General Information

Ministry of Justice; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Civil Service benefits

Apprenticeship opportunities

Job summary

Ministry of Justice in the United Kingdom operates an industrial kitchen team where staff oversee offenders to prepare and cook nutritious meals for the prison population. The role emphasises safety, quality and rehabilitation, with a focus on helping learners gain qualifications and build employable skills.

It offers a 37-hour week with shift patterns that may include early mornings, weekends and public holidays, plus a 20% unsocial hours allowance.

Qualifications

• Level 2 certificate in Food Production within Hospitality and Catering or equivalent.
• Food Hygiene Certificate Level 2.
• Ability to demonstrate competency within an industrial kitchen environment.
• Able to speak with confidence in English, developing self and others.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the work of offenders to prepare and cook quality, nutritious meals for the entire establishment.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety and hygiene regulations in an industrial kitchen.
• Support learning and skill development to help prisoners gain qualifications and improve employability.

Skills

Level 2 certificate in food production

Food hygiene certificate Level 2

Health, safety and hygiene regulations

Industrial kitchen competency

English communication

Quality service

Communicating and influencing

Making effective decisions

Working together

Education

Level 2 certificate in Food Production within Hospitality and Catering or equivalent

Food Hygiene Certificate Level 2

Vocational Qualification at Level 3 or willingness to pursue

Job description

This is not your average catering job. It is a great chance to put your catering qualifications and skills into practice and make an impact far beyond the kitchen. As part of the prison's catering team, you'll be working in a professional industrial kitchen environment, with a good salary, pension and Civil Service benefits including apprenticeship opportunities 'earn while you learn'. Unlike traditional restaurant jobs, you won't have to work late into the evening. You'll oversee the work of offenders to prepare and cook quality, nutritional meals for the entire prison. Plus, you'll play your part in helping them turn their lives around – supporting them to learn new skills and work towards gaining qualifications to increase their chances of employment and reduce their likelihood of reoffending when they leave prison.

Hours and salary You will work a 37-hour week and shift patterns are in place which include hours outside of 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday, weekends and public holidays. You will receive a 20% unsocial hours payment in addition to your basic pay, subject to working these hours. All roles can be open to part-time and job share arrangements subject to the business need/operational requirement. However, you will still be required to undertake the full range of shifts. As a new recruit, you will start on the minimum salary., The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone's circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review. For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks. Some of MoJ's terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS' Flexible Working policy. If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Qualifications and Experience

• Level 2 certificate in food production within hospitality and catering or equivalent
• Food hygiene certificate at Level 2
• Familiar with all current health, safety and hygiene related regulations for working in a kitchen
• Able to demonstrate competency within an industrial kitchen environment
• Able to speak with confidence in English, Developing self and others
• Managing a quality service
• Communicating and influencing
• Making effective decisions
• Working together

Essential qualifications: Level 2 certificate in Food Production within Hospitality and Catering or equivalent Food Hygiene Certificate Level 2 Vocational Qualification at Level 3 or be willing to work towards gaining this qualification within an agreed timescale. Please upload all qualifications on one file.

Salary and Benefits

• Band 3 salary minimum inclusive of 20% unsocial hours allowance - £34,928
• Band 3 salary maximum inclusive of 20% unsocial hours allowance - £36,778
• Annual Leave: The holiday year runs from 1 March.
• If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate.
• Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro‑ratio basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment.
• If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.
• Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays: You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance.
• There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment.
• Pension: The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
• Work Life Balance: HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so.
• HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ.
• Season Ticket Advance: After two months' service, you'll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer‑period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work.
• Childcare Vouchers: For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers.
• Training: HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes.
• There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts.
• All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles.
• All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.
• All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation.
• Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS.
• All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist.

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team. For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long‑term condition, please watch our animated videos.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order:

To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [e-mail]);
To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([e-mail]);
To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)