Job Description

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Head of Connections

Location: HMP Millsike, Full Sutton, York

Salary: £52,000 - £65,000 per annum (depending on experience)

Contract: Permanent | Full Time

Working Pattern: Full-time, on-site

Lead Change. Shape Culture. Transform Lives.

The Forward Trust, in partnership with Mitie, is seeking an exceptional senior leader to join the Senior Leadership Team at HMP Millsike-one of the UK's newest privately operated prisons.

This is a rare opportunity to step into a flagship leadership role where you'll have the autonomy and influence to shape services that genuinely change lives. As Head of Connections, you'll lead a holistic rehabilitation model that brings together family relationships, recovery, substance misuse and community reintegration to reduce reoffending and support long-term desistance.

This isn't a role for someone looking to maintain the status quo. It's a role for an experienced prison leader who can drive improvement, rebuild confidence, and lead meaningful operational change.

About HMP Millsike

HMP Millsike is a newly opened, privately operated prison managed by Mitie in partnership with The Forward Trust. Having been operational for just over a year, the prison is entering an important phase of development, making this an exciting opportunity to influence how services evolve for years to come.

As a member of the Prison Senior Leadership Team, you'll play a key role in shaping the establishment's culture, operational performance and rehabilitation strategy.

About the Role

Reporting to the Executive Director of Criminal Justice, you'll provide strategic and operational leadership across the Connections service, overseeing:

Family and Relationships Services

Drug Strategy

Visits and Visitor Services

More Than My Past rehabilitation programmeYou'll work collaboratively across the prison to ensure these services operate as one integrated rehabilitation model, delivering measurable outcomes for prisoners, families and the wider community.

This role requires someone who is equally comfortable leading strategy, managing operational delivery and developing strong partnerships across the establishment.

An Opportunity to Make a Lasting Impact

The successful candidate will inherit a service that requires strong leadership and direction. You'll play a critical role in embedding effective ways of working, improving operational performance and helping establish a high-performing leadership culture.

You'll also be leading a management team that will be relatively new in post, providing an excellent opportunity to build a cohesive, motivated team from the outset.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the prison's Connections service as a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Develop and deliver the prison's rehabilitation and recovery strategy.

Lead operational improvement across family services, substance misuse and rehabilitation programmes.

Build and develop a high-performing leadership team.

Drive innovation and continuous improvement.

Manage budgets, contracts and performance reporting.

Build strong relationships with prison leadership, partners and external stakeholders.

Ensure services consistently meet contractual, inspection and governance requirements.

Champion evidence-based rehabilitation and desistance approaches.Who We're Looking For

This role is aimed at experienced prison leaders who have already demonstrated success within custodial environments.

You'll ideally have:

Significant leadership experience within HM Prison Service or privately operated prisons.

Experience as a Head of Function or equivalent senior operational leadership role.

A strong operational prison management background.

Experience leading complex multidisciplinary services.

Excellent stakeholder management skills.

Experience managing budgets and contractual performance.

A proven ability to lead organisational change and service improvement.

Outstanding communication and leadership skills.

A genuine passion for rehabilitation and reducing reoffending.Applications will also be welcomed from candidates who bring:

Senior prison leadership experience combined with community rehabilitation or criminal justice service management.

Operational prison experience alongside leadership in rehabilitation, recovery or related community-based services.Why Join?

This is far more than a management role.

It's an opportunity to help shape one of the UK's newest prisons, influence its culture and leave a lasting legacy by improving outcomes for prisoners, families and communities.

You'll work alongside an ambitious Senior Leadership Team committed to innovation, partnership working and delivering outstanding rehabilitation services.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (rising with service)

Employer pension contributions

Flexible working opportunities where operationally appropriate

Blue Light Card

Cycle to Work Scheme

Season Ticket Loan

Electric Car Scheme

Health Cashback Scheme

Wellbeing Days

Ongoing learning and leadership developmentSecurity Clearance

The successful candidate will be required to obtain HMPPS Enhanced Level 1 Vetting. Existing prison vetting may be transferable, subject to approval.

How to Apply

This vacancy is being advertised on behalf of The Forward Trust and Mitie.

Applications must be submitted directly through The Forward Trust's careers website. We are supporting the recruitment process and will direct suitable candidates to complete their application online.

To maximise your chances of success, we strongly recommend:

Tailoring your CV to demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria.

Providing a tailored cover letter addressing the competencies outlined in the person specification.

Clearly explaining your motivation for applying and why you want to lead rehabilitation services within this unique prison environment.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, if you do not hear from us within 7 working days, your application has been unsuccessful.

If this role is not for you but you do know somebody who would be interested, please feel free to refer them to us! We have a "Refer A Friend" bonus scheme and we will reward you retail vouchers for any referrals who are not already known to us and are successfully placed!

Red Snapper Recruitment is a member of the Red Snapper Group.

The Red Snapper Group acts as an employment agency (permanent) and as an employment business (temporary) - a free and confidential service to candidates.

The Red Snapper Recruitment Group is an equal opportunities employer