202608: Prison Officer - HMP Norwich

The Methodist Church in Britain; Norwich; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service pension with 28.97%

25 days annual holiday

Cycle to work scheme and travel loans

Job summary

Ministry of Justice is seeking Prison Officers for HMP Norwich. The role focuses on keeping the prison safe while building positive relationships with prisoners and moving between roles such as peacekeeper, counsellor and teacher in one day.

Shifts cover evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays; initial training is 37 hours per week, followed by 37, 39 or 41 hours per week. A medical, DBS and fitness assessments are required.

Qualifications

• Communication and influencing skills.
• Commitment to quality.
• Effective decision-making.
• Care and understanding.
• Basic judgement and numerical skills, tested in stage 1 online test.
• Confident spoken English for all aspects of the role.

Responsibilities

• Protect the public and help make a positive impact on prisoners' lives.
• Build constructive, professional relationships with prisoners.
• Work directly with prisoners in a custodial setting.
• Move between roles in a day, from keeping the peace to counselling and teaching.
• Work shifts including evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays.
• Support colleagues and act as one team to keep the prison and everyone in it safe.
• Complete 37 hours a week of initial training, then work 37, 39 or 41 hours a week.

Skills

Communication

Quality commitment

Decision making

Care and understanding

Numerical skills

Confident spoken English

Job description

Prison officer post at HMP Norwich, a Ministry of Justice establishment, with appointments made from a merit list. The work centres on keeping the prison safe while building positive relationships with prisoners, and moving between roles such as peacekeeper, counsellor and teacher within one day. Prisons run around the clock, so the job involves rotating shifts that cover evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays. Candidates must pass a medical and fitness assessment, meet eyesight and hearing standards and clear an enhanced DBS check; Skilled Worker sponsorship is unlikely for this campaign.

What the job involves

• Protect the public and help make a positive impact on prisoners' lives
• Build constructive, professional relationships with prisoners
• Work directly with prisoners in a custodial setting
• Move between roles in a day, from keeping the peace to counselling and teaching
• Work shifts including evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays
• Support colleagues and act as one team to keep the prison and everyone in it safe
• Complete 37 hours a week of initial training, then work 37, 39 or 41 hours a week

What’s required

Skills & knowledge

• Communication and influencing skills
• Commitment to quality
• Effective decision-making
• Care and understanding
• Basic judgement and numerical skills, tested in the stage 1 online test
• Confident spoken English for all 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 live and work in the UK, maintained throughout employment
• Passes a medical and fitness assessment, including health screening
• Meets the eyesight standard in both eyes, with or without correction, and a hearing standard without hearing aids

Other

• Tattoos not offensive, discriminatory, violent or intimidating; facial tattoos generally not acceptable
• For high-security (category A) work, UK residence for the last 3 years
• Willing to work fixed shift start times, including weekends and public holidays
• Commitment to supporting colleagues as one team

Nice to have

• Driving licence and own transport, beneficial though not essential

What’s offered

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