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Prison Officer – Advance into Justice

On-site in Bristol·Full-time·Added 5 days ago (last checked 30 Oct)

HM Prison and Probation Service

298 open roles

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Our summary

Salary: £34,928 a year
About £2,390 a month after tax.
Work mode: On-site, Bristol
Contract: Full-time
Closing date: Apply by Thursday 26 November
Holiday: 25 days holiday
Pension: 28.97% employer pension
Commute: Cycle to work and season ticket loan

Skills

This job advert was originally written in CY.

Requirements

What we're looking for

There's no such thing as a 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.

To become a prison officer, you will need to:

be at least 18 years old at the point you commence employment
meet the Civil Service Nationality requirements (see nationality requirements section below)
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 (both 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 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.

You don't need qualifications to become a prison officer. Personal qualities are more important. You need to show:

· communication and influencing skills
· commitment to quality
· effective decision-making
· care and understanding

Languages

The jobholder must be able to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh.

Pay & benefits

What you'll get

£34,928

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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

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.

Salaries quoted are for National - 37 hours a week & include an unsocial hours allowance - £34,928

HMP Durham

HMP Erlestoke

HMP Exeter

HMP Featherstone

HMP Ford

HMP Frankland

HMP Full Sutton

HMP Garth

HMP Gartree

HMP Guys Marsh

HMP Hatfield

HMP Haverigg

HMP Hewell

HMP Hindley

HMP Hollesley Bay

HMP Holme House

HMP Hull

HMP Humber

HMP Isle of Wight

HMP Kirkham

HMP Kirklevington Grange

HMP Lancaster Farms

HMP Leeds

HMP Leicester

HMP Lewes

HMP Leyhill

HMP Lincoln

HMP Lindholme

HMP Littlehey

HMP Liverpool

HMP Long Lartin

HMP Lowdham Grange

HMP Maidstone

HMP Manchester

HMP Moorland

HMP Morton Hall

HMP North Sea Camp

HMP Norwich

HMP Nottingham

HMP Onley

HMP Portland

HMP Preston

HMP Ranby

HMP Risley

HMP Rochester

HMP Stafford

HMP Stoke Heath

HMP Sudbury

HMP Swansea

HMP Swinfen Hall

HMP The Verne

HMP Thorn Cross

HMP Usk/Prescoed

HMP Wakefield

HMP Warren Hill

HMP Wayland

HMP Whatton

HMP Whitemoor

HMP Wymott

Salary - £36,428 (includes £1500 market supplement)

HMP Grendon

HMP Huntercombe

HMP Standford Hill

Salary - £36,928 (includes £2000 market supplement)

HMP Bedford

HMP Coldingley

HMP Highpoint

HMP Stocken

HMP The Mount

HMP Winchester

Salary - £37,928 (includes £3,000 market supplement)

HMP Aylesbury

Salary - £38,428 (includes £3,500 market supplement)

HMP Bullingdon

HMP Elmley

HMP Swaleside

HMP Woodhill

Salaries quoted are for Outer London - 37 hours a week & include an unsocial hours allowance - £38,840

HMP Belmarsh

HMP Isis

Salary - £40,840 (includes £2000 market supplement)

HMP Feltham

HMP High Down

Salaries quoted are for Inner London - 37 hours a week & include an unsocial hours allowance - £40,876

HMP Brixton

HMP Pentonville

HMP Wandsworth

HMP Wormwood Scrubs

You may also have opportunities to work additional paid hours.

· 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

Alongside your salary of £34,928, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £10,118 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Visa & relocation

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.

To work in a high security prison (category A) you must have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
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.

UK nationals
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) (opens in a new window)

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

The role

Please see job description

An extraordinary job. Done by someone like you.

Prison officers protect the public and help make an impact on prisoners' lives.

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.

Find out more about this varied role and day-to-day life as a prison officer.

What you'll do

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.

How you'll work

Fixed term

2 Years

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Some prison establishments are situated in rural locations with limited public transport options; therefore, a driving licence and own transport is beneficial but is not an essential requirement of the role (unless specified). Please note that shift start, and finish times are fixed, and it is your responsibility to get to and from your place of work on time for the start of your shift. Please carefully consider the location of this vacancy and your transport options before applying.

Location

Birmingham, West Midlands (England), B18 4AS : Tardebigge, West Midlands (England), B97 6QS : Ford, South East England, BN18 0BX : Lewes, South East England, BN7 1EA : Bristol, South West England, BS7 8PS : Cowlinge, East of England, CB8 9YG : Cardiff, Wales, CF24 0UG : Chelmsford, East of England, CM2 6JT : Onley, East Midlands (England), CV23 8AP : Sudbury, East Midlands (England), DE6 5HW : Durham, North East England, DH1 3HU : Durham, North East England, DH1 5YA : Startforth, North East England, DL12 9BG : Ranby, East Midlands (England), DN22 8EU : Hatfield Woodhouse, Yorkshire and the Humber, DN7 6BW : Hatfield Woodhouse, Yorkshire and the Humber, DN7 6EE : Hatfield, Yorkshire and the Humber, DN7 6EL : Grove, South West England, DT5 1DL : Fortuneswell, South West England, DT5 1EQ : Exeter, South West England, EX4 4EX : Tortworth Green, South West England, GL12 8BT : Bisley, South East England, GU24 9EX : Edgcott, South East England, HP18 0TL : Aylesbury, South East England, HP20 1EH : Bovingdon, East of England, HP3 0NZ : South Cave, Yorkshire and the Humber, HU15 2JZ : Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire and the Humber, HU9 5LS : Oak Hill, East of England, IP12 3BF : Oak Hill, East of England, IP12 3JW : Griston, East of England, IP25 6RL : Liverpool, North West England, L9 3DF : Lancaster, North West England, LA1 3QZ : Haverigg, North West England, LA18 4NA : Clipsham, East Midlands (England), LE15 7RD : Gartree, East Midlands (England), LE16 7RP : Leicester, East Midlands (England), LE2 7AJ : Lincoln, East Midlands (England), LN2 4BD : Morton Hall, East Midlands (England), LN6 9PT : Leeds, Yorkshire and the Humber, LS12 2TJ : Thorp Arch, Yorkshire and the Humber, LS23 7AZ : Manchester, North West England, M60 9AH : Eastchurch, South East England, ME12 4AA : Eastchurch, South East England, ME12 4AX : Eastchurch, South East England, ME12 4DZ : Rochester, South East England, ME1 3QS : Maidstone, South East England, ME14 1UZ : Bedford, East of England, MK40 1HG : Milton Keynes, South East England, MK4 4DA : Islington, London (region), N7 8TT : Aslockton, East Midlands (England), NG13 9FQ : Lowdham, East Midlands (England), NG14 7DA : Nottingham, East Midlands (England), NG5 3AG : Usk, Wales, NP15 1XP : Badersfield, East of England, NR10 5GB : Norwich, East of England, NR1 4LU : Rochdale, North West England, OL12 9DP : Upper Arncott, South East England, OX25 1PZ : Chainbridge, East of England, PE15 0PR : Scrane End, East Midlands (England), PE22 0QX : West Perry, East of England, PE28 0SR : Newport, South East England, PO30 5NX : Preston, North West England, PR1 5AB : Wymott, North West England, PR26 8LW : Wymott, North West England, PR26 8NE : Kirkham, North West England, PR4 2RN : Nuffield, South East England, RG9 5SB : Swansea, Wales, SA1 3SR : London, London (region), SE28 0EB : London, South East England, SM2 5PJ : Erlestoke, South West England, SN10 5TU : Winchester, South East England, SO22 5DF : Guy's Marsh, South West England, SP7 0AH : Stafford, West Midlands (England), ST16 3AW : London, London (region), SW18 3HU : London, London (region), SW2 5XF : Stoke Heath, West Midlands (England), TF9 2JL : Denbury, South West England, TQ12 6DW : Yarm, North East England, TS15 9PA : Stockton-on-Tees, North East England, TS18 2QU : Feltham, London (region), TW13 4NP : London, London (region), W12 0AN : Warrington, North West England, WA3 6BP : Appleton Thorn, North West England, WA4 4RL : Wakefield, Yorkshire and the Humber, WF2 9AG : Bickershaw, North West England, WN2 5TH : South Littleton, West Midlands (England), WR11 8TZ : Lichfield, West Midlands (England), WS14 9QS : Featherstone, West Midlands (England), WV10 7PU : Featherstone, West Midlands (England), WV10 7PY : Full Sutton, Yorkshire and the Humber, YO41 1PS : London, London (region), SE28 0NZ : Pentre Maelor, Wales, LL13 9QE

Hiring process

Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 26th November 2026

Brinsford

Maidstone

Manchester

Moorland

Morton Hall

North Sea Camp

Norwich

Nottingham

Onley

Pentonville

Portland

Preston

Ranby

Risley

Rochester

Stafford

Standford Hill

Stocken

Stoke Heath

Sudbury

Swansea

Swaleside

Swinfen Hall

The Mount

The Verne

Thorn Cross

Usk/Prescoed

Wakefield

Wandsworth

Warren Hill

Wayland

Wealstun

Whatton

Whitemoor

Winchester

Woodhill

Wormwood Scrubs

Wymot

xxx - Address xxxx

City/Town: xxxx

Region: xxxxx

Vacancy type: Merit

Duration : 2 Year Fixed Term Appointment

Advance into Justice is a recruitment scheme targeted at supporting those who have served in the Armed Forces and their families into employment within operational roles within HMPPS.

Advance into Justice is open to Service Leavers, Armed Forces Veterans, their Spouses and Legal Partners.

Eligible applicants who pass our assessment processes will be offered a 2-year fixed-term appointment with the option after 12 months, to convert to permanency, subject to approval, under Exception 10 of the Civil Service recruitment principles.

All provisional offers will be held for a period of 12 months from the point of offer, to allow service leavers to plan for their exit from the Armed Forces and transition directly into a career with HMPPS.

Candidates are requested to select 3 establishment preferences

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 will also assess your numerical, written English and spoken English abilities.

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 the stage 2 online test (values-based assessment). We use this assessment to understand how well you demonstrate the values needed to be an effective prison officer.

If you successfully pass the Values Based Assessment (VBA), you'll be eligible to progress to the Online Assessment Centre (OAC), where we'll assess the behaviours, strengths and abilities needed to become a Prison Officer.

As demand for assessment places can vary, candidates who achieve a higher pre-determined VBA score may be invited to the OAC sooner. This approach is applied consistently and fairly to all applicants within the campaign.

If you meet the required VBA pass mark but are not selected for an initial invitation, you will remain under consideration and may be invited to attend an OAC as additional assessment capacity becomes available

If you were unsuccessful at the stage 2 online test in the last 6 months, you can now re‑apply.

On successful completion of the online test, we will invite you to an online assessment centre where we test to see if you have the abilities, behaviours and strengths to be a prison officer.

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.

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.

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.

Once we identify a vacancy for you, we will invite you 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.

Find out more about the medical assessment and fitness test on the application information centre

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

If you require any assistance, please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am-6pm) or e-mail MoJ-recruitment-vetting enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk Please quote the job reference: 20670

Please see job description

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

About HM Prison and Probation Service

Industry: Government Administration

In their own words

About the company & team

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

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. If you feel the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you can raise a formal complaint in the following order:

Shared Services Connected Ltd: call 0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or email Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com
Ministry of Justice Resourcing
The Civil Service Commission.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Email : Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com

Additional information

473927

Administrative Officer

Operational Delivery
Other

Aylesbury

Bedford

Belmarsh

Berwyn

Birmingham

Bristol

Brixton

Buckley Hall

Bullingdon

Bure

Cardiff

Channings Wood

Chelmsford

Coldingley

Deerbolt

Durham

Elmley

Erlestoke

Exeter

Featherstone

Feltham B

Ford

Frankland

Full Sutton

Garth

Gartree

Grendon

Guys Marsh

Hatfield

Haverigg

Hewell

High Down

Highpoint

Hindley

Hollesley Bay

Holme House

Hull

Humber

Huntercombe

Isis

Isle of Wight

Kirkham

Kirklevington Grange

Lancaster Farms

Leeds

Leicester

Lewes

Leyhill

Lincoln

Lindholme

Littlehey

Liverpool

Long Lartin

Lowdham Grange

If you have the integrity, skills and strength of character we're looking for, this fast-paced role could be the start of a successful career.

CTC vetting will be undertaken for the high security prisons - ie Belmarsh, Frankland, Full Sutton, Long Lartin, Manchester, Wakefield, Whitemoor and Woodhill.

HMP Berwyn

HMP Birmingham

HMP Brinsford

HMP Bristol

HMP Buckley Hall

HMP Bure

HMP Cardiff

HMP Channing Wood

HMP Chelmsford

HMP Deerbolt

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.

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, the MoJ is committed to ensuring that 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, our assessors 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.

Applying for reasonable adjustment support has been made simple. Just select 'yes' in the application form when it asks if you think you might need it.

Allowance Details

Please refer to additional job description attachment

Additional Information

If you require any assistance, please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am-6pm) or e-mail MoJ-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com. Please quote the job reference 20670

Closing date: 26th November 2026

Supporting document 1

Band-3-PO-Safe-Decent-and-Secure-JD048-v8.0 (1).pdf - 150KB Opens in a new window

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. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Our interactive online activity will give you an insight into some of the situations prison officers may experience day-to-day in their work.

This is to help you decide whether the prison officer role is right for you, and your responses in the activity will not form part of your application.

You can access the activity using the Interactive Activity button

Closing date: 26th November 2026

Artificial intelligence 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 has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Successful candidates must undergo an enhanced (or equivalent) criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
Email : Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com
Telephone : 0845 241 5358

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints

https://justicejobs.avature.net/careers/JobDetail/20670

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