Land Base Activities - Specialist Production Instructor (SPI): Amenities & Conservation - HMP L[...] in Wotton-under-Edge

This is a non-operational instructional job in an establishment. The job holder will be responsible for the day to day maintenance of the grounds and conservation areas within an establishment and will deliver and assess accredited vocational qualifications to prisoners. This is a non-operational job with no line management responsibilities.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

• Carry out a full range of gardening activities, giving instruction to prisoners on all gardening duties including use of machinery.
• Carry out soft landscaping – turf laying and hard landscaping – laying patio stones.
• Maintain establishments grounds and conservation areas including maintenance of lawns, ponds, water features and external grounds to the establishment including woodland.
• Deliver all actions in the establishment’s bio-diversity action plan with reference to the development of the conservation area.
• Monitor flora and fauna work within the establishment.
• Work inside/outside establishment grounds, cutting, mowing and maintaining areas in accordance with accepted practice.
• Submit surveys for Land Based Activities specific to site.
• Carry out preventive pest control measures across area of responsibility.
• Act on wildlife and conservation group’s recommendations and implement these within the establishment’s grounds.
• Undertake small project work as advised/requested including soft and hard landscape development including erection of horticultural support structures where the situation warrants.

Other Instructor Tasks

• May participate in the selection process of prisoners for the workshop/area of work.
• Induct prisoners to the workshop/area of work and train them in aspects such as Health and Safety, Control of Substance Hazardous to health (COSHH), machinery and tools usage.
• Provide support for prisoners where required; tailor learning and training requirements to individual needs.
• Set work schedules and manage targets/quality standards, maintaining delivery of contractual arrangements.
• Assess and evaluate skills of prisoners up to national qualification standards.
• Supervise and maintain discipline of prisoners within workshop/area of work, responsible for performance, motivation, discipline, appraisal and development of prisoners.
• Maintain regular communications via radio net in accordance with Local Security Strategy (LSS).
• Open and complete Assessment Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) forms, Violence Reduction Incident Reports (VRIR) and Security Information Reports (SIRs) when required and contribute to Incentive Earned Privileges (IEP) reports.
• Will conduct a metal detector scan or rub down search of prisoners attending and leaving their own workshops.
• Log attendance and approve prisoner hours worked and wages including recording piece work where appropriate.
• Carry out fabric and tool checks of workshops and maintain security of areas, logging any tool/equipment faults. Undertake planned maintenance programme on machinery.
• Contribute to prisoner reports including parole and sentence planning.
• Complete regime monitoring information and update prisoner training records.
• Contribute to Health and Safety risk assessments relating to the workshop/work of area and specialist areas.
• Request materials and estimate usage in order to meet work targets.
• Initiate product development reviews to maintain workshop/area of work output levels, and to provide variety of work and experience for prisoners.
• Participate in self-audit and in achieving Service Delivery Indicators (SDIs).
• Complete administration activities to support the smooth running of the workshop.

Requirements & Qualifications

• An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.
• Must have relevant work experience in Horticulture.
• Must be conversant with grounds maintenance practices in areas of grass maintenance, turf culture, drainage, soil husbandry, areas of ornamental horticulture including aquatics, bedding, perennial, tree and shrub culture and a working knowledge of different types of habitats and the support each provides for: insects, creatures and animals.
• Must have experience of using horticultural machinery/tractors.
• Preferable for candidate to have some supervisory experience.
• Must have current knowledge of all relevant Health and Safety and Control of Substances Hazardous to health (COSHH) regulations.

Technical Requirements

• Must possess a full current United Kingdom (UK) driving licence.
• Currently hold or be prepared to work towards Level 3 qualification or equivalent in horticulture.
• Currently hold or be prepared to work towards PA1 PA6 spray certification.
• Currently hold or be prepared to work towards a recognised workplace assessor qualification.

Ability

• IT Skills.
• Basic Maths.
• Basic English.

Benefits

• Bank, public and privilege holidays: You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment.
• Pension: The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
• Work Life Balance: HMPPS encourages alternative working arrangements and offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ.
• Season Ticket Advance: After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer‑period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work.
• Training: HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programme.

Working Arrangements

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. In this role you must work in the UK and cannot work overseas.

Equal Opportunities

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition and maintain a Disability Confident Employer status, ensuring supportive and inclusive working environments.