Operational Support Grade

Ministry of Justice; Newmarket; On-site; GBP 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in the UK is seeking an Operational Support Grade to help manage the day-to-day operations of a busy prison. Responsibilities include ensuring secure entry for staff and visitors, operating CCTV systems, monitoring mail and phone calls, and supervising prisoners. Candidates must be proficient in English and able to manage various tasks under pressure. This full-time role offers a competitive salary and benefits including generous leave and retirement options.

Benefits

Access to paid apprenticeship in customer service

Government pension scheme

Employee assistance programme

Retail discounts

Qualifications

• Must be able to communicate in English with confidence.
• Previous experience in a similar role is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Ensure secure entry and exit for staff, visitors, and vehicles.
• Operate radio systems and monitor CCTV for suspicious activities.
• Book and escort visitors during their stay.
• Monitor and log mail for illicit items.
• Supervise prisoners and assist with their movement.
• Deliver and collect food trolleys.
• Transport prisoners as required.

Skills

Communicating and Influencing

Managing a Quality Service

Job description

As an Operational Support Grade, you will look after the day‑to‑day running of a busy prison, working in a close‑knit team to carry out a range of support services – everything from patrol and gate duties, to managing deliveries, supervising visitors, and monitoring phone calls and CCTV. You will work shifts and nights to keep things running.

Pay and Benefits

£29,432 per annum for a 37‑hour working week inclusive of a 20 % unsocial hours working allowance.

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after 10 years’ service (pro‑rated). Nine days bank, public and privilege holidays.

• Access to a paid Level 2 apprenticeship in customer service
• Access to the generous Civil Service pension scheme
• Season ticket loans, retail discounts, an Employee Assistance Programmeiom and a Cycle to Work scheme

Hours

You will work an average ofико 37 hours per week, including night shifts, evenings, weekends and Bank/Public holidays (these days are added to your holiday allowance) on a rolling shift pattern. The frequency of night shifts will vary for each establishment and can be discussed at interview. For an example of the shift times that you could be working please visit our website.

Responsibilities, activities and duties are likely to include:

• Gate/portal duties: ensure the secure entry and exit of staff, visitors, vehicles; carry out searches of staff, prisoners, visitors, contractors and vehicles; issue and collect staff keys/radios.
• Control room: operate the establishment radio system and monitor CCTV ensuring all suspicious activities are reported.
• Visits: book visits; identify and process visitors on their arrival, escort them if required.
• Censors/correspondence: monitor/log mail and report any illicit or contraband items, maintaining the preservation of evidence.
• Night duties: ensure cell doors are locked/secure and all prisoners are safely accounted for.
• Reception: assist in supporting appropriate tasks in reception; photograph prisoners; collate documentation for the property process; search/x‑ray incoming prisoner property and parcels; receive items for prisoners and check all seals are intact on property storage.
• Prisoner supervision: supervise prisoners as required; undertake prisoner clothing/property exchange and assist officers with free flow movement.
• Food delivery: food trolley delivery and collection, which may involve the use of an electric tug vehicle.
• Driving duties: transport prisoners and their escort to their destination in the cellular主管 vehicle; collect mail from local sorting office.
• Phone calls: monitor the Personal Identification Number (PIN) system, maintaining the log of PIN Phone requests from prisoners; complete all relevant paperwork keeping an audit trail of conversations; check that legal numbers are registered solicitors.
• Procedures and protocol: understand and conform to national and local policies, responding appropriately to invoke emergency procedures and the actions required in relation to incidents.

Success Profile Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

Interview

Theotso interview will be of a blended nature consisting of behaviours and experience. The interview is the ideal opportunity to tell us more about yourself, your work history or personal experiences, so we can get to know you better and assess how you will be suited to prison work.

The job holder must be able to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh.

Job Offers

This is a ‘merit’ vacancy. If you are successful at the interview you will be added to a merit list based on your score. When all applicants have completed the assessment, the prison will make job offers to those 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.