Prison Officer - Residential - HMP Grampian - Location Peterhead

Scottish Prison Service; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency is seeking Residential Officers to join their team in HMP & YOI Grampian. The role requires commitment to personal and professional development, managing challenging behaviours, and fostering positive relationships with individuals in custody. Officers will undergo extensive training and engage in shift work, contributing to rehabilitation and reintegration processes. A competitive salary range of £36,268 to £42,587 is offered, along with the opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of those in care.

Qualifications

• Commitment to continuous professional development.
• Experience of providing support, advice, or guidance to others.
• Experience of making a positive difference in others' lives.
• Experience of managing challenging circumstances or behaviours.

Responsibilities

• Encourage positive behaviours in individuals engaging with rehabilitation.
• Manage individuals’ case work and exercise professional judgement.
• Complete all administration and communications relevant to the role.
• Contribute to effective operational risk management.
• Manage conflict and contribute towards local incident management.

Skills

Building & Maintaining Relationships

Problem Solving & Decision Making

Communication Skills

Managing Information

Job description

Job Summary

Vacancy Type: Permanent

Location: HMP & YOI Grampian

Pay band: D

Starting salary: £36,268 progressing to £42,587 within 3 years, subject to pay progression

Hours of work: Shift Work

Job Purpose: The Scottish Prison Service is now recruiting for Residential Officers to join us throughout 2026.

About the Scottish Prison Service

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS), established in 1993, is an agency of the Scottish Government whose principal objective is to contribute to making Scotland safer by protecting the public and reducing reoffending. The SPS aims to achieve this by ensuring delivery of secure custody, safe and orderly prisons, high quality standards of care, and opportunities for those in custody to build capacity to help them reintegrate into the community on release.

Prison Officers are a principal agent of delivery of the SPS Vision of Unlocking Potential and Transforming Lives as they are a critical point of contact between those in custody and the organisation charged with their safety, security and personal development. Prison Officers have a positive and caring approach towards those in our care and adopt an asset‑based approach, fostering effective relationships in order to help those in SPS care to desist from offending and help transform their lives.

The role depends upon Prison Officers embracing the aims and ethos of the SPS Mission and their personal efficacy and professionalism are vital to developing and maintaining essential working relationships with those in our care. The design and delivery of person‑centred services requires staff who not only demonstrate SPS Values, but who believe in change and their ability to affect it. Our values are:

• Belief – belief that people can change
• Respect – have proper regard for individuals, their needs and their human rights
• Integrity – apply high ethical, moral and professional standards
• Openness – work with others to achieve the best outcomes
• Courage – have the courage to care regardless of circumstances
• Humility – recognise that we can learn from others

Newly appointed Prison Officers – Residential will undertake a block of training as part of a new professional development pathway which represents a significant and positive investment in the professional Prison Officer in Scotland. As such, the role requires a strong on-going commitment to personal and professional development.

Prison Officers – Residential will spend the majority of their time in the residential (accommodation) area of the prison. The role can be physically demanding in that it involves walking and standing for a majority of the time and there will be frequent occasions where physical fitness and dexterity will be required to assist in the secure handling of challenging situations. The potentially intense nature of the interactions with those in our care and their families may exert emotional demands on Prison Officers.

Prison Officer – Residential members of staff work on a rostered shift pattern.

Key Responsibilities

• Encourage positive behaviours in individuals engaging with rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives and processes through a supportive, caring and inclusive approach, consistently demonstrating support and respect for equality, diversity and human rights.
• Contribute to the prevention and constructive management of challenging and/or difficult behaviours whilst demonstrating fairness and consistency in order to build positive relationships with individuals in custody.
• Manage individuals’ case work and exercise professional judgement in responding to particular needs and challenges, identifying changes in individuals’ physical and mental health and initiating appropriate responses by others.
• Complete all administration and communications relevant to the role, in line with local and national requirements and standards. This includes processing, analysing, evaluating and disseminating appropriate and relevant information, as well as production of high quality and accurate report writing and maintenance of paper and electronic records in accordance with SPS policies and relevant legislation.
• Contribute to effective operational risk management by ensuring the safe and secure supervision of those in SPS care ensuring their needs and entitlements are consistently met in line with Prison Rules and Directives, SPS policy, Standard Operating Procedures, and relevant legislation.
• Manage conflict, with a focus on de‑escalation, and contribute towards local incident management using established and approved techniques whilst recognising and managing the impact of challenging behaviours on self and others.

Person Specification

Assessment of specific behaviours, of which there are twelve, will be determined by the role you are applying for. While it is unlikely you will be assessed on all of them, you will be assessed on those identified as key to the role.

Qualifications & Experience

• Commitment to Professional Development: Commitment to continuous professional development, including undertaking formal training and qualifications to support your own learning and development as well as the development of those in your care.
• Experience of Providing Support, Advice or Guidance: Experience of providing support, advice or guidance to others.
• Experience of Making a Positive Difference: Experience of making a positive difference to the lives of others.
• Experience of Managing Challenging Circumstances or Behaviours: Experience of managing challenging circumstances or behaviours, using your emotional intelligence to prevent or resolve conflict, regulate your own emotional reactions and positively influencing others to achieve desired results.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
  • Building & Maintaining Relationships – Ability to foster good relationships and work effectively and collaboratively with a diverse range of people, sharing knowledge and skills, and influencing others to achieve desired outcomes.
  • Problem Solving & Decision Making – Ability to proactively identify issues, recognise themes and patterns in order to implement solutions and make decisions which are defensible, evidence‑based, take account of risks, appropriate and timely.
  • Communication Skills – Ability to manage situations, relationships and conflict through effective use of communication skills.
  • Managing Information – Ability to use a computer and other digital devices to process, analyse, evaluate and disseminate information and produce high quality written reports and maintain effective and accurate records.

Additional Information

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and in the Civil Service. The Scottish Prison Service is not a licensed Sponsor and Visa Sponsorship is not available for this role. Successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their right to work.

Questions can be directed to the recruitment team at [e-mail].