Corrections Officer - Canterbury Prisons

CGR Services; Canterbury; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks annual leave

$4000 shift allowance per annum

12 week fully paid training programme

Career progression and learning

Free parking and on-site gym

Supportive team environment

Rosters provided 12 months in advance

Health and wellbeing benefits

Job summary

Department of Corrections invites expressions of interest for Corrections Officers to join Canterbury Prisons. Training is provided with a clear pathway for progression across Canterbury sites including Christchurch Men's, Christchurch Women's, and Rolleston prisons.

Selected candidates must be prepared to work across three facilities, complete a full disclosure check, medicals, and a 24-month work commitment. The program includes a paid induction and ongoing professional development.

Qualifications

• We are looking for a diverse range of candidates with varied backgrounds.
• Solid interpersonal skills and ability to communicate clearly.
• Ability to operate with high levels of integrity and think critically.
• Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and culturally diverse settings.
• Willingness to work 12-hour shifts across a 24/7 pattern.
• Must hold a full, clean New Zealand driver licence (or be eligible).

Responsibilities

• Induct prisoners into their unit and supervise daily routines.
• Ensure security and wellbeing of people serving sentences or on remand.
• Support learning and development through the training journey.
• Adapt to site-specific tasks across multiple prisons in Canterbury.
• Act as a prosocial role model to contribute to safer communities.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Integrity

Problem solving

Te Tiriti o Waitangi understanding

12-hour shift readiness

NZ driver licence

Job description

We are currently accepting Expressions of Interest for Corrections Officers at Canterbury Prisons. Apply now for a 2027 start.

• Currently seeking applications for 2027 intakes
• Full training provided and ample opportunity for career progression
• 5 weeks annual leave, free parking, and free on-site gym 'Kotahi anō te kaupapa, ko te oranga o te iwi' -'There is only one purpose to our work: the wellness and wellbeing of our people.

Mō te tūnga | About the role

Corrections Officers work inside our prisons and are responsible for ensuring the security and wellbeing of people serving sentences or on remand. They induct people into their unit, help them to navigate life in prison, and supervise daily routines. By being prosocial role models, our Corrections Officers also play a significant part in creating change and making our communities safer. With different prisons, the role of a Corrections Officer varies including tasks across specialised units, security levels and site-specific activities. Some of our Officers work in specialised areas such as drug and alcohol treatment units, youth units, Pasifika units, Māori and tikanga focused units, mothers and babies units and special treatments units. All new Officers attend an intensive, fully paid training programme to equip them with necessary skills required for the job. This involves an initial week-long induction at your allocated prison site, six weeks at our National Learning Centre (or regional equivalent), then a further four weeks back on site before graduating. From there the learning journey will be ongoing. Our Corrections Officers are all part of a wider custodial team, and there is plenty of support and guidance available.

We are looking for Corrections Officers to work at our 3 prisons here based in Canterbury - Christchurch Men's Prison, Christchurch Women's Prison and Rolleston Prison. You would need to be prepared to work at any three of these facilities and we cannot guarantee placement at a particular site if successful in the process.

To learn more about the role you can visit our website here: https://careers.corrections.govt.nz/campaign/corrections-officer and we also have a short YouTube video outlining the role which you can watch here: Corrections Officer role explained (youtube.com)

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

We are looking for a diverse range of candidates, from different cultures with varied backgrounds and experience. We are interested to hear from people who:

• Possess solid interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate clearly
• Can operate with high levels of integrity
• Have excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to think critically
• Can operate effectively in a culturally diverse setting and have an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi
• Be able to work rostered shifts (predominantly 12-hour shifts) across a 24/7 pattern including weekends and public holidays
• Have a full, clean New Zealand driver licence (or be eligible to obtain one)

If successful, you will be required to complete a full disclosure criminal history check (clean slate does not apply), pre-employment medical and physical as a part of the recruitment process. Please be aware that you must have the right to work for a minimum of 24 months without restrictions (at time of start date) to be eligible for this role.

Ngā painga | The benefits

The starting salary for this position is $70,019 per annum. Once in the role there are opportunities to increase your salary as you achieve national qualifications (Level 3 at $74,697, Level 3+ at $76,697, Level 4 at $80,213, and Level 4+ at $82,213). We are also able to offer:

• 5 weeks annual leave
• $4000 shift allowance per annum, in addition to your salary
• 12 week fully paid training programme
• Clear pathway for career progression and continuous learning and development
• Free parking and on-site gym facilities
• A supportive team-environment
• Rosters provided 12 months in advance so you can plan your leave
• Health and well-being benefits including access to EAP, eye care benefits, health checks and more

Mō mātou | About us

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and address the overrepresentation of Māori in correctional facilities. As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship), and whānau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hōkai Rangi strategy. We value inclusion and diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the public we serve. We strive to make our recruitment process fair, and we encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required.