202608: Prison Officer - HMP Guys Marsh

The Methodist Church in Britain; Yeovil; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days' annual holiday rising to 30

Civil Service pension

Cycle to work scheme

Travel loans

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice invites applications for a Prison Officer at HMP Guys Marsh. The role focuses on safety, and building professional relationships with prisoners, blending peacekeeping, counselling and teaching within a single day.

After training, you’ll work a contracted week of 37–41 hours with shifts including evenings, nights, weekends and holidays. No formal qualifications are required, but you’ll undergo medical, fitness and DBS checks and must satisfy UK work eligibility and

Qualifications

• Aged 18 or over at the start of employment.
• Meets Civil Service nationality requirements.
• Enhanced DBS check.
• Right to work in the UK, maintained throughout employment.
• Three years' UK residence for high security (category A) prisons.
• Passes medical and fitness assessment, with eyesight and hearing standards.

Responsibilities

• Protect the public and keep the prison, staff and prisoners safe.
• Build constructive, professional relationships with prisoners.
• Act as a peacekeeper, counsellor or teacher as needed.
• Work directly with prisoners to make a positive difference.
• Cover shifts including evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays.
• Support colleagues and work as one team.

Skills

Communication skills

Commitment to quality

Decision making

Care & understanding

Empathy & resilience

English proficiency

Job description

Prison officer post at HMP Guys Marsh, a Ministry of Justice prison, filled from a merit list that lasts 12 months. Duties centre on safety and building professional relationships with prisoners, switching between peacekeeping, counselling and teaching within a single day. Prisons run round the clock, so shifts cover evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays, with hours set at 37, 39 or 41 a week after training. No qualifications are needed, but medical, fitness, eyesight and hearing standards apply, and visa sponsorship is unlikely in this campaign.

What the job involves

• Protect the public and keep the prison, its staff and prisoners safe
• Build constructive, positive and professional relationships with prisoners
• Act as a peacekeeper, counsellor or teacher as the day requires
• Work directly with prisoners to make a positive difference to their lives
• Work shifts covering evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays
• Support colleagues and work as one team
• Complete initial training of 37 hours a week before moving to a chosen contracted week

What’s required

Skills & knowledge

• Communication and influencing skills
• Commitment to quality
• Effective decision-making
• Care and understanding
• Empathy, self-confidence and resilience
• Numerical, written and spoken English, with confidence in all spoken aspects of the role

Checks & eligibility

• Aged 18 or over at the start of employment
• Meets Civil Service nationality requirements
• Enhanced DBS check
• Right to work in the UK, maintained throughout employment
• Three years' UK residence for high security (category A) prisons
• Passes medical and fitness assessment, with eyesight in both eyes with and without corrective lenses, and hearing without aids

Other

• Willing to work rotating shifts, including evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays
• Tattoos not offensive, discriminatory, violent or intimidating (facial tattoos generally unacceptable)

Nice to have

• Driving licence and own transport, beneficial given rural locations

What’s offered

• 25 days' annual holiday, rising to 30 after 10 years' service
• Paid time off for public holidays and one extra privilege day
• Civil Service pension with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Cycle to work scheme and travel loans
• Opportunities to work additional paid hours