Operational Support Grade

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

Job summary

A government agency is seeking an Operational Support Grade to support day-to-day operations in a busy prison environment. Responsibilities include managing prisoner visits, monitoring security systems, and ensuring safety protocols are followed. The role requires shift work, including nights and weekends, with a total of 37 hours per week. Benefits include generous leave, a Civil Service pension, and employee assistance programs. The salary is set at £29,432, inclusive of a 20% unsocial hours allowance.

Benefits

25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 after 10 years

Civil Service pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work scheme

Season ticket loans and retail discounts

Qualifications

• Must be confident in spoken English or Welsh if specified.
• Ability to work flexible shifts, including nights and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Ensure secure entry and exit of staff, prisoners, and visitors.
• Operate the establishment radio system and monitor CCTV.
• Book and escort visits, ensuring safety protocols are followed.
• Monitor and log incoming and outgoing correspondence.
• Supervise prisoners and assist with property exchange.
• Transport prisoners and manage food delivery.
• Maintain audit trails of phone calls for legal compliance.

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. You will work an average of 37 hours per week and this will include working 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 and Duties

• 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 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

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

Benefits

• Annual leave: 25 days on appointment, increasing to 30 days after 10 years’ service (pro‑rated).
• Bank, public and privileged holidays: 9 days.
• Paid Level 2 apprenticeship in customer service.
• Generous Civil Service pension scheme.
• Season ticket loans and retail discounts.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Cycle to Work scheme.

Salary: £29,432. The salary figures quoted are for a 37‑hour working week inclusive of a 20 % unsocial hours allowance which is included in the salary to reflect the requirement to work nights, evenings and weekend shifts.