Operational Support Grade - HMP Erlestoke; Prison Support

Overview

14379 - Operational Support Grade - HMP Erlestoke (Prison Support Role)

Employer: Ministry of Justice

Location:

Pay: Salary not specified.

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full time

Disability Confident: No

Closing Date: 05/03/2026

As an Operational Support Grade, you will look after the day-to-day running of a busy prison, working in a close-knit team to carry out a range of support services.

• 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 PIN system, maintain log of PIN
  Phone requests from prisoners; complete all relevant paperwork; keep an audit trail of conversations; check that legal numbers are registered
• 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

At the interview we will assess you against the following Success Profile behaviours:
Communicating and Influencing;
Managing a Quality Service.

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of behaviours and experience. The interview is the ideal opportunity to tell us more about yourself, your work history or personal experiences, so we can get to know you better and assess how you will be suited to prison work.

The job holder must be able to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh.

For more information please visit our website:

This is a ‘merit’ vacancy. If you are successful at the interview you will be added to a merit list based on your score. When all applicants have completed the assessment, the prison will make job offers to those with the highest scores first when positions become available. You can stay on the merit list for 12 months. After this, you’ll need to apply again.

In addition to base pay you will receive 20% unsocial working allowance. Leave: 25 days on appointment, increasing to 30 days after 10 years’ service (pro‑rata). 9 days bank, public and privilege holidays. Access to a paid Level 2 apprenticeship in customer service;
Civil Service pension; season ticket loans; retail discounts;
Employee Assistance Programme;
Cycle to Work scheme.

Salary quoted: £29,432 for a 37-hour week included 20% unsocial hours allowance (nights, evenings and weekends).

Jobs are provided by the Find a Job Service from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).