202608: Prison Officer - HMP Hollesley - Part Time

The Methodist Church in Britain; Nacton; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 30,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement pro rata

Public holidays & extra privilege day

Civil Service pension contributions

Cycle to work scheme

Travel loans

Opportunity for additional paid hours

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain is seeking a part-time Prison Officer for the NMS unit at HMP Hollesley. The role involves protecting the public and building constructive relationships with prisoners, with duties across evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays.

Initial training over two days a week precedes choosing 12, 16 or 24 hours. Visa sponsorship is unlikely; a medical, fitness and eyesight assessment is required.

Qualifications

• Communication and influencing skills are essential.
• Commitment to quality in conduct and performance.
• Effective decision-making under pressure.
• Care and understanding in interactions with prisoners.
• Proficient spoken English is required; numeracy and literacy assessed at recruitment.

Responsibilities

• Protect the public and support safe, constructive prisoner interactions.
• Build professional relationships with prisoners and staff.
• Move between roles such as peacekeeper, counsellor and teacher within a shift.
• Support colleagues as part of a unified team to maintain safety.
• Work shifts covering evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays.

Skills

Communication

Influencing skills

Commitment to quality

Decision-making

Care and understanding

English proficiency

Job description

Part-time Prison Officer post in the NMS unit at HMP Hollesley, a Ministry of Justice prison. The work centres on protecting the public and building constructive relationships with prisoners, moving between roles such as peacekeeper, counsellor and teacher within a shift. Shifts cover evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays, with initial training over two days a week before choosing 12, 16 or 24 hours. Visa sponsorship is unlikely for this campaign, and a medical, fitness and eyesight assessment is required.

What the job involves

• Protect the public and help make a positive impact on prisoners' lives
• Build constructive, positive and professional relationships with prisoners
• Work directly with prisoners, moving between roles such as peacekeeper, counsellor and teacher within a day
• Support colleagues and act as one team to keep the prison and everyone in it safe
• Work shifts covering evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays in a prison operating 24 hours a day

What’s required

Skills & knowledge

• Communication and influencing skills
• Commitment to quality
• Effective decision-making
• Care and understanding
• Ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English
• Numerical and written English ability, assessed during recruitment

Checks & eligibility

• Aged 18 or over at the point of starting employment
• Meet Civil Service nationality requirements and hold the right to work in the UK
• Enhanced DBS check
• Pass a medical and fitness assessment
• Meet the eyesight standard in both eyes, with or without corrective lenses
• Meet the hearing standard without hearing aids

Other

• Willingness to work shifts including nights, weekends and public holidays
• Resilience, self-confidence and empathy
• Ability to support colleagues as part of a team
• Tattoos must not be offensive, discriminatory, violent or intimidating, and facial tattoos are generally not acceptable

Nice to have

• Driving licence and own transport, beneficial though not essential

What’s offered

• 25 days' annual holiday pro rata, rising to 30 after 10 years' service
• Paid time off for public holidays plus 1 extra privilege day
• Civil Service pension with 28.97% employer contributions
• Cycle to work scheme
• Travel loans
• Opportunities to work additional paid hours