22394 - Operational Support Grade - Advance Into Justice (North East)

The Methodist Church in Britain; North East; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave

Civil Service pension

Season ticket loan

Cycle to Work

Retail discounts

Training programs

Flexible working

Employee networks

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain is seeking a two-year fixed-term Operational Support Grade for HMPPS prison sites in the North East. The role covers gate, control room, visits, reception, mail, phone and night duties across six prisons.

No formal qualifications are required, but confident spoken English is essential. The post involves rolling shifts including nights and weekends with varied duties, from security checks to prisoner processing.

Qualifications

• Spoken English must be confident.
• Good judgement, common sense, responsibility and teamwork.
• Communication, influencing and decision making skills assessed at interview.

Responsibilities

• Control gate entry and exit for staff, visitors and vehicles.
• Patrol site and perimeter, escort vehicles and contractors.
• Issue and collect staff keys and radios.
• Operate prison radio system and monitor CCTV.
• Welcome and escort visitors.
• Log mail and report contraband, preserving evidence.
• Carry out night duties, lock cell doors and account for prisoners.
• Work in reception, photograph prisoners and process property.
• Supervise prisoners and assist with escorts.
• Deliver and collect food trolleys and collect mail.
• Monitor PIN phone system and keep logs and records of requests.
• Follow national and local policies and respond to incidents and emergencies.

Skills

Confident English

Good judgement

Teamwork

Communication skills

Job description

A two-year fixed-term Operational Support Grade post in HMPPS prison support teams at six North East prisons, recruited under the Advance into Justice scheme for Armed Forces service leavers, veterans, reservists and their families. The work keeps each prison running through gate, control room, visits, reception, mail, phone and night duties. Many tasks are physical and involve lone working, and prisoner contact depends on the site. Rolling shifts average 37 hours with nights and weekends; no qualifications are needed, but spoken English must be confident.

What the job involves

• Control gate entry and exit for staff, visitors and vehicles, including searches of people and vehicles
• Patrol the site and perimeter fence, and escort vehicles and contractors
• Issue and collect staff keys and radios
• Operate the prison radio system and monitor CCTV, reporting suspicious activity
• Welcome and escort visitors
• Log incoming mail and report contraband, preserving evidence
• Carry out night duties, locking cell doors and accounting for prisoners
• Work in reception, photographing prisoners and processing property and parcels
• Supervise prisoners at times, exchange clothing and property, and help escort prisoners
• Deliver and collect food trolleys, and collect mail from the local sorting office
• Monitor the PIN phone system and keep logs and records of prisoner requests
• Follow national and local policies and respond to incidents and emergencies

Skills & knowledge

• Confident spoken English
• Good judgement, common sense, responsibility and teamwork
• Communicating and influencing, managing a quality service, making effective decisions and caring (assessed at interview)

Checks & eligibility

• HMPPS Enhanced Level 2 vetting
• Counter Terrorism Check for locations with higher security status
• UK residency for the three years immediately before application
• Right to work in the UK, under the nationality rules in the advert
• Declaration of any membership of a group HMPPS considers racist

Other

• Armed Forces service leaver, veteran, reservist, or spouse or legal partner of one
• Able to do physical work, including lifting, carrying and long periods standing and walking
• Able to work rolling shifts including nights, evenings, weekends and bank holidays
• Pass the values-based online assessment and interview to join the merit list

Nice to have

• Driving licence and own transport, as some sites are rural with limited public transport

What’s offered

• 25 days annual leave rising to 30 after 10 years, pro-rata, plus 9 bank, public and privilege holidays
• Civil Service pension scheme, with a choice of two schemes
• Season ticket advance after two months' service
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Retail discounts and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Training and access to promotion programmes
• Flexible working after satisfactory probation and NVQ
• Employee-run networks