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We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Overview of the job

This is an operational job in an establishment.

Summary

The job holder will be a Prison Officer who will have additional specialist Physical Education Instructor training to carry out this job.

They will supervise and support prisoners in a secure custodial setting, ensuring all services are provided to a high standard and that security and control are maintained at all times.

They will also be deployed as a Supervising Officer where required.

This is an operational job with no line management; however they will have supervisory responsibilities for staff.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Initiate, develop and deliver physical education programmes and activities for prisoners. Customise programmes for individual prisoners as appropriate.
• Deliver gym inductions including health and safety and equipment usage.
• Deliver pre-planned accredited education activities and manual handling training to prisoners, adhering to Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) guidelines.
• Interview and allocate prisoners onto courses. Carry out initial risk and health assessment of prisoners and liaise with healthcare to ensure that they receive a medical check-up where required and assist with the rehabilitation of sports injuries.
• Regularly review Individual Learning Plans (ILPS) set and monitor targets to challenge prisoners.
• Have regular contact with awarding bodies regarding courses and certification.
• Identify opportunities for and manage prisoners’ participation in external activities, events and award schemes.
• Act as internal verifier for internal courses.
• Provide fitness training for staff and contribute to ‘Well Being’ Days.
• Conduct regular equipment checks and maintain logs.
• Order new equipment when required and ensure all repairs are completed on existing equipment.

Undertake other tasks including:

• Supervise, manage and control prisoners decently, lawfully, safely and securely whilst carrying out all activities.
• Exercise the powers of a Constable.
• Conduct searches on prisoners, staff and visitors as required.
• Undertake external escorts.
• Undertakes ‘first on scene’ incident response.
• Maintain and update systems in line with local agreements.
• Prepare relevant documentation for managers for verification/quality checking purposes.
• Attend and contribute to relevant meetings as required.
• Complete and update Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan.
• Establish, develop and maintain professional relationships with prisoners and staff.
• Understand and comply with national/local policies and legislation.

When required act as a Supervising Officer as per the following job descriptions:

• SO : Safe, Decent and Secure / YP
• SO : Operations / YP
• SO : Special Unit
• SO : Category A Escorts
• SO : Nights / YP
• SO : Regime
• SO : PEI

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.

Behaviours

• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Essential Experience

• Must be competent in custodial procedures, including dynamic risk assessments.

Technical requirements

• Successful completion of POELT and probation period
• Must have passed Physical Education Instruction Pre-selection assessment
• Must be trained in restraint techniques
• Must have completed Physical Education Instruction qualification or if successful on interview must successfully complete the Physical Education Instruction qualification, and must also pass a fitness test
• HMPPS staff newly promoted to a Band 4 Supervising Officer or Facilities and Services Supervisor role within Establishments will be required to undertake the Diploma in Team Leading. Newly promoted staff are expected to complete the qualification as part of the requirement of their role.
• Staff newly promoted into Band 4 Offender Supervisors or Specialist Officer roles within establishments will be expected to undertake the Diploma if they are covering or carrying out the role of Supervising Officer on a ‘regular’ basis.
• Staff working in establishments who were mapped to a Band 4 Supervising Officer or Facilities and Services Supervisor role as part of the F&S restructuring process and staff who have re-graded to Band 4 from a higher grade are not required to complete the qualification as they have previously worked at an equivalent level (or higher).
• When transferring to a Young Persons establishment the job holder will be required to successfully undertake an assessment to demonstrate suitability to work with Young People.

Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances

37 hour working week (standard).

HMPPS Staff on closed pay structures only Additional Conditioned Hours Pensionable (ACHP)

Staff moving from a closed 39 hour pay structure will be eligible for the two protected pensionable additional committed hours (ACHP). They will work a 39 hour week consisting of the standard 37 hour week and a further 2 additional hours (ACHP) paid at plain time pensionable rate.

Unsocial Hours Working

This role requires working regular unsocial hours and a 17% payment will be paid in addition to your basic pay to recognise this. Unsocial hours are those hours outside 0700 – 1900hrs Monday to Friday and include working evenings, nights, weekends and Bank/Public holidays.

Salary

£32,791

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on ‘modernised’ terms in their current post or onto ‘unmodernised’ MoJ terms if they are on ‘unmodernised’ terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Standard working hours for this post are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate’s Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Benefits

Annual Leave

• The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.

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

HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS 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

Childcare Vouchers

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

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 Programmes

• There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts

• All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles

Eligibility

• All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post

• All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS

• All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm) or e mail [email protected]);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([email protected]);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.