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General Information

Salary
£73,513 - £80,864
Working Pattern
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
Market Harborough
Region
National
Closing Date
11-Aug-2026
Business Unit
Psychology Services
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
Grade 7
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
20425

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

This post is for the B9 Principal Psychologist position at HMP Welland Oaks.  HMP Welland Oaks is currently in the build phase and will be a new Category B prison within the Long Term High Security Directorate, with a capacity of 1705.  The opening date for the prison is predicted to be mid/late 2027. 

The successful candidate would take up post prior to the opening of the prison, and will initially be involved in the planning, sequencing and project management of the clinical provisions within the prison.  This recruitment will coincide with the sequenced recruitment for the Operational Lead Governor, and prior to SLT members.  The Principal Psychologist will be expected to bring a psychologically informed approach to decision making, which draws on feedback from other titan sites who have advised that psychological input is necessary within the planning phases to support an effective transition when opening.

Responsibilities required of the Principal Psychologist within the build phase include a full review of the expected population and their needs, planning and liaising with relevant stakeholders and commissioners related to health and justice provisions, and specialist services including OPD provisions.   Close collaboration with OPD colleagues will be essential.  Focus will be required around possible further discreet units, regime delivery and cohorting if applicable, in order to drive a rehabilitative environment that is both safe and secure.  There will need to be consideration for mainstream service provisions including programmes, group work facilities, and interview spaces.   

Staff recruitment, training and retention will also be at the forefront of their decision making, focusing on the development of culture within a new prison, setting the direction and vision for the establishment. This is a huge opportunity to influence the journey of this prison and impart psychological decision making from its infancy.  The joint clinical/operational approach taken throughout LTHSE will be core to implementation and successful longevity. 

Alongside the pre-opening planning the postholder will support wider psychological services delivery across HMPPS as required. 

After the opening of the prison, the Principal Psychologist will resume the roles and responsibilities set out for Heads of Psychology within LTHSE.  This will involve leading the Psychology team, being a visible member of the SLT, and providing consultancy to the Governing Governor.  They will be expected to work jointly with the Programmes Team and be integrated throughout the prison. 

Pending the establishments opening the successful candidate will be based at HMP Gartree.
Additional Information

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. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment

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
 

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: 20425

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: 20425

Application form stage assessments

Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Specific membership requirements
• The job holder will be a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title.
• They are likely to also be a Chartered Psychologist with Full member of the appropriate division of the BPS if the post requires it.
• They will have experience of delivering psychological services directly, and through a managed team.
• They will have been registered for over two years.
Specific licence requirements
• The job holder will be a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title.
• They are likely to also be a Chartered Psychologist with Full member of the appropriate division of the BPS if the post requires it.
• They will have experience of delivering psychological services directly, and through a managed team.
• They will have been registered for over two years.
Specific language requirements
Written and Spoken English
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Technical
Technical Questions Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Specific qualification requirements
Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title
The job holder will be a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title.
They are likely to also be a Chartered Psychologist with Full member of the appropriate division of the BPS if the post requires it.
They will have experience of delivering psychological services directly, and through a managed team.
They will have been registered for over two years

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
To Be Confirmed
Behaviours
Changing and Improving
Communicating and Influencing
Leadership
Making Effective Decisions
Managing a Quality Service
Working Together
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.
Level of security checks required
DBS Enhanced
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.