Operational Support Grade (Prison Support Role)

Hmp Drake Hall; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A correctional facility in the United Kingdom is seeking an Operational Support Grade to assist with day-to-day prison operations. The successful candidate will be responsible for a variety of tasks, including managing secure entry and exit, supervising visitors, and monitoring phone calls and CCTV. Candidates should possess strong communication skills and the ability to manage a quality service in a dynamic environment. This role requires shift work, including nights and weekends, with an annual salary of £29,432 including allowances.

Benefits

25 days annual leave increasing to 30 after 10 years

Civil Service pension scheme

Season ticket loans

Retail discounts

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work scheme

Qualifications

• Must be able to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English.
• Ability to manage a quality service in a busy environment.

Responsibilities

• Ensure secure entry and exit of staff and visitors.
• Monitor CCTV and report suspicious activities.
• Book and escort visitors during visits.
• Monitor and log mail for illicit items.
• Ensure cell doors are secure and prisoners accounted for.
• Assist in reception tasks and photograph prisoners.
• Supervise prisoners and assist with clothing exchanges.
• Deliver and collect food trolleys.
• Transport prisoners as required.
• Maintain logs of PIN phone requests and legal calls.

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, which 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, 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 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 (when specified in Wales) Welsh.

13261 - Operational Support Grade - HMP Drake Hall (Prison Support Role)

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after 10 years' service (calculated on a pro‑rata basis). 9 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 Programme and a Cycle to Work scheme.

£29,432

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