Chaplain

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Overview of the job

Job holders will provide faith/belief and pastoral care to prisoners and staff in their own faith/belief tradition and have an understanding/knowledge of other faith/beliefs. Job holders will also be required to meet the pastoral needs of people of other faiths/beliefs and none.

Summary

The job holder will provide for the religious/care of prisoners and staff in the faith/belief tradition and appropriate pastoral care for all irrespective of faith or tradition.

The job holder will work with colleagues to ensure the delivery of PSI 05/2016 Faith and Pastoral Care for Prisoners or its successor policy framework document and also the broader work of chaplaincy in delivering faith and non-faith based courses. Will contribute to the process by which the Governor and Head of Chaplaincy/Profession at headquarters are assured that these policies are being delivered.

The job holder will engage with and build contacts with their own faith/belief community towards aiding the resettlement of offenders.

This is a non-operational job with no line management or supervisory responsibilities.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Act as Faith/Belief adviser in the establishment providing advice, pastoral care and spiritual welfare to prisoners, staff and their families as requested.
• Facilitate and deliver opportunities for worship/meditation/meditation, study and religious programmes.
• Contribute towards the development of local policy, procedures and practice.
• Provide mentoring and personal support for other chaplains and volunteers including following incidents.
• Be part of the provision of available and accessible chaplaincy care at all times.
• Plan and lead worship/meditation/meditation, prayer and faith/belief specific meetings.
• Provide pastoral care to prisoners and help to provide support and bring resolution to crisis situations where required.
• Nurture Chaplaincy volunteers in their contribution.
• Facilitate services provided by contractors and volunteers.
• Work collaboratively with other Chaplains and Managing Chaplain on the maintenance and provision of facilities for worship/meditation/meditation and prayer.
• Ensure your prison community is aware of relevant religious events and coordinate establishment support for these.
• Acquire and distribute appropriate religious literature, supplies and materials.
• Contribute to training programmes and materials for staff and volunteers.
• Be part of the organisation and delivery of Faith Awareness Training for staff.
• Take responsibility for your own spiritual health and development, allowing time for private prayer, study and retreat.
• Provide appropriate support to the establishment in the absence of the Managing Chaplain.
• Actively support the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process.
• Attend relevant boards/meetings and actively contribute either as chair or team member.
• Be proactive in forging links with their local faith/belief communities and other agencies, as relevant and consider ways in which these communities/agencies may become involved in mentoring prisoners on release.
• Participate in developing ways for improving and achieving targets as required, undertake and ensure that all relevant administration, data collection and analysis including relevant targets are collated.
• Undertake wider faith/belief community Ministerial Reviews, where appropriate.
• Assist in probation approved premise (AP) or other HMPPS funded community initiatives by agreement.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

Behaviours

Essential Experience

• Chaplains are required to meet the faith/belief eligibility requirements for their chosen faith/belief as outlined within the Group Profile.

• An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.

Technical Requirements

• Subject to agreement from Anglican Bishop to Prisons.
• Have formal endorsement in the form of the licence of the Diocesan Bishop*
• Evidence required before appointment.

Reader, Religious Brother/Sister, Church Army Evangelist

Be a Reader (as set out in Canon E4 of The Canons of the Church of England or direct equivalent in other Anglican provinces).

Be a Religious sister or brother, Church Army Evangelist or other appropriately qualified or licensed minister in the Anglican tradition, subject to agreement from the Anglican Bishop to HM Prisons.

Have formal endorsement in the form of the licence of the Diocesan Bishop (Evidence required before appointment).

All must have:

signed the Church of England documentation on mutual flourishing or Church in Wales equivalent;
demonstrable knowledge of Anglican theology and religious practice; and
formal endorsement from the HMPPS Anglican Faith Adviser confirming eligibility and suitability.
Diocesan DBS clearance and up to date safeguarding training.
Formal recognised qualification in theology or religious study – at least three years of Part Time study, normally to Diploma standard – requiring considerable life or professional experience and voluntary experience within the church over, a period of years
relevant practical experience in delivery of worship/meditation, group work and pastoral care – At least one or more years of relevant experience, post training in a Faith development or pastoral setting. Non-Ordained Anglican Chaplains are Faith leaders in their own communities. They have demonstrated consistently to a range of people (academic / pastoral / practical) that they have advanced communication, organisational and relational skills in order to have achieved this level of accreditation.

Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances

37 hour working week

Unsocial Hours Working

This role requires working regular unsocial hours and a 17% payment will be paid in addition to your basic pay to recognise this. Unsocial hours are those hours outside 0700 – 1900hrs Monday to Friday and include working evenings, nights, weekends and Bank/Public holidays.

Salary

£30,938 - £32,424

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on ‘modernised’ terms in their current post or onto ‘unmodernised’ MoJ terms if they are on ‘unmodernised’ terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Standard working hours for this post are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate’s Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Benefits

Annual Leave

• The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays

• You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment

Pension

• The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance

HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ

Season Ticket Advance

• After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work

Childcare Vouchers

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

Training

HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes

• There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts

• All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles

Eligibility

• All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post

• All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS

• All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.