IAG Advisor - in Custody

The Growth Company; Pendlebury; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

The Growth Company’s Employment team is recruiting two Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) Advisors to provide high-quality, labour market-informed careers guidance for offenders in custody at HMP Forest Bank, from sentence start through release preparation.

Advisors will help clients set education, skills and work goals, develop employability, search for jobs, and transition back into the community, working with education providers and partner agencies to reduce re-offending.

Qualifications

• Hold NVQ Level 3 or 4 in Advice & Guidance or equivalent.
• Aim to achieve CDI Licence to Practice.
• CDI Licence to Practice desired.

Responsibilities

• Deliver personalised IAG advice to customers.
• Oversee a varied caseload with targets for employment or education.
• Utilise labour market information and employer networks to guide customers.
• Build relationships with prison staff, governors and partner agencies.
• Provide flexible support via Virtual Campus, workshops and in-person sessions.
• Create action plans for each customer to guide progress.
• Coordinate with mainstream services to track outcomes and evidence.
• Adhere to Prison Service DPS contract and standards.

Skills

IAG advice

Caseload management

Stakeholder collaboration

Digital platforms

Action planning

Performance targets

Labour market information

Education

NVQ Level 3/4 in Advice and Guidance

DipCG

CDI Licence to Practice

Tools

Virtual Campus

Job description

The Growth Company’s (GC) Employment team is currently recruiting two Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) Advisors - in Custodyto provide high-quality, labour market-informed careers advice and support.

IAG Advisors work with offenders in custody from the start of their sentence, up to preparing for release, with the aim of helping prevent cycles of re-offending. The advisors help those in custody to set education, skills, and work-related goals, develop employability skills, and search for and apply for jobs as they prepare to transition back into the community.

They also work with employers to help offenders increase their knowledge of the labour market and promote more sustained employment outcomes. They work in close partnership with education and training providers and wider rehabilitation services to support sustainable, long-term outcomes and help reduce re-offending.

These roles will be based out of HMP Forest Bank.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver personalised IAG advice that aligns with each customer’s unique needs, promoting career development, independence, and long-term learning or employment outcomes.
• Oversee a varied caseload of customers, working towards performance targets with a focus on securing sustained employment or educational progression.
• Utilise up-to-date labour market intelligence and employer networks to guide customers toward meaningful and lasting job opportunities.
• Establish and nurture productive relationships with key stakeholders, including prison governors, uniformed staff, and partner agencies, to ensure a consistent pipeline of eligible customers.
• Provide flexible, customer-centred support through platforms such as the Virtual Campus, group workshops, and in-person sessions.
• Create detailed and impactful action plans for each customer, ensuring initial engagement meets satisfaction benchmarks and sets a clear path forward.
• Work closely with colleagues across mainstream services (e.g National Careers Service) to enhance tracking of customer outcomes and streamline evidence collection.
• Adhere to all requirements of the Prison Service DPS contract and consistently exceed standards set by the Skills Funding Agency, Ofsted, and Matrix.

About You

• Hold an NVQ Level 3 or 4 in Advice and Guidance, DipCG, or an equivalent qualification, with a commitment to achieving the CDI Licence to Practice.
• Demonstrate the ability to excel in a target-driven environment, consistently working towards positive outcomes for Prison Service customers.
• Confidently use digital platforms and online tools: including the Virtual Campus, to provide accessible and effective IAG services.

Skills Required

• Ideally possess recent experience delivering employment or learning outcomes within a custodial environment, particularly in a performance-driven setting.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals who are currently in custody or have previous offending histories.
• Skilled in providing high-quality one-to-one and group career guidance sessions, consistently achieving at least a Grade 2 standard.