Prison Officer

Ministry of Justice; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in England is seeking individuals for the role of prison officer. Candidates should be empathetic with great communication skills, as the role involves building relationships with prisoners. The successful applicant will work various shifts, help protect the public, and ensure a safe environment. Previous experience is not required, but the role demands resilience and teamwork. The position offers a salary ranging from £33,746 to £38,003 annually depending on hours worked, along with additional benefits including annual leave and pension contributions.

Benefits

25 days annual holiday

Civil Service pension

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Ability to pass a medical and fitness assessment.
• Good eyesight and hearing standards.

Responsibilities

• Build positive relationships with prisoners.
• Maintain safety and order within the prison.
• Work various shifts and weekends.

Skills

Communication skills

Empathy

Teamwork

Resilience

Decision-making

Job description

Eligibility and Immigration

This role is not eligible for new Skilled Worker visas in accordance with the current immigration rules. From 22 July 2025, the Government introduced changes to the Skilled Worker visa route. The department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes. If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your vetting checks and eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place. If you are applying for this role and you have not held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom. The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here.

About the Role

Someone like you – no typical prison officer. Our officers come from different walks of life, just like the offenders they work with. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, have worked in retail, the armed forces, or just feel like you’re a natural people person, you’ll have the empathy, self-confidence, great communication skills and resilience we want. No matter the challenge, you’ll take the time to build constructive, positive and professional relationships with prisoners who could be at the lowest point in their lives. Teamwork plays a vital role in this environment, so you’ll need to be fully committed to supporting your colleagues and understand the importance of acting as one team to keep the prison, and everyone who works here safe. You will be required to work various shifts and some weekends.

An extraordinary job. In this unique career, you’ll have the opportunity to carry out many different roles in any one day. One minute you’re a peacekeeper, the next you’re a counsellor or a teacher. You’ll work directly with prisoners in a unique environment, helping to protect the public and make a positive impact.

Nationality Requirements

• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK.
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (link).
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS).
• Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020.
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service.

Further information on nationality requirements https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom.

Assessment Process

During the recruitment process you will be assessed on the behaviours, strengths and abilities you need to become an effective prison officer. These include:

• Communicating and influencing
• Managing a quality service
• Making effective decisions
• Caring

Your natural strengths are assessed to find out what motivates and energises you. We also assess your numerical, written English and spoken English abilities.

Online Tests: Once you have completed your initial application form, you will be invited to complete stage 1 of the online test, to see if you have the basic judgement and numerical skills expected of a prison officer. If you are successful, we will invite you to stage 2 (task‑based assessment) to see if you have the natural behaviours and qualities needed to be an effective prison officer. On successful completion of the online tests, we will invite you to an online assessment centre (OAC) where we test your abilities, behaviours and strengths to be a prison officer. Read more about the application process.

Job Offers and Merit List

This is a merit job vacancy. If you are successful at the online assessment centre, you will be added to a merit list based on your score. When all applicants have completed the assessment centre, the prison will make job offers to individuals with the highest scores first when positions become available. You can stay on the merit list for 12 months. After this, you’ll need to apply again. If your application is unsuccessful at the sift/assessment stage, a six‑month waiting period will be applied during which time you will not be allowed to submit any further applications for prison officer positions.

Operational Support Grade (OSG)

Our Online Assessment Centre will also determine your suitability for appointment as an operational support grade (OSG). If following attendance at your OAC you are unsuccessful in your application to become a prison officer, we may instead offer you an alternative role as an OSG.

Medical and Fitness Assessment

Once a vacancy is identified for you, you will be invited to complete a medical and fitness test. This will cover an eyesight test, hearing test and basic health screening, including a blood pressure check. Please note we are not able to facilitate medical and fitness assessments outside of the UK. Applicants will be required to attend a UK‑based medical and fitness assessment centre to progress their application.

Diversity, Inclusion & Reasonable Adjustment

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.

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to ensuring everyone can demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities. Offering reasonable adjustment support to candidates when they apply for one of our jobs is just one way we do this. Before completing online tests or attending an online assessment centre, it is essential to arrange reasonable adjustment support. Due to practical and logistical constraints, we cannot accommodate requests on the day of the assessment centre. Therefore, we kindly request that you let us know in plenty of time if adjustments are required. This will help ensure the right support is in place for you when you need it.

Veterans Recruitment Initiative

The “Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans” initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs.

Employment Conditions and Benefits

Prisons operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means you will have to cover various shift patterns that will include evenings, some nights, weekends and public holidays (these days are added to your holiday allowance). Most prisons work with a changing shift pattern of 39 hours a week. You may also have opportunities to work additional paid hours.

Working hours and pay:

• 37 hours a week = £33,746 a year
• 39 hours a week = £35,875 a year
• 41 hours a week = £38,003 a year

All salary figures quoted include any additional allowances that are applicable to the role/location. Advantages:

• 25 days’ annual holiday (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service)
• Paid time off for public holidays and 1 extra privilege day
• Civil Service pension with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Cycle to work scheme, travel loans and other benefits

Eligibility Criteria

• Be at least 18 years old at the point you commence employment.
• Meet the Civil Service Nationality requirements (see nationality requirements section above).
• As this is a physically active job, you will need to pass a medical and fitness assessment as part of the application process.
• Meet the required eyesight standard in both eyes (with and without corrective lenses).
• For safety reasons, everyone training to be a prison officer needs a suitable standard of hearing (without the use of hearing aids).
• Whilst tattoos are permitted, including those that are visible, they must not be deemed offensive, discriminatory, violent or intimidating in any way. Facial tattoos are generally not acceptable, except where this is for cultural, religious or medical reasons.
• To work in a high security prison (category A) you must have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years.
• Travel to work: a driving licence and own transport is beneficial but is not an essential requirement of the role unless specified.
• Communication and influencing skills.
• Commitment to quality.
• Effective decision-making.
• Care and understanding.
• Spoken English (or Welsh where specified).

Additional Information

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism is identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by AI, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. The level of security checks required (DBS Enhanced). Any further details or updates will be provided during the recruitment process.