Creative Arts Coordinator

General Information

Salary

£33,275

Working Pattern

Full Time, Part Time

Vacancy Approach

External

Location

Newport (Isle of Wight)

Region

South East

Closing Date

03-Nov-2025

Business Unit

Isle of Wight

Post Type

Permanent

Civil Service Grade

EO

Number of jobs available

1

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

11018

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Overview of the job

This is a prisoner-facing job in an establishment.

Summary

The job holder will be responsible for co-ordinating creative arts classes, events and activities for prisoners by building effective, appropriate and supportive relationships through managing them in a proactive manner and promoting the decency agenda.

Contributes to sentence planning and reducing reoffending. Applies safer custody practices and complies with national and local security standards. Responsible for high level of security, productivity, good order and hygiene within workshops areas.

This is a non-operational job with no line management or supervisory responsibilities. This role is non-rotational.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

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

• Promote and facilitate delivery of the creative arts (writing, reading, literacy, visual art, drama, music, and other creative projects) to prisoners, staff and management.

• Prepare and deliver creative writing workshops.

• Prepare and facilitate/chair book group(s) and coordinate with national providers.

• Plan and coordinate production of in-house magazine and promotional literature and ensure its timely and regular publication.

• Plan and deliver arts events, talks, competitions and exhibitions.

• Point of contact for external arts-based providers, arts organisations and funders: build contacts, links and relationships with such.

• Point of contact for external arts volunteers, build contacts, liaise with and coordinate such.

• Point of contact for external local community for arts events and activities.

• Plan and coordinate prisoner mentors/orderlies to promote and deliver arts-based activities to prisoners, including production of in-house magazine.

• Participate in the selection process of suitable prisoner arts mentors/orderlies, ensuring they have suitable qualities.

• Provide training to mentors/orderlies and arrange follow up sessions if required.

• Liaise with mentors/orderlies on a weekly basis to check progress.

• Provide support for mentors/orderlies and learners w required, encouraging them in their learning.

• Arrange one-to-one meetings with mentors/orderlies and learners if required to challenge inappropriate behaviour and discuss any problems or concerns.

• Arrange and chair mentor meetings.

• Assess learners' needs and match with suitable mentors/orderlies, events and activities.

• Provide support and advice on career opportunities and relevant support organisations for respective arts practices and areas.

• Supervise and maintain discipline of prisoners receiving training, education or work experience. Responsible for performance, motivation, discipline, appraisal and development of prisoners.

• Open and complete Assessment Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) forms, Violence Reduction Incident Reports (VRIR) and Security Information Reports (SIRs) when required and contribute to Incentive Earned Privileges (IEP) reports.

• Log attendance and approve prisoner hours worked and wages.

• Carry out fabric checks of classroom and maintain security of lock, bolts and bars used in the classroom.

• Contribute to prisoner reports including parole, sentence planning and Individual Learning Plan (ILP).

• Complete regime monitoring information and update prisoner training records.

• Order materials and estimate usage in order to meet work learning targets.

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.

Civil Service Success Profile Criteria

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing

• Leadership

• Developing Self and Others

• Managing a Quality Service

• Working Together

Technical requirements

• Job holders must complete specific training in their specialism once they take up post.

• Required to undertake the Civil Service Learning (CSL) Train the Trainer training.

Ability

• Good written and verbal communication skills.

Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances

37 hour working week.

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

HMPPS

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

Please quote the job reference 11018

Job Description Attachment

• Band 4 F Creative Arts Coordinator JD2573 v3.0 (Job Description Attachment)

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Application form stage assessments

Behaviours

Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit

250

Communicating and Influencing

Developing Self and Others

Leadership

Managing a Quality Service

Working Together

Experience

We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods

CV or Work History

Evidence of Experience

CV or Work History

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates

TBC

Behaviours

Communicating and Influencing

Developing Self and Others

Leadership

Managing a Quality Service

Working Together

Strengths

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

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?

Presentation

Level of security checks required

DBS Standard

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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