It takes teamwork to support our prisons.

As an Operational Support Grade, you will look after the day-to-day running ozf a busy prison, working in a close-knit team to carry out a range of support services – everything from patrol and gate duties, to managing deliveries, supervising visitors, and monitoring phone calls and CCTV. You will work a variety of shifts Including nights to keep things running. Unlike our prison officers, your contact with offenders is limited, although depending on the particular prison you may interact with offenders occasionally.

You don’t need any qualifications to do this job. Helping to keep a prison running smoothly and safely requires good judgement, common sense, responsibility and, above all, teamwork.

In addition to your base pay, you will receive:

annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after 10 years’ service (calculated on a pro-rata basis)

9 days bank, public and privilege holidays

access to a paid Level 2 apprenticeship in customer service

access to the generous Civil Service pension scheme

season ticket loans, retail discounts, an Employee Assistance Programme and a Cycle to Work scheme

National A - £21,790 Pro Rata

The salary figures quoted are for a 37 hour working week inclusive of a 17% unsocial hours working allowance which is included in the salary to reflect the requirement to work nights, evening and weekend shifts. And  any additional market supplement payment that will only be paid at certain locations.

Hours

You will work a minimum of 18.5 hours per week

and this will include working night shifts, evenings and weekends on a rolling shift pattern (these days are added to your holiday allowance). The frequency of night shifts will vary for each Establishment and will be discussed at interview. For an example of the shift times that you could be working please  visit our website

Responsibilities, activities and duties

You will be flexibly deployed to perform operational roles across the prison as required. Responsibilities, activities and duties are likely to include:

gate/portal duties:ensure the secure entry and exit of staff, visitors, vehicles; carry out searches of staff, prisoners, visitors, contractors and vehicles; issue and collect staff keys/radios 

control room:operate the establishment radio system and monitor CCTV ensuring all suspicious activities are reported

visits:book visits; identify and process visitors on their arrival, escort them if required

censors/correspondence:monitor/log mail and report any illicit or contraband items, maintaining the preservation of evidence 

night duties:ensure cell doors are locked/secure and all prisoners are safely accounted for 

reception:assist in supporting appropriate tasks in reception; photograph prisoners; collate documentation for the property process; search/x-ray incoming prisoner property and parcels; receive items for prisoners and check all seals are intact on property storage 

prisoner supervision:supervise prisoners as required; undertake prisoner clothing/property exchange and assist officers with free flow movement

food delivery:food trolley delivery and collection, which may involve the use of an electric tug vehicle 

driving duties:transport prisoners and their escort to their destination in the cellular vehicle; collect mail from local sorting office  

phone calls:monitor the Personal Identification Number (PIN) system, maintaining the log of PIN Phone requests from prisoners; complete all relevant paperwork keeping an audit trail of conversations; check that legal numbers are registered solicitors  

procedures and protocol: understand and conform to national and local policies, responding appropriately to invoke emergency procedures and the actions required in relation to incidents