Prison Custody Officer HMP

Please note:

This role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route in line with current UK immigration rules.

SECURE THE PRESENT, SHAPE THE FUTURE - Transform Livesas a Prison Custody Officer!

As a Prison Custody Officer, you’ll play a crucial role in maintaining safety, security, and order within our prison facilities.

This is more than just a job - it’s a meaningful opportunity to support rehabilitation, ensure justice, and contribute to the wider community.

Rehabilitation is at the heart of what we do - you will play a key role in helping individuals make positive changes while maintaining clear professional boundaries.

If you're pursuing a career with meaning, we welcome you to apply for the position of Prison Custody Officer at HMP Peterborough

HMP Peterborough is the UK’s first purpose‑built prison to house both men and women on the same site.

With high levels of physical security, it provides needs‑led personal development services tailored to both populations.

As a resettlement‑focused establishment, it offers a wide range of educational, vocational and behavioural programmes, alongside workshops, accredited training and employment opportunities that build practical skills for release.

The site also includes dedicated healthcare, family services and faith facilities to support overall well‑being.

Sodexo has a culture built on three hallmarks:
Be Positive, Be Courageous and Be the Difference.

We encourage people to be positive by creating hope and respect in every interaction, to be courageous by safely challenging behaviours that don’t support a positive environment, and to be the difference by taking actions that improve outcomes for those we support.

By living these hallmarks each day, you help build routines, rituals and behaviours that show what good looks like.

You recognise and encourage the right actions, and you lead with intention - knowing every moment of connection counts.

As part of the recruitment process, you will be invited to attend an assessment centre made up of three stages:

Written English and maths assessments

Scenario-based exercises

Interview

We strongly encourage candidates to prepare in advance.

5 days Assessment Centre Date:
Week commencing 13th of July

Please only apply if you are available to attend.

What You'll Do

Your responsibilities will include:

Maintaining a secure and disciplined prison environment

Supervising daily routines, prisoner movements, and scheduled activities

Escorting prisoners securely within and outside the facility

Responding calmly and professionally to challenging or high-pressure situations

Supporting rehabilitation initiatives and encouraging positive behaviours

Building respectful, professional relationships with prisoners to promote a safer, more supportive atmosphere

Who We're Looking For

There’s no such thing as a typical prison officer. Our team is made up of people from all walks of life – whether you’re a parent, former teacher, retail worker, member of the armed forces, or simply someone who thrives on helping others.

Whatever your background, if you’re a natural people person with strong communication skills, self-confidence, empathy, and resilience, we want to hear from you.

You’ll be working with individuals who may be at the lowest point in their lives.

No matter the challenge, you'll be expected to build constructive, positive, and professional relationships based on fairness, consistency, and respect.

You must also be comfortable enforcing rules, setting boundaries, and addressing challenging behaviour directly.

You must be emotionally resilient and able to manage exposure to difficult behaviours, including verbal aggression and confrontation.

Teamwork Matters

Teamwork plays a vital role in this environment. You’ll need to be fully committed to supporting your colleagues and understand the importance of acting as one team to keep the prison safe – for staff, visitors, and prisoners alike.

You must be confident in calling for support when required and supporting colleagues during incidents.

Trust, communication, and reliability are essential - your team will depend on you in high-pressure situations.

The Behaviours That Make a…