Prison Employment Lead

The role is to improve prison leavers’ employment outcomes by assessing work readiness, matching candidates to suitable jobs and working with employers, DWP and partners. Prison Employment Leads collaborate with the New Futures Network, DWP Employment Advisers, National Employer and Partnership Team, and prison staff to support prisoners to secure sustainable employment upon release.

Responsibilities

• Identify work‑ready candidates.
• Refer prisoners to work readiness support.
• Match candidates to suitable vacancies supplied by the New Futures Network, DWP, and other employment providers.
• Engage with prison stakeholders to establish a system that identifies work‑ready prisoners and highlights actions needed to support work readiness.
• Work with prison staff and DWP Prison Work Coaches to match candidates to job opportunities.
• Support contracted IAG and Education providers to ensure the prison induction process promotes employment and education opportunities, captures relevant information, and encourages skill development.
• Manage an Employment Hub to centralise services and promote live vacancies to leavers during the resettlement period.
• Champion innovations in employment and industry‑focused recruitment practices.
• Partner with the Prison Strategic Employment Advisory Boards to improve systems that support employability and meet commercial standards of employers.
• Contribute to the Local Partnership Agreement (LPA) with DWP, outlining responsibilities of the PEL, Prison Work Coaches and DWP Employment Advisers.
• Organise opportunities for NFN, DWP and other stakeholders to bring employers into the prison and facilitate forums.
• Collaborate with Community Offender Management (COM) to supply post‑release information to relevant agencies and support leavers who need further assistance.
• Liaise with COM to signpost leavers needing additional support to CRSs.

Qualifications

Confidence in English communication (and Welsh where required in Wales).

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The role offers hybrid working, combining base location, MoJ sites, and/or home, subject to business needs. Working hours are 37 hours per week excluding unpaid breaks. Both full‑time and part‑time, flexible and job‑sharing arrangements are considered where they meet role demands.

Benefits

• Bank, public and privilege holidays: 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) added to annual leave allowance.
• Pension: choice of two Civil Service pension schemes.
• Training: range of staff development opportunities, including equality and diversity, behaviour management and safety training.
• Other benefits: access to promotion programmes, security and identity checks, season ticket advance after two months of service.

EEO – Nationality & Other Considerations

• Open to UK nationals, Republic of Ireland nationals, Commonwealth nationals with right to work, EU/Switzerland/Norway/Iceland/Liechtenstein nationals and family members with settled or pre‑settled status, and other specified groups.
• Disability Confident employer: offers reasonable adjustments and interview adjustments.
• Veteran support: guaranteed interview scheme for eligible former armed forces members.
• Redeployment interview scheme for staff at risk of redundancy.

Interview Stage Assessments & Security Checks

Assessments: presentation. Security checks: DBS Standard. All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up the post. External candidates undergo a six‑month probation; internal candidates where applicable.