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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £55,457 - £61,003 pro-rata, London salary range is £58,471 - £66,044 pro-rata. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Part Time
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
13-Mar-2026
Business Unit
AGY - NOMS Agency
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
SEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
14837

Descriptions & requirements

Job description


Overview of the job

The job holder will be a senior representative of their faith or belief system who will report to the Chaplain General and Head of Faith Services. They will provide prison and probation related advice for their respective faith or belief system as well as advice and guidance on the rehabilitation and resettlement of offenders on release into the community and those serving community sentences. 
 
This is a non-operational role with line management responsibilities
 

Summary

To provide considered and informed faith and belief system related advice within a prison context for their respective tradition whether this is for staff or the men, women and children in custody.   
 
With Probation Service colleagues provide advice on the successful reintegration of offenders into the community following their release from custody, of those under Probation Service supervision to lead law-abiding lives and thereby reduce future victims of crime. 
 
The post holder will be responsible for ensuring the faith and belief systems’ needs for their respective tradition are met, for providing support to the chaplains of their tradition and for relations with their respective faith or belief system organisations.
 
Developing and implementing a strategy for the recruitment and retention of the respective chaplains in conjunction with HMPPS Chaplaincy and Faith Services (CFS) and MoJ People Group. 
 
To collaborate with and support CFS in the delivery of chaplaincy services.
 

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
  • Provide prison related advice and on the rehabilitation and resettlement of offenders on release into the community and potentially longer term support, those under Probation Supervision for their respective faith or belief system, working with CFS on the delivery of Prison Service Instruction 05/2016 Faith and Pastoral Care for Prisoners (and successor documents), related policy guidance while mindful of financial and human resources and to contribute to related Departmental and Ministerial priorities.   
  • Supporting Chaplains, CFS, Prison Group Directors (PGDs), Governors/Directors and other stakeholders, ensuring advice is provided in a timely and appropriate manner. 
  • Be proactive in the recruitment of Chaplains from the post holder’s faith or belief system through maintaining links with their respective organisation/ structures and following up interest from prospective applicants. 
  • Advise establishments on matters relating to recruitment, advising HMPPS on their respective faith and belief systems and the recruitment of their respective Chaplains.
  • Endorse or facilitate the endorsement of their respective Chaplains.
  • Line management responsibility for their respective Chaplains who work across multiple sites in conjunction with the establishments the Chaplains serve.
  • As far as possible, and in conjunction with local support systems, enable pastoral care and professional support for Chaplains.
  • With the prior agreement of the Chaplain General, work with Chaplains of their faith and belief system from other sectors, e.g. health, armed forces, higher education, on matters of common interest.
  • Liaising with the Chaplain General and other Faith and Belief Advisers in their development of tools to enable theological engagement and reflection by Chaplains from across the faith traditions represented within prison chaplaincy and to explore how these may enable dialogue between prisoners of different faith and belief systems.
  • Be a member of the Chaplaincy Faith and Belief Advisory Committee and work collaboratively with other members, sharing information, experience and with colleagues and where appropriate senior management.
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 (where specified in Wales) Welsh. 

Civil Service Success Profile Criteria 

Behaviours

  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Changing and Improving
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Leadership
  • Seeing the Big Picture

Ability

  • Excellent people management skills.
  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to communicate at all levels of the organisation.
  • Effective and confident use of Microsoft Office, including Excel, Outlook and Word software packages.

Experience

  • To be in good standing with the post holder’s faith community or belief system and endorsed either as an existing Chaplain, or by another senior figure within their respective faith/belief organisation.
  • Track record of working successfully in a multi‐faith context and commitment to pastoral care for people of all faiths, beliefs and of none.
  • Of working collaboratively and self-managing one’s time and resources effectively.

Technical

Faith or belief Eligibility Requirements

  • Formal qualification or demonstrable knowledge in the post holder’s respective faith or belief system.
  • The job holder will meet the HMPPS Eligibility Requirements for their given faith or belief system:
Anglican 
Buddhist 
Christian Orthodox 
Christian Science 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 
Free Church 
Hindu 
Humanist/Non-religious 
Jehovah’s Witness 
Jewish 
Muslim 
Pagan 
Quaker 
Rastafari 
Roman Catholic 
Sikh 
Spiritualist 
Zoroastrian 
Additional Information

Please note that this is a part time position / 0.3 FTE (11hrs 10 min p/w)

Candidates will be asked to do a 5-minute presentation at interview stage.

Please note that this role does not attract RHA.

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where 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, where 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.

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 wherever 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

-There 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

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 wherever 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: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
  • 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

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
Candidates can contact James Ridge via email: James.Ridge@justice.gov.uk for further information / discussion of role in advance of applying.

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference: 14837

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference: 14837

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Changing and Improving
Communicating and Influencing
Leadership
Making Effective Decisions

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Face to face interviews will be at 102 Petty France. Interview dates TBC.
Behaviours
Changing and Improving
Communicating and Influencing
Leadership
Making Effective Decisions
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?
Presentation
Level of security checks required
DBS Standard
Counter Terrorism Check (CTC)

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. Where 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.