202510: Prison Officer - HMP Hindley

Ministry of Justice; Bickershaw; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental organization in Bickershaw is looking for a prison officer. This role involves managing various responsibilities throughout the day, ensuring safety, and providing care to individuals in custody. Candidates must pass fitness assessments and meet specific eligibility criteria. The position offers competitive salary and benefits including a pension plan and holiday entitlement.

Benefits

25 days’ annual holiday

Paid time off for public holidays

Civil Service pension

Cycle to work scheme

Travel loans and other benefits

Qualifications

• Be at least 18 years old at the commencement of employment.
• Meet the Civil Service Nationality requirements.
• Pass a medical and fitness assessment.
• Meet required eyesight standard in both eyes.
• For safety, meet a suitable standard of hearing.
• Must have been a UK resident for the last 3 years for high security prisons.

Responsibilities

• Communicate and influence effectively.
• Manage a quality service in a prison environment.
• Make effective decisions under pressure.
• Provide care and support to prisoners.

Skills

communicating and influencing

managing a quality service

making effective decisions

caring

Job description

Overview

Prison officer – HMP Hindley
HMP Hindley, Barracks Road, Bickershaw, Wigan WN2 5TH
Starting salary: £35,875 (for a 39 hour week inc 20% unsocial)
City/Town: Wigan
Region: North West
Vacancy type: Merit

An extraordinary job
In this unique career, you’ll have the opportunity to carry out many different roles in any one day.

From 4 April 2024, the Government increased the salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas. HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) cannot guarantee sponsorship for those seeking sponsorship via the Skilled Worker visa route. If you are applying and do not meet the new eligibility criteria for sponsorship, you will need to consider options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK. HMPPS will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules. Read more about Skilled Worker visas and eligibility criteria here.

You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here.

An extraordinary job

In this unique career, you’ll have the opportunity to carry out many different roles in any one day.

Responsibilities during recruitment

• communicating and influencing
• managing a quality service
• making effective decisions
• caring

To become a prison officer you will need

• be at least 18 years old at the commencement of employment
• meet the Civil Service Nationality requirements
• pass a medical and fitness assessment
• meet the required eyesight standard in both eyes
• for safety reasons, meet a suitable standard of hearing
• Whilst tattoos are permitted, including visible ones, they must not be offensive, discriminatory, violent, or intimidating. Facial tattoos are generally not acceptable unless for cultural, religious, or medical reasons
• 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

How to apply

Once you have completed your initial application form, you will be invited to complete stage 1 of the online test to assess basic judgement and numerical skills. If you pass, you will be invited to complete stage 2 online tests, a task-based assessment. If you pass the online tests, you will be invited to an online assessment centre (OAC). Once you have successfully completed the OAC and allocated to a vacancy, you will be invited to complete a medical and fitness test (including eyesight, hearing, and basic health screening such as a blood pressure check).

Pay

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 = £33,746 a year
• 39 hours a week = £35,875 a year
• 41 hours a week = £38,003 a year

All salary figures quoted include any additional allowances. The standard working week of a prison officer is based on a 39 hours per week shift pattern.

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 with employer contributions of 28.97%
• cycle to work scheme, travel loans and other benefits

Read more about prison officer benefits

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.

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. Operational support grade - Ministry of Justice.

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of Civil Servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. If you feel the recruitment process has breached the principles you can raise a complaint by contacting Shared Services Connected Ltd: 0845 241 5358 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm) or [e-mail]

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Reasonable adjustment support

Just tick “yes” when it asks if you think you might need a reasonable adjustment.