Instructor - HMP Swaleside

Ministry of Justice; Sheerness; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in the UK is seeking a Workshop Supervisor to manage prisoners in non-specialist workshops. The role involves providing support, ensuring safety, and contributing to individual training needs while maintaining order and discipline. Ideal candidates will have experience in supervising a workshop environment and a strong understanding of health and safety protocols.

Benefits

Hybrid working arrangements

Flexible hours available

Support for adjustments during recruitment

Qualifications

• Experience with managing prisoners in a workshop environment.
• Understanding of health and safety regulations.
• Ability to tailor training to individual needs.

Responsibilities

• Select and induct prisoners into workshops.
• Supervise and control prisoners during activities.
• Conduct health and safety assessments.

Skills

Supervision

Health and Safety training

Workshop management

Job description

Overview

The job holder will be responsible for providing supervision, knowledge and skills to prisoners in non-specialist workshops where no qualifications are being delivered and where the job holder is not deployed to train prisoners up to the required level to gain qualifications. This role is not designed for specialist workshops; Specialist Production Instructor should be used in those circumstances. Although this is a non-operational post in an establishment with no line management responsibilities, the job holder will have workshop and prisoner management responsibilities. The job holder will be committed to ensuring prison workshops are places of structure and discipline and will, as far as reasonably practicable, provide prisoners with a work experience in workshops that mirrors the employment experience outside of prison. The job holder will ensure that all services are provided to a high standard and that security and control are maintained at all times. On an exceptional short-term basis, job holders can supervise prisoners in more specialist workshops (e.g., emergencies or short-term staffing needs) as described below.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

• Participate in the selection process of prisoners for the workshop.
• Induct prisoners to the workshop/area of work and train them in health and safety, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), machinery and tools usage; ensure all tools, equipment and raw materials are safe, secure and properly accounted for.
• Provide support for prisoners where required; tailor learning and training requirements to individual needs. Set work schedules and manage targets/quality standards, maintaining delivery of contractual arrangements.
• Supervise, manage and control prisoners decently, safely and securely whilst carrying out all activities, with responsibility for their performance, motivation, discipline, appraisal and development. Conduct metal detector scans or rub-down searches of prisoners attending and leaving their own workshops.
• Initiate product development reviews to maintain workshop/area of work output levels and to provide a variety of work and experience for prisoners.
• Contribute to risk and health and safety assessments on consumables and Health and Safety risk assessments relating to the workshop/area of work and specialist areas.
• Actively contribute to prisoner reports, parole and sentence planning, and related processes by providing information to case managers. Open and complete Assessment Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) forms, Violence Reduction Incident Reports (VRIR) and Security Information Reports (SIRs) when required and contribute to Incentive Earned Privileges (IEP) reports.
• Contribute to prisoner reports including parole and sentence planning, regime monitoring information and updated prisoner training records.
• Maintain regular communications via radio net in accordance with Local Security Strategy (LSS).
• Request materials and estimate usage to meet work targets while providing quality assurance against product specifications.
• Log attendance and approve prisoner hours worked and wages, including recording piece work where appropriate.
• Attend and contribute to relevant meetings as required.
• Provide administrative support for workshop activities; prepare relevant documentation to managers for verification/quality checking purposes; maintain and update systems in line with local agreements.

Additional Information

The duties/responsibilities listed describe the post as it is at present and are not exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level as necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed with the job holder in the first instance.

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business needs allow. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working. Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. 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 completion of pre-employment checks.

Standard full-time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding unpaid breaks. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing 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 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, subject to approval.

Requirements include 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 must declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which HMPPS considers racist. The Civil Service Code applies; recruitment is on merit, and you may raise concerns through the listed contacts if you believe recruitment principles were breached.

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ is committed to providing adjustments during the recruitment process and in the workplace. Veterans’ initiatives and redeployment opportunities are also described where applicable. For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements, see the MoJ and government resources linked in the original posting.