Head of Connections
Location: HMP Millsike, Full Sutton, York (On-site)
Salary: £52,000 - £65,000 per annum (dependent on experience)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Red Snapper Recruitment are recruiting for a Head of Connections on behalf of The Forward Trust.
This is an exceptional opportunity to join the leadership team at HMP Millsike, the UK's newest prison, and play a pivotal role in delivering an innovative rehabilitation model centred around recovery, desistance and meaningful human connection.
The successful candidate will join both the prison's Senior Leadership Team and The Forward Trust's Senior Leadership Team, leading the delivery of transformational services that support prisoners to rebuild relationships, overcome addiction, reduce reoffending and prepare for successful resettlement into the community.
About the role
As Head of Connections, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across a multidisciplinary service of approximately 30 staff delivering:
- Family and Relationships Services
- Drug Strategy
- Visits and Visitors Centre
- The innovative More Than My Past programme and Incentivised Substance Free Living (ISFL) Houseblock
Working alongside Mitie, PeoplePlus and HMP Millsike leadership, you will shape strategy, drive innovation and ensure outstanding contractual performance while creating an environment where rehabilitation and recovery can thrive.
The post offers
- Salary between £52,000 - £65,000
- 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 development
Overview of the Role
The Head of Connections is responsible for the strategic leadership and operational management of a flagship rehabilitation service within HMP Millsike. This includes ownership of the establishment's Drug Strategy, Family Strategy and Visits Operating Procedures whilst leading innovative interventions that strengthen family relationships, promote recovery and support long-term desistance from crime.
This is a highly visible leadership position requiring exceptional stakeholder management, strategic thinking and the ability to inspire multidisciplinary teams whilst delivering outstanding contractual performance in a complex custodial environment.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team delivering rehabilitation and recovery services across the prison.
- Provide strategic leadership for Family Services, Drug Strategy, Visits and the More Than My Past programme.
- Lead the operation of the 240-bed Incentivised Substance Free Living (ISFL) Houseblock.
- Develop and maintain effective partnerships with HMP Millsike, Mitie, PeoplePlus and external stakeholders.
- Ensure contractual compliance, performance targets and governance standards are consistently achieved.
- Manage significant budgets and resources effectively.
- Produce high-quality performance, impact and contract reports using data to drive service improvement.
- Lead service innovation and contribute to the future development of the Connections model.
- Promote lived experience and co-production throughout service delivery.
- Create a positive culture focused on rehabilitation, recovery and reducing reoffending.
Person Specification
Applicants should be able to demonstrate:
- Significant senior leadership experience within a custodial or similarly complex regulated environment.
- Experience managing contractual service delivery within Criminal Justice.
- Experience managing substantial budgets and delivering against financial targets.
- Strong operational leadership experience within highly regulated, inspected services.
- Excellent programme, project and operational management skills.
- Outstanding stakeholder engagement and partnership-building abilities.
- Experience leading high-performing multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong analytical skills with experience producing impact and performance reports.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Knowledge of desistance, rehabilitation and recovery approaches.
- Understanding of Narrative Therapy or Narrative approaches would be highly advantageous.
Due to the nature of this role, candidates should be comfortable working within a prison environment and be committed to improving outcomes for people involved in the criminal justice system.
Due to the high volume of applications received, if you do not hear from us within 7 working days, I am afraid your application has been unsuccessful.
How to Apply
To apply, please submit an up-to-date CV together with a supporting statement (maximum two pages) demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria for the role. Your supporting statement should provide clear examples of your relevant leadership experience, the impact you have made, and explain why you are interested in becoming the next Head of Connections at HMP Millsike.
Application deadline: Sunday 26th July at 11:59pm.
Early applications are encouraged as interviews will be arranged shortly after the closing date.
Refer a Friend
Know someone who would be perfect for this role?
Red Snapper Recruitment offers a £150 Referral Bonus for successful candidate introductions. If you refer a friend or colleague who is successfully placed in this position, you'll receive £150 once they have successfully completed the qualifying period.
RSR Justice is a market leading recruitment business dedicated to providing top quality candidates and services to the offender rehabilitation and supervision work sectors.
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