Future Prison Leaders Programme

£33,746

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

As a future prison leader, you will gain first-hand experience of the workings of a prison and gain the skills and experience you need to work with prisoners.

Your pay will rise to at least £62,779 by your third year (subject to performance). All figures below are correct as at 1 April 2026, and are subject to an annual pay review (with changes being effective from 1 April):

£39,493

£41,984

£44,474

£49,154

£68,828

£37,525 to £39,525

£39,892 to £41,892

£42,258 to £44,258

£47,178

£66,757

£33,746

£35,875

£38,003

£43,381

£62,779

*Year 1 - Figures include 20% unsocial hours allowance. You will be contracted to 37 hours and are able to opt to work 39 or 41 hours in year 1 after completing the prison officer foundation training.

In year 1, a market supplement of £2,000 or £3,500 also applies to some prisons (not included in the figures above). Take a look at the full prison officer starting salary information for HMPPS prisons across England and Wales.

**Year 2 - Figures based on working 37 hours and inclusive of a 20% unsocial hours allowance.

***Year 3 - Figures based on working 37 hours and inclusive of a required hours allowance.

Increases for 2027/28 (effective from 1 April 2027) will be published around June 2027.

Alongside your salary of £33,746, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £9,776 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).

From 4 April 2024, the Government increased the salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas. The change means that HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) cannot guarantee sponsorship for people seeking sponsorship via the Skilled Worker visa route.

If you do not meet the new eligibility criteria for sponsorship, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK.

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

You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria at Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK.

You could build an ordinary career. Or you could build an extraordinary one as a prison leader.

If you have an ambition to lead where it matters and you're looking for a new challenge in an environment like no other, the Future Prison Leaders Programme is for you.

With a dedicated training programme and clear progression path, you will gain first-hand experience of working in a variety of roles and prisons to give you the skills and knowledge you'll need to be a future prison leader.

Being a prison leader is an extraordinary job, and it could be done by someone like you. If the idea of leading teams through challenging situations while focusing on rehabilitation, protecting lives and maintaining security makes you tick, the Future Prison Leaders Programme is for you.

This is a leadership programme like no other. It will see you fast-track your way from prison officer to a senior leader running your own prison department in just 3 years.

Your first year will see you working on the frontline as a prison officer. This is where you will learn the realities of working on the ground and building positive and meaningful interactions with prisoners. With thorough training and development, and subject to passing a number of assessments, you will progress into leadership roles. In your second year, you will work as a custodial manager, leading a team of prison officers, and then move into a head of function management role in year three, taking responsibility across a whole prison in areas such as security, operations, drug strategy, residency and staffing.

Flexible working, Full-time

Inner London prisons

Outer London prisons (includes a market supplement)

Prisons in other locations (national)

Working in a prison isn't your regular 9 to 5 job. Prisons operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

As a prison officer you can choose to work between 37 and 41 hours per week. The normal shift pattern averages to 39 hours. You will be required to work shifts, including some nights, weekends and public and bank holidays. Any public or bank holidays you work will be added to your annual leave allowance. Watch this short video to find out more about prison officer shift patterns.

Apply before 11:55 pm on Friday 30th October 2026

484396

Administrative Officer

Permanent

Operational Delivery
Other

20

Birmingham, West Midlands (England), B18 4AS : Tardebigge, West Midlands (England), B97 6QS : Ford, South East England, BN18 0BX : Lewes, South East England, BN7 1EA : Pucklechurch, South West England, BS16 9QJ : Bristol, South West England, BS7 8PS : Cowlinge, East of England, CB8 9YG : Cardiff, Wales, CF24 0UG : Chelmsford, East of England, CM2 6LQ : Onley, East Midlands (England), CV23 8AP : Onley, East Midlands (England), CV23 8SZ : Foston, East Midlands (England), DE65 5DN : Sudbury, East Midlands (England), DE6 5HW : Durham, North East England, DH1 3HU : Durham, North East England, DH1 5YA : Durham, North East England, DH1 5YD : 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 : Tortworth Green, South West England, GL12 8BT : Falfield, South West England, GL12 8DB : Burntcommon, South East England, GU23 7LJ : 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 : Liverpool, North West England, L9 7LH : 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 : Pendlebury, North West England, M27 8FB : Manchester, North West England, M60 9AH : Eastchurch, South East England, ME12 4AA : Eastchurch, South East England, ME12 4AX : Rochester, South East England, ME1 3QS : Maidstone, South East England, ME14 1UZ : Chartway Street, South East England, ME17 3DF : 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 : Wellingborough, East Midlands (England), NN8 2NG : Usk, Wales, NP15 1XP : Coed-y-paen, Wales, NP4 0TB : 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 : Peterborough, East of England, PE3 7PD : Newport, South East England, PO30 5RS : 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 : Wilmslow, North West England, SK9 4HR : London, South East England, SM2 5PD : 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 : Marchington, West Midlands (England), ST14 8XR : Stafford, West Midlands (England), ST16 3AW : Sturbridge, West Midlands (England), ST21 6LQ : London, London (region), SW18 3HS : 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 4ND : Ashford, South East England, TW15 3JZ : London, London (region), W12 0AE : Warrington, North West England, WA3 6BP : Appleton Thorn, North West England, WA4 4RL : Wakefield, Yorkshire and the Humber, WF2 9AG : Flockton Green, Yorkshire and the Humber, WF4 4XX : Bickershaw, North West England, WN2 5TH : Lichfield, West Midlands (England), WS14 9QS : Featherstone, West Midlands (England), WV10 7PU : Featherstone, West Midlands (England), WV10 7PY : Featherstone, West Midlands (England), WV10 7QD : Askham Richard, Yorkshire and the Humber, YO23 3FT : Full Sutton, Yorkshire and the Humber, YO41 1PS : Eastchurch, South East England, ME12 4AY : Badersfield, East of England, NR10 5AJ : Evesham, West Midlands (England), WR11 5TZ : Pentre Maelor, Wales, LL13 9QE

Throughout the programme you will be a mobile grade and will undertake three placements. You will initially be assigned to a specific prison where you will complete year 1 of the programme. As part of the application process, you will be asked to identify three prison location preferences. Where possible we will aim to take into account your preferences when allocating to the year 1 placement, although this cannot be guaranteed. Your initial posting will be at your own expense, however future postings may attract an allowance to compensate for any additional travel expenses resulting from moves to different base locations. Placements will not attract Public Interest Transfers (expenses to relocate).

As you progress through the programme your base location is likely to change and, subject to the impact of that change, you may be entitled to an allowance to compensate for any additional travel expenses resulting from the move.

To maintain an appropriate gender balance of prison officers working in women's prisons, HMPPS may sometimes apply an occupational requirement to limit applications to female applicants only, in line with Sch 9 of the Equality Act 2010. Any active occupational requirements will be taken into consideration when making year 1 placement decisions.

Please see job description

Being a prison leader isn't a job that can be done by everyone. We want people who don't shy away from the realities of prison life but embrace them. We want people who are passionate about making a real difference in the lives of prisoners and the public. The ones who want to lead where it matters the most.

You will also need the following skills to be a future prison leader:

The Future Prison Leaders Programme comes with real variety, with no 2 days ever being the same. The satisfaction you'll feel from the positive impact you are making on lives inside and outside the prison will be unmatched.

The opportunity to train and progress will be around every corner:

• Following a two-week induction, you will complete an eight-week prison officer foundation training course. Along with other future leaders who will also be starting out on the leadership programme, you will not only gain insights into leading in a prison but also cover all you need to know about working as a prison officer. You will then spend your first year as a frontline prison officer.
• At the end of your first year, you will need to successfully complete an assessment centre to progress to the role of custodial manager. Custodial managers is a senior uniformed officer manage people and resources, often across multiple prison departments.
• You will transition to head of department/function in your third year. Prison heads of function are responsible for functions such as security or operations across a

prison.

During your time on the leadership programme, you will work in different categories of prison. This will give you first-hand experience of what it's like working in different types of prisons such as training or local prisons, high security prisons, women's prisons and young offender institutions.

Alongside the placements, there is a comprehensive leadership programme that integrates extensive training and development with routine requirements. The programme will be fast paced and challenging. It will equip you with the skills and knowledge required by senior prison leaders. You will be expected to rise to the challenge and demonstrate your growth as a practitioner within a modern custodial environment, both formally through assessment and on a daily basis within an operational setting. Different support will be provided to participants through their line manager and other senior leaders, alongside peer action learning sets and mentoring. The cohort will also be brought together often to create a cohort support network alongside celebrating progress at key milestones.

For those applying internally (if you are currently employed by the Ministry of Justice - including MoJ HQ, HMPPS, HMCTS, OPG, CICA, LAA, a MoJ arms length body or non departmental public body) and who are currently in an operational role, your circumstances will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine the most appropriate entry point onto the Future Prison Leaders programme, taking account of any previous experience, length of service, existing accreditations etc. A personal development plan to prepare you for entry onto the scheme will be discussed.

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 22724.

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

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@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0845 241 5358

https://justicejobs.avature.net/careers/JobDetail/22724

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