202405: Prison Officer - HMP High Down

If you have the integrity, skills and strength of character we’re looking for, this fast-paced role could be the start of a successful career. No two shifts or situations are ever the same. And, as you gain experience, you’ll find a range of opportunities to grow and develop into.
Someone like you
There’s no such thing as a typical prison officer. Our officers come from different walks of life, just like the offenders they work with. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, have worked in retail, the armed forces, or just feel like you’re a natural people person, you’ll have the empathy, self-confidence, great communication skills and resilience we want.
No matter the challenge, you’ll take the time to build constructive, positive and professional relationships with prisoners who could be at the lowest point in their lives.
Teamwork plays a vital role in this environment, so you’ll need to be fully committed to supporting your colleagues and understand the importance of acting as one team to keep the prison, prisoners and everyone who works here safe.
You will be required to work various shifts and some weekends.
An extraordinary job
In this unique career, you’ll have the opportunity to carry out many different roles in any one day. One minute you’re a peacekeeper, the next you’re a counsellor or a teacher. You’ll work directly with prisoners in a unique environment, helping to protect the public and make a positive impact.
Find out more about this varied role and day-to-day life as a prison officer.
Job details
Eligibility
To become a prison officer, you will need to:
+ be at least 18 years old at the point you commence employment
+ meet the Civil Service Nationality requirements (see nationality section below)
+ as this is a physically active job, you will need to pass a medical and fitness assessment as part of the application process
+ meet the required eyesight standard in both eyes (both with and without corrective lenses)
+ For safety reasons, everyone training to be a prison officer needs a suitable standard of hearing (without the use of hearing aids)
To work in a high security prison (category A) you must have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years.
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules.
Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom., Your natural strengths are assessed to find out what motivates and energises you. We will also assess your numerical, written English and spoken English abilities.
Online Test
Once you have completed your initial application form.
You will be invited to complete stage 1 of the online test, to see if you have the basic judgement and numerical skills expected of a prison officer.
If you are successful, we will invite you to complete stage 2 of the online tests, where you will be invited to complete a behaviour-based assessment.
We use this assessment to allow you to demonstrate the natural behaviours and qualities needed to be an effective prison officer. The assessment does not contain questions but is instead a series of engaging tasks, that measure your unique behaviour. There is no right or wrong way to approach the assessment - simply follow the instructions and react to the scenarios naturally. There will be an opportunity to take part in a practice task before you start.
On average, the assessment takes around 35-40 minutes to complete, but everyone is different and there is no time limit so please complete it at your own pace.
The online assessment centre (OAC)
If you pass the online test, we will invite you to an online assessment centre.
We test to see if you have the abilities, behaviours and strengths to be a prison officer.
Once you’ve successfully completed the online assessment centre, we will invite you to complete a medical and fitness test. This will cover an eyesight test, hearing test and basic health screening, including a blood pressure check.
Read more about the application process.
Job offers: merit vacancy
This is a merit job vacancy. If you are successful at the online assessment centre, you will be added to a merit list based on your score.
When all applicants have completed the assessment centre, the prison will make job offers to individuals with the highest scores first when positions become available.
You can stay on the merit list for 12 months. After this, you’ll need to apply again.
If your application is unsuccessful at the sift/Interview stage, a six month waiting period will be applied during which time you will not be allowed to submit any further applications for prison officer positions.
Operational Support Grade Role
Our Online Assessment Centre (OAC), will not only assess you against the key criteria to become a prison officer but will also determine your suitability for appointment as an operational support grade OSG If following attendance at your OAC, you are unsuccessful in your application to become a prison officer, we may instead offer you an alternative role as an OSG.

You don’t need qualifications to become a prison officer. Personal qualities are more important. You need to show:
+ communication and influencing skills
+ commitment to quality
+ effective decision-making
+ care and understanding, Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

The initial training is 37 hours a week. After training, you can choose to work 37, 39 or 41 hours a week. Your annual salary will reflect your weekly hours.
+ 37 hours a week = £36,363 a year
+ 39 hours a week = £38,530 a year
+ 41 hours a week = £40,697 a year
All salary figures quoted include any additional allowances.
Prisons operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means you will have to cover various shift patterns that will include evenings, some nights, weekends and public holidays (these days are added to your holiday allowance). Most prisons work with a changing shift pattern of 39 hours a week.
You may also have opportunities to work additional paid hours.
Benefits
+ 25 days’ annual holiday (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service)
+ paid time off for public holidays and 1 extra privilege day
+ Civil Service pension of up to 20% of your salary
+ cycle to work scheme, travel loans and other benefits
Read more about prison officer benefits.
The rewards aren’t all you’ll gain from a role in the Prison Service. There’s the sense of achievement you feel when you’ve helped a prisoner to get their life back on track - the kind of experience you simply won’t find anywhere else.
Assessment Process
During the recruitment process you will be assessed on the behaviours, strengths and abilities you need to become an effective prison officer. These include:
+ communicating and influencing
+ managing a quality service
+ making effective decisions, Alongside your salary of £36,363, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £9,854 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.
Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ