Prison Officer Specialist: PEI

General Information

Salary

£33,275

Working Pattern

Full Time

Vacancy Approach

External

Location

Preston

Region

North West

Closing Date

11-Nov-2025

Business Unit

Preston

Post Type

Permanent

Civil Service Grade

EO

Number of jobs available

2

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

10930

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Overview of the job

This is an operational job in an establishment.

Summary

The job holder will be a Prison Officer who will have additional specialist Physical Education Instructor training to carry out this job.

They will supervise and support prisoners in a secure custodial setting, ensuring all services are provided to a high standard and that security and control are maintained at all times.

They will also be deployed as a Supervising Officer w required.

This is an operational job with no line management; however they will have supervisory responsibilities for staff.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Initiate, develop and deliver physical education programmes and activities for prisoners. Customise programmes for individual prisoners as appropriate.
• Deliver gym inductions including health and safety and equipment usage.
• Deliver pre-planned accredited education activities and manual handling training to prisoners, adhering to Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) guidelines.
• Interview and allocate prisoners onto courses. Carry out initial risk and health assessment of prisoners and liaise with healthcare to ensure that they receive a medical check-up w required and assist with the rehabilitation of sports injuries.
• Regularly review Individual Learning Plans (ILPS) set and monitor targets to challenge prisoners.
• Have regular contact with awarding bodies regarding courses and certification.
• Identify opportunities for and manage prisoners' participation in external activities, events and award schemes.
• Act as internal verifier for internal courses.
• Provide fitness training for staff and contribute to 'Well Being' Days.
• Conduct regular equipment checks and maintain logs.
• Order new equipment when required and ensure all repairs are completed on existing equipment.

Undertake other tasks including:

• Supervise, manage and control prisoners decently, lawfully, safely and securely whilst carrying out all activities.
• Exercise the powers of a Constable.
• Conduct searches on prisoners, staff and visitors as required.
• Undertake external escorts.
• Undertakes 'first on scene' incident response.
• Maintain and update systems in line with local agreements.
• Prepare relevant documentation for managers for verification/quality checking purposes.
• Attend and contribute to relevant meetings as required.
• Complete and update Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan.
• Establish, develop and maintain professional relationships with prisoners and staff.
• Understand and comply with national/local policies and legislation.

When required act as a Supervising Officer as per the following job descriptions:

• SO : Safe, Decent and Secure / YP
• SO : Operations / YP
• SO : Special Unit
• SO : Category A Escorts
• SO : Nights / YP
• SO : Regime
• SO : PEI

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (w specified in Wales) Welsh.

Behaviours

• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Essential Experience

• Must be competent in custodial procedures, including dynamic risk assessments.

Technical requirements

• Successful completion of POELT and probation period
• Must have passed Physical Education Instruction Pre-selection assessment
• Must be trained in restraint techniques
• Must have completed Physical Education Instruction qualification or if successful on interview must successfully complete the Physical Education Instruction qualification, and must also pass a fitness test
• When transferring to a Young Persons establishment the job holder will be required to successfully undertake an assessment to demonstrate suitability to work with Young People.

Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances

37 hour working week (standard).

HMPPS Staff on d pay structures only Additional Conditioned Hours Pensionable (ACHP)

Staff moving from a d 39 hour pay structure will be eligible for the two protected pensionable additional committed hours (ACHP). They will work a 39 hour week consisting of the standard 37 hour week and a further 2 additional hours (ACHP) paid at plain time pensionable rate.

Unsocial Hours Working

This role requires working regular unsocial hours and a 17% payment will be paid in addition to your basic pay to recognise this. Unsocial hours are those hours outside hrs Monday to Friday and include working evenings, nights, weekends and Bank/Public holidays.

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements w business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone's circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ's terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, w they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS' Flexible Working policy.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Benefits

Annual Leave

• The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays

• You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. T is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment

Pension

• The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance

HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wver managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ

Season Ticket Advance

• After two months' service, you'll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work

Childcare Vouchers

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

Training

HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes

• T are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts
• All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles

Eligibility

• All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post
• All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS
• All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist

Working for the Civil Service

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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To Transformative Business Services Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-);
  To the Civil Service Commission (details available- )

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wver it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

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:

Redeployment Interview Scheme

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

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

Civil Service Nationality Rules

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) (opens in a new window)
• 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 (opens in a new window)

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-

Please quote the job reference 10930

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-

Please quote the job reference 10930

Allowance

Unsocial Hours Working

This role requires working regular unsocial hours as part of the normal shift commitment and a 20% payment will be paid in addition to your basic pay to recognise this. Unsocial hours are those hours outside 0700 ‐ 1900hrs Monday to Friday and including working evening, nights, weekends and Bank/Public holidays.

Job Description Attachment

• Band 4 POS Physical Education Instructor JD042 (Job Description Attachment)

Select new file
Application form stage assessments

Behaviours

Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit

250

Working Together

Changing and Improving

Seeing the Big Picture

Managing a Quality Service

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates

Expected 01/12/2025

Behaviours

Working Together

Changing and Improving

Seeing the Big Picture

Managing a Quality Service

Strengths

Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed .

Level of security checks required

DBS Enhanced

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

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. W 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

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