Job description
Please note: Candidates must hold a full UK Manual Driving Licence when applying for this role, this is a mandatory technical requirement in order to carry out this role. We cannot accept candidates who hold an automatic Driving Licence only.
A career in community payback gives you the power to make a positive impact on the lives of People on Probation as well as your community. People come from all walks of life to form one team in the Probation Service. It’s all about supporting People on Probation on their journey and making your community a better place. Whether that’s building benches or cleaning the streets, you’re there because you genuinely want to help.
If you are successful in the recruitment process to join the Probation Service, your starting salary will be £28,064.
On a typical day, you’ll spend up to 7 hours supervising a group at a Community Payback unpaid work placement. Post holders may be required to undertake weekend working as part of their normal pattern of working.
Working pattern
The Community Payback supervisor role is accommodated to people on probation who work or have caring responsibilities. Community Payback projects run 7 days a week therefore you will: work frequent weekends, and you may be asked to cover some evenings. You will be paid a higher rate of 50% for weekend days you do work.
In this role, the pace of our work means that rest breaks don’t always happen in the standard way. When this happens, we make sure your wellbeing is looked after.
Your wellbeing really matters to us, so we want to be open about this from the outset. If you’re someone who enjoys a varied, active role where no two days are the same, this is a great environment to make a real difference while being fully supported.
The Probation Service offers the opportunity for annual pay progression through a Competency Based Framework (CBF), which if eligible, will see your pay increase. CBF is designed to enable you to move up through the pay band range as your competence grows. New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band. Probation Service also increase their pay band ranges annually in line with Civil Service Pay guidance, which will also apply an increase to band pay ranges where applicable.
Overview of the job
This is an operational role directly supervising work groups of offenders serving a community sentence. This may include driving service vehicles to transport people or equipment. The post holder will be responsible for all work site supervision tasks and will work with service users to ensure that all tasks are carried out to the best of their ability. This will include working alongside people to demonstrate good practice as necessary. For further information on the summary, responsibilities, activities, duties of the role and the Civil Service Success Profile Criteria which will be used in the assessment process, please refer to the full Job Description Attachment.
Right to work in the UK
You must have the right to work in the UK and Civil Service (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules).
Skilled Worker visa changes from 22 July 2025
In accordance with current immigration rules, this role is not eligible for a new Skilled Worker visa. From 22 July 2025, the Government introduced changes to the eligibility criteria for Skilled Worker visas. As a result:
- HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) cannot consider sponsoring you to work as a community payback supervisor unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes.
- If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your pre-employment checks and your eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place.
- If you apply to be a community payback supervisor and you have not held a Skilled Worker visa prior to 22 July 2025, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes.
- If your application is successful, you will need to ensure that you have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom.
HMPPS will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here.
Citizenship and nationality rules can be found in the Civil Service guidance and we encourage all candidates to review the information relevant to their circumstances.
About us
The work is varied, challenging and meaningful and comes with job security, great benefits and career progression opportunities - not to mention the chance to make a real difference to people’s lives and our communities.
About the role
Community Payback Supervisors will work with a diverse mix of individuals, so it’s important that you’re empathetic, a good communicator and happy to take the lead. It’s all about supporting offenders on their journey and making your community a better place. Whether that’s building benches or cleaning the streets, you’re there because you genuinely want to help people.
As a Community Payback supervisor, you’ll be at the heart of this work, leading small teams to complete their unpaid work hours. You’ll supervise and motivate them to complete a range of manual tasks to pay back for the harm they’ve caused. These tasks could include clearing overgrowth to make public spaces safer, restoring community facilities such as sports halls and playgrounds, planting trees or laying flowerbeds, and litter picking and graffiti removal.
About you
To thrive in this role, you’ll need:
- Excellent people and communication skills
- The confidence to lead, motivate and supervise groups
- A full UK manual driving licence to drive Community Payback minibuses, transport equipment and travel to project sites
- Got practical skills or a trade? Even better. We’d particularly welcome applicants with experience in areas such as painting and decorating, carpentry, gardening, grounds maintenance, construction, landscaping or general maintenance.
- This is a hands‑on role where you’ll help people on probation make a positive contribution to their local communities while developing skills and work habits that support rehabilitation.
- You may draw on experience from any setting, including employment, the Armed Forces, voluntary work, education, community projects, construction, maintenance, landscaping or other relevant activities.
Benefits
- Annual Leave
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service, plus public holidays. Leave for part‑time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro‑rata basis. - Pension
The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF). Please visit www.gmpf.org.uk for further information. - Training
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities. - Networks
The opportunity to join employee‑run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.
Eligibility
All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.
Support
- A range of 'Family Friendly' policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/tax-free-childcare) or Childcare Choices (https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/). You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
Diversity & Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
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23700 - Community Payback Supervisor - Yorkshire and the Humber Probation Service - Unpaid Work - York - Full Time employer: Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Justice is an exceptional employer, dedicated to transforming lives through education and vocational training. With a strong emphasis on supportive relationships and personal development, employees benefit from a collaborative work culture that prioritises safety and security while offering opportunities for professional growth and meaningful impact in the community. Working in this role not only allows you to make a difference but also provides a unique chance to contribute to the rehabilitation and resettlement of individuals in a dynamic environment.