At a Glance
- Tasks: Make a real difference in the community by supporting offenders' rehabilitation and maintaining security.
- Company: Join the Scottish Prison Service, dedicated to transforming lives and building a safer Scotland.
- Benefits: Starting salary of £30,789, progressing to £34,878, plus training and development opportunities.
- Other info: Dynamic role with shift work, offering diverse experiences and career growth.
- Why this job: Be at the heart of change, helping individuals reintegrate into society and improve their lives.
- Qualifications: Experience in teamwork, problem-solving, and effective communication is essential.
The predicted salary is between 30789 - 34878 £ per year.
HMP Barlinnie, HMP Low Moss, HMP Shotts, HMP Edinburgh (Glasgow and Edinburgh areas)
Starting salary of £30,789 progressing to £34,878 within 3 years, subject to pay progression.
Shift work.
As Prison Officer - Operations, you will be in an almost unique position of being able to make a real difference to the community that you live in and be at the very heart of delivering the SPS’ vision of ‘Helping to build a safer Scotland by Unlocking Potential and Transforming Lives’. Your role will be challenging and immensely rewarding with responsibility for maintaining custody and order whilst facilitating opportunities for those in our care. You will influence and encourage offenders to maintain contact with their families, access education and training and ultimately assist them on their journey to be contributory citizens within our communities.
Contributing towards the prevention and management of challenging behaviour; you will provide safe and secure custodial services that empower offenders to take responsibility and transform their lives.
In this role you will be responsible for the overall functioning and security of the establishment, working as part of a team and carrying out roles in Front of House, Visits, Electronic Control Room, Patrol and Prisoner Reception.
Please note: as part of the Prison Officer - Operations role, you will be expected to work shifts in line with a set roster. These shifts will cover a variety of working patterns including early shift, day shift, back shift and night shift.
You will be the first point of contact for meeting and greeting visitors to the establishment and will interact with people from a wide range of backgrounds, including offenders’ family and friends, lawyers, solicitors, pastors, ministers and SPS staff. You will follow procedures and demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills; showing compassion, empathy, building rapport and offering advice where necessary. You will have responsibility for maintaining security, by screening, searching and facilitating entry and exit of individuals from the establishment. In doing so you will confidently and constructively challenge individuals appropriately when required.
Family contact is important for offenders to maintain relationships with their family and friends. The SPS encourages visits to maintain family contact and support the development of these important relationships. You will be responsible for observing and supervising visits as well as being a key point of contact for family support. You will be responsible for safety and security within the visit room and demonstrate effective problem-solving skills when addressing emerging situations. In doing so you will demonstrate respect for individuals’ needs and human rights.
The Electronic Control Room (ECR) manages the movement and security of staff and prisoners throughout the prison establishment. You will be responsible for monitoring security systems, including closed circuit television, alarm and communication systems to maintain the safety and security of everyone within the establishment; demonstrating strong team working and effective communication skills.
You will be responsible for ensuring the safety of staff, offenders and the public by checking physical barriers in and around the establishment. You will be required to apply your effective problem-solving skills to identify and respond to any potential breaches of security and order. You will demonstrate good housekeeping and adhere to procedural requirements applying high ethical, moral and professional standards.
Within the Reception area you will be responsible for managing the entry and release of offenders from prison, assessing the needs of individual offenders and ensuring the correct procedures are followed. You will be faced with a diverse range of situations and you will be required to demonstrate care, compassion, dignity and respect in determining the most appropriate course of action.
You will be responsible for the safe and secure escorting of offenders throughout the establishment and externally as directed by management i.e. hospital, inter-prison transfer, court procedures as required. Managing the movement of offenders between residential accommodation and other areas of the establishment, such as education, health centre, visit room and offender work areas. You will also be responsible for escorting external contractors and visitors, ensuring the safety and security of individuals, buildings and equipment. You will remain vigilant and confidently deal with emerging issues, in line with SPS policies and procedures.
Professional development
Commitment to undertake formal training and qualifications to support your learning and development - Essential.
Working With Others
Work experience which demonstrates your ability to work effectively within teams, interact with people and build successful working relationships - Essential.
Influencing The Behaviour Of Others
Evidence of your ability to confidently and positively influence or challenge the behaviour of others - Essential.
Problem solving
Experience of solving problems, demonstrating your ability to proactively identify the issue, explore options and take the necessary action to resolve the issue – Essential.
Following Processes & Procedures
Evidence of ability to follow processes, procedures and instructions to ensure accuracy and standards are met - Essential.
Closing date: 28 September 2026.
For the role you have applied for you must have the right to work in the UK and Civil Service. The Immigration Act 2014 requires employers to check documents to establish a person’s eligibility to work in the UK and comply with any restrictions before they start work. Therefore, all candidates who are successful in the selection process for this role, when requested, will be required to provide evidence of their right to work.
Prison Officer - Operations in Glasgow employer: s1jobs
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StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Prison Officer - Operations in Glasgow
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We think you need these skills to ace Prison Officer - Operations in Glasgow
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Relevant Experience:In the public sector, having experience in community engagement, policy analysis, or project management stands out. Make sure to showcase any previous roles or volunteer work that reflects your understanding of public service values and how they've shaped your career path.
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Tailor Your CV to Reflect Core Competencies:Government positions often require a clear demonstration of competencies such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. Try to structure your CV to highlight these skills, using specific examples of how you’ve applied them in past experiences, ideally with quantifiable outcomes where possible.
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How to prepare for a job interview at s1jobs
✨Get to Know Public Sector Values
Before your interview with s1jobs, dig deep into their mission and values, especially how they align with public service and community impact. Understand the key policies or initiatives they are involved in – you’ll want to show that you genuinely care about serving the community.
✨Brush Up on Regulatory Knowledge
Brush up on the regulations, laws, and compliance standards relevant to the role you’re applying for. Since this is the government and public sector, they might throw technical questions related to policy frameworks or project management best practices that you'll need to navigate day-to-day.
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The government sector thrives on collaboration. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully worked in diverse teams or involved stakeholders in your projects. Show us how you bring people together to get a common goal achieved – that's what public service is all about!
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