Support Grade (Prison Support Role) – HMP Cookham Wood and HMP Rochester

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

Job summary

A government agency in the UK is seeking an Operational Support Grade to oversee daily operations in a busy prison. Responsibilities include handling security duties, monitoring CCTV, assisting with visitor management, and ensuring prisoner supervision. The role requires flexibility to work evening and night shifts, and robust communication skills. This position offers a salary of £29,432 and various benefits, including annual leave and a generous pension scheme.

Benefits

Annual leave of 25 days

Civil Service pension scheme

Paid Level 2 apprenticeship

Qualifications

• Ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English.
• Experience working in a close-knit team.
• Flexibility to work shifts and nights.

Responsibilities

• Secure entry/exit and carry out searches.
• Operate radio system and monitor CCTV.
• Book and process visitors; escort if required.
• Monitor/log mail and report contraband.
• Ensure cell doors locked and prisoners accounted for.
• Support reception tasks and photograph prisoners.
• Supervise prisoners and assist with property exchanges.
• Deliver and collect food trolley.
• Transport prisoners/escort to destination.
• Monitor phone calls and maintain audit trails.
• Invoke emergency procedures and manage incidents.

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.

Salary & Benefits

£29,432 (for a 37‑hour working week inclusive of 20% unsocial hours working allowance). 20% unsocial working allowance is already included in the salary.

Benefits include:

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

Hours

You will work an average of 37 hours per week, including night shifts, evenings, weekends and bank/public holidays, on a rolling shift pattern. Frequency of night shifts may vary; discussed at interview.

Responsibilities

• Gate/portal duties: secure entry/exit, carry out searches, issue/collect keys/radios.
• Control room: operate radio system, monitor CCTV, report suspicious activities.
• Visits: book and process visitors, escort if required.
• Censors/correspondence: monitor/log mail, report contraband, preserve evidence.
• Night duties: ensure cell doors locked, prisoners accounted for.
• Reception: support reception tasks, photograph prisoners, collate documentation, search property, check seals.
• Prisoner supervision: supervise as required, assist with clothing/property exchange, free‑flow movement.
• Food delivery: food trolley delivery and collection; may involve electric tug vehicle.
• Driving duties: transport prisoners/escort to destination; collect mail from sorting office.
• Phone calls: monitor PIN system, log requests, maintain audit trail, check legal numbers.
• Procedures and protocol: understand national/local policies, invoke emergency procedures, manage incidents.

Interview & Assessment

The interview is blended, assessing behaviours and experience. Success Profile behaviours include:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

The interview also covers your work history and personal experiences, assessing suitability for 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.

Offer Process

This is a ‘merit’ vacancy. Successful applicants are added to a merit list based on score. After all applicants complete assessment, offers are made to those with highest scores first. Merit list valid for 12 months; after that you must re‑apply.

Additional Details

Unsocial working allowance: 20% already included in salary figures.