Service Delivery Officer (YJS) (PO2)

We are looking for a skilled project professional to join our team and support a programme of improvement work following our recent HMIP inspection. The role will involve coordinating actions, monitoring progress, and helping to implement recommendations across the service. We are particularly interested in candidates with project management or project officer experience; previous youth justice experience is not required.

Context The Youth Justice Service (YJS) is a multi-disciplinary service which works with children, young people and families to address vulnerabilities, risks and factors that lead to offending behaviour. The service sits alongside the Contextual Safeguarding and Engagement Services to deliver an integrated response which supports children and young people to fulfil their potential and make positive contributions to society. Job Purpose To carry out a project management role in relation to the Youth Justice Service (YJS). This will include project managing the delivery of the YJS improvement programme plan, identify and realise business efficiencies and drive forward the current and future YJS strategy. The post holder will be required to supervise other staff that may be required for specific project and from time to time be given responsibility for managing allocated budgets relating to specific projects or events. The role will include delivering best practice in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion. Responsibilities This job description is intended as a guide and is not an exhaustive list of the duties and responsibilities of this role, such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility entailed. Equality, diversity, and inclusion will be considered across the range of responsibilities. 1. To assist in strategic planning processes, development of the strategy and policy documentation through to implementation. 2. To undertake research, data collection and benchmarking, produce appropriate reports, discussion papers, briefings, grant applications from external funders and other documents. 3. To manage the operational implementation of projects to improve services to internal and external customers. This may include: � Identify and develop new systems, procedures, and policies to improve service provision. � Lead on the planning, monitoring, and reporting of project progress against the plan. � Day to day identification, resolution and escalation of project issues and management of risks. � Work closely with colleagues in central services Finance, HR, Procurement etc. to ensure payroll, contractual changes etc. are executed promptly and accurately. � Work proactively with the management team to ensure service continuity during a period of change. 4. To lead on the procurement and commissioning of services across the Youth Justice Service within agreed financial limits, leading on drafting and development of papers and processes and ensuring compliance with corporate commissioning and procurement processes. 5. To manage contracts and grants awarded by the Youth Justice Service in line with Council Policies and to implement rigorous regimes of monitoring and evaluation, preparing reports for the Management Team. 6. Day to day financial management of budgets, preparation of reports and maintenance of records as requested by the Management Team. 7. To positively represent the Youth Justice Service in a variety of professional meetings develop and maintain good working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders 8. To engage proactively and collaboratively with key internal and external stakeholders to establish operational protocols where appropriate with the partner agencies represented within or working in conjunction with the Youth Justice Service. 9. Support the Senior Management Team in the planning, preparation, and execution of statutory inspections. 10. To be responsible for the development and implementation of specific projects/tasks as necessary, making use of IT, project management techniques to implement and monitor ensuring completion is to time and budget and realises agreed cashable/non-cashable savings. 11. To manage programme governance and project meetings, including all associated administration processes, ensuring that all meetings are organised, accurately minuted and decisions recorded in accordance with departmental, corporate, and statutory requirements. 12. To develop, manage and maintain good working relationships with key stakeholders (internal and external) including the management of appropriate information flows to ensure that stakeholders are assured that projects can be delivered as required. 13. To liaise with the management team regarding the requirements for management and information and ensure that information requests are distributed on a timely and regular basis to the relevant managers across the department. 14. To deal sensitively with a range of complex and contentious enquiries, dealing efficiently with issues requiring immediate attention. 15. To take a lead role in organising and coordinating key programme events to include: preparing workshops, consultation meetings and briefing sessions as required ensuring that staff are fully informed and consulted about changes within the department. 16. To conduct background research, data collection and benchmarking. 17. To set up and maintain systems for maintaining, controlling and updating project and programme documentation, ensuring information is up to date and can be readily retrieved. 18. To ensure project and programme management information is produced in a clear, concise and timely fashion for internal and external bodies. 19. To be responsible for the development of methods of obtaining feedback from staff in relation to the transformation projects/programmes. 20. To monitor and control agreed expenditure, employing financial systems to monitor spend for specific projects leading on. 21. To undertake other duties that might be reasonably requested from time to time including being available for weekend cover arrangements and on occasion working evenings and weekends. 22. The post holder will participate in the Councils appraisal scheme, take responsibility for the implementation of own Personal Development Plan and continued professional development in those areas relevant to their role and will ensure that the same process is undertaken to all line managed staff. 23. To work flexibly in undertaking the duties and responsibilities of this job and participate as required in multi-disciplinary cross-department and cross-organisational groups and task teams. 24. To take responsibility, relevant to the post, for ensuring that Council statutes and government legislation is upheld. This includes, amongst others; Management Compliance Charter, Environmental Policy, Data Protection Act, Race Equality Action Plan, Quality Assurance Plan, Health & Safety, Sustainable Construction and Recycling. 25. To implement the Council�s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies and to work actively to promote inclusion and overcome discrimination on grounds of age, disability, gender, race, religion/belief, sexuality or status in the Council�s service. To take responsibility appropriate to the post held for tackling racism and promoting good race, ethnic and community relations. PERSON SPECIFICATION It is essential that in you can meet the following requirements for the role and be able to give evidence or examples of your proven experience in each of the short-listing criteria marked Application (A). You should expect that all areas listed below will be assessed as part of the interview and assessment process should you be shortlisted. If you are applying under the Disability Confident scheme, you will need to give evidence or examples of your proven experience in the areas marked with �Ticks� (?) on the person specification when you complete the application form. Shortlisting Criteria For link/career graded post, please mark knowledge, experience, and behaviours clearly for each grade. Qualification Q1 Educated to A level standard or equivalent work-related attainment in project management, commissioning, policy or service planning setting ?A Key Knowledge K1 Broad knowledge of local government issues relating to Children and Young People�s Services and other relevant policies and government guidance. K2 Competence in the use of IT systems including MS Office, Outlook, client information systems, Oracle, and any other systems as appropriate. K3 Knowledge of project management techniques and their application to service improvement. A Relevant Experience E1 Experience of managing projects or commissioning and procuring services in a public sector setting. ?A E2 Experience of providing support at senior management level to plan, implement and monitor projects effectively. ?A E3 Experience of writing reports, providing research findings and making recommendations at senior management level. A E4 Experience of building effective working relationships with individuals and organisations within and outside the council. A E5 Experience of utilising financial or management information data to achieve results ?A Other Requirements R1 Able to work outside normal office hours including evenings and weekends. Evening work is a core component of the post. In addition, a commitment to be able to work at weekends is essential R2 This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.