from 1 April 2009.
Where do I go for further information?
• This information and more is available on the intranet.
Our newsletter ‘Keeping you informed’ will also keep
you up to date as the proposals progress.
• If you have any questions please talk to your Governor
or local Wfm Establishment Implementation Manager or:
email: workforcemodernisationteam@hmps.gsi.gov.uk