Probation Service Officer

Ministry of Justice; Kettering; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in Kettering is seeking a Probation Services Officer to support offenders and manage their risks. This challenging role requires empathy, patience, and excellent writing skills. The successful candidate will manage a caseload, assess risks, and collaborate with justice system agencies. The position offers a starting salary of £26,475 and benefits including annual leave and training opportunities.

Benefits

Annual leave of 25 days, increasing to 30 after five years

Pension

Training and development opportunities

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Experience working with people facing social or personal difficulties.
• Strong writing skills to produce clear and accurate reports.
• Confidence in spoken English.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of offenders before and after sentence.
• Assess and manage risks to protect victims and the public.
• Provide information and advice to courts and agencies.
• Supervise and manage offenders subject to community sentences.

Skills

Empathy

Patience

Resilience

Writing skills

Job description

Helping to keep the public safe. Giving people the chance to turn their lives around. Building a rewarding professional career. There are many reasons to join the Probation Service.

Probation services officers can help make a real difference to people's lives. It's not always easy to help someone turn their life around, but it can be immensely rewarding. We're looking for empathetic, patient and resilient people to join us as probation services officers.

As a PSO, you'll have a similar job to a fully qualified probation officer. The main difference is you'll work with medium and lower risk clients. That's not to say it'll be easy. There's no doubt this is a challenging role. Day-to-day, you'll manage a caseload of offenders before and after sentence.

We'll look to you to assess and manage risks, provide information to courts and work closely with agencies throughout the justice system. You'll also do everything you can to support offenders. This could involve everything from providing practical advice about housing and employment to simply listening and empathising.

Responsibilities

• To undertake the full range of work with people on probation before and after sentence.
• To assess and manage the risk (including risk management plans and escalation) posed by people on probation to protect victims of crime and the general public.
• To liaise, provide information and advice to criminal courts, criminal justice agencies and other partner agencies.
• To supervise and manage risk of those people on probation subject to community sentences, during and after custodial sentences.
• To work with other agencies and groups to prevent crime and meet the needs of victims and people on probation.

Requirements

• Ideally with experience of working with people who have social or personal difficulties, you'll be empathetic, patient and resilient.
• Good writing skills are also essential. You must be able to produce clear and accurate reports to tight deadlines.
• An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.

What We Offer

• A starting salary of £26,475.
• Annual Leave: 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years' service, plus public holidays.
• A range of benefits including pension, training and development opportunities, and flexible working arrangements.