Prison Officer - HMP Wetherby

Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working

Date: 10-Jun-2026

Location: Wetherby

Job ID: 16935

Starting salary: £35,875 (39 hour week inc. 20% unsocial)

City/Town: Harrogate

Region: North East

Responsibilities

• All staff have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
• The post holder must undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.
• In this role you will be responsible for ensuring the security and safety of children and young people while providing day‑to‑day support in a custodial setting.
• You will handle interventions when required, oversee and facilitate safe movement around the site, provide supervision to ensure safety, de‑escalate situations, manage behavioural issues and apply conflict‑resolution techniques.
• You will work closely with other professionals and organisations to collectively improve outcomes.
• You will also assess and provide personalised support to children and young people, work with their families or carers to agree interventions or referrals, and continuously evaluate the effectiveness of your actions and methods while reflecting with experienced practitioners.

Qualifications / Personal Qualities

• Strong communication and influencing skills
• Commitment to high standards of care and service
• Empathy and understanding
• Effective decision‑making abilities
• At least 18 years old at commencement
• Pass a DBS check (Disclosures and Barring Service)
• Meet Civil Service nationality and medical fitness requirements (including eyesight, hearing, fitness)
• Suitable hearing standard without hearing aids; tattoos allowed if not offensive, discriminatory, violent or intimidating

Additional Requirements

• Must meet Civil Service nationality requirements and be able to maintain the legal right to live and work in the UK.
• Must have a valid DBS check, and pass a medical and fitness assessment including eyesight and hearing tests.

Benefits

• 25 days’ annual holiday, rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service
• Paid time off for public holidays and an additional privilege day
• Civil Service pension with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme, travel loans and other benefits

Pay

• 37 hours a week = £33,746 per year
• 39 hours a week = £35,875 per year
• 41 hours a week = £38,003 per year

Sponsorship

Skilled Worker visa sponsorship may be available for this role, subject to eligibility and in accordance with the UK Immigration Rules. Sponsorship is not guaranteed; applicants are responsible for ensuring they have the appropriate Right to Work in the UK.

Nationality Requirements

Open to UK nationals, nationals of the Republic of Ireland, nationals of Commonwealth countries with the right to work in the UK, nationals of EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with settled or pre‑settled status, individuals with limited or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible for EUSS on or before 31 Dec 2020, Turkish nationals and certain family members, and families with a right to work in Civil Service.

Travel to Work

Driving licence and own transport is beneficial but not essential. Shift start and finish times are fixed; applicants must arrive on time.

Assessment Process

Assessment involves online tests (stage 1 and stage 2), an online assessment centre and reference checks. You will be evaluated on communication, influencing, managing quality service, effective decision‑making, caring and numerical, written and spoken English skills.

Application Deadline

Closing date: 10th June 2026