202608: Prison Officer - HMP Littlehey

The Methodist Church in Britain; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Civil Service pension

Cycle to work

Job summary

HMP Littlehey, a prison in the United Kingdom, is recruiting a prison officer. The role focuses on keeping the prison safe while building constructive relationships with prisoners, and duties include acting as peacekeeper, counsellor, or teacher as needed.

Shifts rotate across evenings, nights, weekends, and public holidays, with a standard 39-hour week. No formal qualifications are required, but DBS checks and fitness assessments apply; there are substantial benefits and a Civil Service pension

Qualifications

• Clear communication and the ability to influence others.
• Commitment to quality and public service.
• Effective decision-making under pressure.
• Care and understanding with empathy and self-confidence.
• Resilience to work in a challenging environment.
• Numerical and written English skills, assessed in the process.

Responsibilities

• Protect the public and help make a positive impact on prisoners' lives

Skills

Communication skills

Quality mindset

Decision making

Empathy

Resilience

English literacy

Job description

A prison officer vacancy at HMP Littlehey, part of the Ministry of Justice, filled from a merit list after online assessment. The work centres on keeping the prison safe while building constructive relationships with prisoners, moving between roles such as peacekeeper, counsellor and teacher. Shifts rotate across evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays, with a standard 39-hour week. No qualifications are required, but Skilled Worker sponsorship is unlikely for this campaign and a medical and fitness assessment applies.

What the job involves

• Protect the public and help make a positive impact on prisoners' lives
• Work directly with prisoners, acting as peacekeeper, counsellor or teacher as needed
• Build constructive, positive and professional relationships with prisoners
• Help keep the prison and everyone who works there safe
• Support colleagues and act as one team
• Cover shifts across evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays

What’s required

Skills & knowledge

• Communication and influencing skills
• Commitment to quality
• Effective decision-making
• Care and understanding, with empathy and self-confidence
• Resilience
• Numerical and written English skills, assessed in the process

Checks & eligibility

• Enhanced DBS check
• Right to live and work in the UK under Civil Service nationality requirements
• Aged 18 or over at the start of employment
• UK resident for the last 3 years to work in a category A prison
• Pass a medical and fitness assessment
• Tattoos not offensive, discriminatory, violent or intimidating; facial tattoos generally not acceptable

Other

• Eyesight meeting the standard in both eyes, with or without corrective lenses
• Hearing to a suitable standard without hearing aids
• Ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English
• Willingness to work rotating shifts and some weekends

Nice to have

• Driving licence and own transport, beneficial given rural site locations but not essential

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, travel loans and other benefits
• Choice of 37, 39 or 41 hour week after initial training, with salary reflecting hours
• Opportunities to work additional paid hours
• Guaranteed interview for eligible veterans under the Civil Service scheme
• Redeployment interview scheme for those at risk of redundancy