Operational Support Grade - HMP Downview; Prison Support

Responsibilities

• Ensuring the secure entry and exit of staff, visitors, vehicles
• Carrying out searches of staff, prisoners, visitors and vehicles
• Walking around the prison site to escort vehicles and contractors
• Issuing and collecting staff keys and radios
• Walking around the prison site patrolling and searching perimeter fence areas
• Operating the prison radio system and monitoring CCTV
• Welcoming visitors on arrival, escorting them if needed, monitoring and logging mail, reporting contraband, preserving evidence where required
• Ensuring cell doors are locked and all prisoners are safely accounted for
• Photographing prisoners, processing prisoners’ property and parcels, supervising prisoners, exchanging clothing and property, escorting prisoners around the prison
• Delivering and collecting food trollies, using an electric tug vehicle
• Collecting mail from the local sorting office, monitoring the prison’s Personal Identification Number (PIN) phone system, maintaining the log of PIN phone requests from prisoners
• Understanding and conforming to national and local policies, responding appropriately to incidents and emergencies

• No formal qualifications required; good judgement, common sense, responsibility and teamwork are essential.
• Physical ability to lift, carry, stand and walk for long periods; ability to work nights, evenings, weekends and bank/public holidays.
• Confidence in spoken English and, where specified in Wales, Welsh.
• Full training will be provided on the job.

• Annual leave 25 days on appointment, increasing to 30 days after 10 years of service (pro‑rated).
• 9 bank, public and privilege holidays.
• Access to a paid Level 2 customer‑service apprenticeship.
• Generous Civil Service pension scheme.
• Season ticket loans, retail discounts, an Employee Assistance Programme and a Cycle to Work scheme.
• 20% unsocial hours allowance included in the salary.

The average working week is 37 hours, including night, evening, weekend and bank/public holiday shifts on a rolling shift pattern. Frequency of night shifts varies by establishment.

This role is open to applicants who meet the following group criteria:

• 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 with settled or pre‑settled status under the EUSS
• Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain eligible to apply for EUSS before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals and certain family members with the right to work in the Civil Service