Nacro BASS

Consultant to Peer Support Programme• Team Leader of a commissioned review of a multi-disciplinary Local Authority and Police Partnership.• Led a team of Police and Fire Officers to assess compliance with standards, processes and governance structures. • I established the review framework and methodology, leading the team through an intensive on site review process.• I gathered the review findings, identified strengths and areas for improvement. I delivered a high quality and concise report to Senior Managers to develop improvement and corrective action plans.

• Operational and strategic leadership of a multi disciplinary team of 20 staff to deliver community safety policy across the West Midlands Region. • Responsible for performance management and improvement activity through 27 local authority partnerships to achieve Government targets for crime reduction • Coordinated and led partnership engagement with Chief Officers for local authorities, Police, Fire Service, PCTs, and other agencies • Advised on the development and implementation of Government policy based on strategic assessment of risk and performance • Responsibility for administrative budgets in excess of £1m.• Responsible for the management of programme budgets and contracts with external agencies including the development of commissioning plans, specification and bidding arrangements and recommendations in relation to contract and grant awards.• Provided strategic briefings to Ministers in relation to Government Policy delivery and implementation in the West Midlands Region

• Responsible for the co-ordination, implementation and delivery of multi-agency activity to reduce re-offending across the West Midlands. • Strategic lead for defining new services based on risk and performance assessments to meet Government objectives• Developed the framework for a detailed needs analysis and author of Regional Commissioning plan for delivery of offender based services in custody and the community• Led unit of 10 staff in the coordination of services across the West Midlands, managing regional budgets and resource planning.

• Home Office lead for the management of £17m contract for the operation of HMP Blakenhurst to monitor performance, compliance and drive improvements• Delivered a significant culture change in initially hostile environment, influencing public sector management team to adopt necessary compliance disciplines of a private contract • Developed and implemented a risk based quality assurance and compliance management process which directly influenced significant improvements in KPIs• Implemented a review of performance analysis and service delivery information to determine contract payment and sanctions• Responsible for all aspects of relationship management with prison service provider. I worked closely with the Governing Governor and his Governor team to build strong relationships, including negotiation and conflict management in relation to formal contract issues and performance, to include maximising the business efficiencies and commercial benefits of the contract for both the purchaser and provider.

• Relationship and contract management of 100+ solicitor firms for the provision of legal aid.• Monitored performance, identified and led compliance activity based on assessment of events and trend/thematic risk• Led relationship visits, audit teams and sanction activity to manage risk to LSC objectives and service users• Achieved highest ratings nationally for technical and behavioural competency in LSC Supplier Management Training programme.• Led the development and implementation of the first competitive bidding process for legal aid contracts,• Promoted through a number of positions within the organisation. Other roles included Complaints Manager, Operational Team Supervisor and Team Leader – Civil Bills and Caseworker/Auditor. Managed a wide range of legal casework and complaints handling and have wide experience of working with complex civil and criminal law files and reviewing solicitors’ case handling on a case by case and thematic basis.