Read more

Ministry of Justice; Henley-on-Thames; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Civil Service pension

Cycle to work scheme

Travel loans

Other benefits

Job summary

Ministry of Justice in Reading, South East England, seeks a Prison Officer. The role operates under a merit vacancy with a structured progression path. Initial training is followed by shifts in a 39‑hour week, and the salary scales with hours worked.

The post includes civil service pension, holiday entitlement and travel support. Applications should consider right-to-work criteria and visa rules as applicable.

Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Meet Civil Service nationality rules
• Pass medical and fitness assessment
• Meet eyesight standard in both eyes
• Adequate hearing without aids
• UK resident for last 3 years for high-security work

Job description

202608: Prison Officer - HMP Huntercombe

Starting salary: £38,316 (for a 39 hour week inc 20% unsocial)

City/Town: Reading

Region: South East

Vacancy type: Merit

Skilled Worker visa sponsorship may be available for this role, subject to eligibility and in line with the UK Immigration Rules in force at the time of application. However, due to current immigration requirements and recruitment timescales, candidates who require Skilled Worker visa sponsorship are unlikely to be sponsored if applying to this campaign.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider their right to work in the UK carefully before applying. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and eligibility criteria at gov.uk.

The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service.

An extraordinary job

In this unique career, you’ll have the opportunity to carry out many different roles in any one day.

During the recruitment process you will be assessed on:

• communicating and influencing
• managing a quality service

To become a prison officer, you will need to:

• be at least 18 years old at the commencement of employment
• meet the Civil Service Nationality requirements
• pass a medical and fitness assessment
• meet the required eyesight standard in both eyes
• for safety reasons, meet a suitable standard of hearing.
• Whilst tattoos are permitted, including those that are visible, they must not be deemed as offensive, discriminatory, violent, or intimidating in any way. Facial tattoos are generally not acceptable, except where this is for cultural, religious, or medical reasons.
• For safety reasons, everyone training to be a prison officer needs a suitable standard of hearing (without the use of hearing aids).
• To work in a high security prison (category A) you must have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years.

Pay

The initial training is 37 hours a week. After training, you can choose to work 37, 39 or 41 hours a week. Your annual salary will reflect your weekly hours.

• 37 hours a week = £36,428 a year
• 39 hours a week = £38,316 a year
• 41 hours a week = £40,834 a year

All salary figures quoted include any additional allowances.

The standard working week of a prison officer is based on a 39 hours per week shift pattern.

• 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

Read more about prison officer benefits

Job offers: merit vacancy

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.

Our Online Assessment Centre (OAC), will not only assess you against the key criteria to become a prison officer but 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. Operational support grade - Ministry of Justice

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of Civil Servants.

Diversity & Inclusion

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

Reasonable adjustment support

Just tick ‘yes’ when it asks if you think you might need a reasonable adjustment.