Prison Officer

Salary
- £30,902 - £34,800

Region
- North East

City/Town
- Darlington

Vacancy Type
- Merit

Building/Site
- HMYOI Deerbolt, DL12 9BG

Organisation Grade
- Band 3

Post Type
- Permanent

Working Pattern
- Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working, Other

Role Type
- Operational Delivery, Prison Officer

Job description

**Prison officer - HMP Deerbolt**

**HMP Deerbolt, Bowes Rd, Barnard Castle DL12 9BG**

**Starting salary**:£32,851 **(for a 39 hour week inc 20% unsocial)

**City/Town**: Darlington

**Region**: North East

**Vacancy type**: Merit**

***

**An extraordinary job. Done by someone like you.**

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

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. No two shifts or situations are ever the same. And, as you gain experience, you’ll find a range of opportunities to grow and develop into.

**Someone like you**

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.

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, prisoners and everyone who works here safe.

You will be required to work various shifts and some weekends.

**An extraordinary job**

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.

**Job details**

***Eligibility**

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 section below)
- 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)

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

**Nationality requirements**

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
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom.

**Essential skills**

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

**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 = £30,902 a year
- 39 hours a week = £32,851 a year
- 41 hours a week = £34,800 a year

All salary figures quoted include any additional allowances.

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.

You may also have opportunities to work additional paid hours.

**Benefits**
- 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 of up to 20% of your salary
- cycle to work scheme, travel loans and other benefits

Read more about prison officer benefits.

The rewards aren’t all you’ll gain from a role in the Prison Service. There’s the sense of achievement you feel when you’ve helped a prisoner to get their life back on track - the kind of experience you simply won’t find anywhere else.

**Assessment Process**

During the recruitment process you will be assessed on the behaviours, strengths and abilities you need to become an effective prison officer. These i