An Operational Support Grade post in HMPPS prisons, recruited through the Advance into Justice scheme for Armed Forces leavers, veterans and their families. The work keeps prisons running through gate and search duties, control room and CCTV monitoring, visits, reception and night checks. Shifts rotate across days and nights, with weekends and bank holidays, and include physical tasks, lone working and prisoner contact that varies by site. Enhanced vetting applies, with CTC at some sites, and the post is a two-year fixed term.
What the job involves
- Control entry and exit of staff, visitors and vehicles, and search people and vehicles
- Escort vehicles and contractors, and issue and collect staff keys and radios
- Patrol and search the perimeter fence
- Operate the prison radio system, monitor CCTV and respond to incidents and emergencies
- Welcome visitors on arrival and escort them where needed
- Monitor and log incoming mail, reporting contraband and preserving evidence
- Lock cell doors and account for all prisoners on night duty
- Photograph prisoners and process property and parcels at reception
- Sometimes supervise prisoners, exchange clothing and property, and help escort them
- Deliver and collect food trolleys around the prison, sometimes using an electric tug
- Collect mail from the local sorting office, sometimes lifting heavy sacks
- Monitor and log PIN phone requests and complete records
What’s required
Skills & knowledge
- Fluent spoken English to carry out all spoken aspects of the role with confidence
- Good judgement, common sense, responsibility and teamwork
- Behaviours assessed: communicating and influencing, managing a quality service, making effective decisions, caring
Checks & eligibility
- HMPPS Enhanced Level 2 vetting and identity checks
- Counter Terrorist Check where the chosen prison requires it
- Proof of UK residence for the last three years for CTC vetting
- Right to work, as a UK, Republic of Ireland or eligible Commonwealth national, or EU, EEA or Swiss national with settled or pre-settled status
- Declaration of any membership of a group HMPPS considers racist
Other
- Armed Forces background as a service leaver, veteran, spouse or legal partner, or reservist
- Able to carry out physical tasks, including lifting, carrying and long periods of standing and walking
- Comfortable with lone working on day and night shifts
- Willing to work shifts including nights, evenings, weekends, and bank and public holidays
- Pass the values-based online assessment and a blended interview
Nice to have
- Driving licence and own transport, beneficial given rural sites with limited public transport
What’s offered
- 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising to 30 after 10 years' service
- 9 days bank, public and privilege holidays added to annual leave
- Civil Service pension with a choice of two schemes
- Season ticket advance after two months' service
- Retail discounts, Employee Assistance Programme and Cycle to Work scheme
- 20% unsocial hours allowance included in the salary
- Training in areas including security, diversity and dealing with challenging behaviour, plus promotion programmes
- Flexible working subject to a satisfactory probationary period
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Contact Details:
The Methodist Church in Britain Recruitment Team
