Skip to content

General Information

Salary
£35,182
Working Pattern
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
Feltham
Region
London
Closing Date
23-Apr-2025
Business Unit
Feltham B
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
EO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
4813

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Non- op post

Overview of the job

The priority for the New Colleagues Mentor (NCM) role will be to support new colleagues, particularly prison officers, who join their prison.

They will make sure new staff have the uniform and equipment needed before they start and be a point of contact, advice, information, and moral support. They will arrange and facilitate the first two weeks’ induction of prison officers and support them once they have completed NOA foundation training.

The job holder is responsible for building relationships with new staff based on trust and honesty. Meeting regularly with new staff to offer feedback and allow opportunities for open discussion and problem solving. Acting as a mentor to the new staff from pre- employment procedures and throughout their first 12 months in post, and as an expert on-boarding and outreach resource for the Governor.

This is a non-operational job with no line management responsibilities and is rotational.

Summary

The key objective of the role of New Colleagues Mentor is to ensure that new recruits have a supportive and smooth onboarding experience into their new working environment, providing ongoing guidance and support. As an effective Mentor you will offer the possibility to commence the process of culture change within the prison, instilling positivity and resilience in new recruits.

The NCM post holder will develop and oversee a prison-wide buddying scheme, focused particularly on new prison officers. Mentoring/coaching skills are highly desirable and successful candidates can be offered the opportunity as part of their personal development to study for formal qualifications.

The job holder will provide support and advice to new staff in their first year within a challenging environment ensuring high standards of professionalism, decency, safety and security.

A key measurement for success in the role will be a noticeable uplift in new staff retention.

The job holder will be required to be part of the outreach programme within the local area and promote their establishment.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Act as a mentor to the new staff from pre-employment procedures and throughout their first 12 months in post, and as an expert on-boarding and outreach resource for the Governor.

• To maintain contact with the individual as a point of contact and information and helping them to prepare for their new role responding to queries.

• Facilitate a local buddy scheme, working with Invision where required, to ensure all new colleagues have a buddy. Coordinate the induction and training for new recruits by liaising with relevant teams ensuring appropriate processes are in place. Ensure that induction timetables are set and met.

• Agree allocation of local peer mentors including briefings and any required training and have this duty noted on their appraisal by their Manager.

• Ensure arrangements are made to meet and welcome new colleagues on their first day and after early residential foundation training.

• Meet regularly with new staff to offer feedback and allow opportunities for open discussion and problem solving. Building relationships with new staff.

• Arrange regular new recruit forums to give an opportunity for discussion, learning and sharing. Feeding back to establishments and prison managers with regard to progression.

• Support development plans for new entrants, ensuring development goals are set and achieved. Encourage and facilitate self-directed learning in a non-judgemental and risk-free relationship.

• Create an open dialogue between Managers and new staff feeding back on observations for Managers to hold one to one conversations.

• Liaise and work with the People Hub and the Business Hub to ensure all relevant tasks and actions for new recruits are processed efficiently and accurately such as epaulettes, ID Cards, setting up of IT. Ensure uniforms for operational staff have been ordered in time and are in place.

• Work with colleagues and managers to ensure new colleagues feel supported and valued by ensuring that support and signposting protocols are made available as appropriate.

• Ensure that the needs of individual staff are met by ensuring equality of opportunity and access.

• Undertake other management/administrative tasks as required and requested.

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.

Behaviours

• Changing and Improving

• Communicating and Influencing

• Working Together

• Managing a Quality Service

• Making Effective Decisions

Ability

• Mentoring skills are desirable but not essential

• Strong organisational skills, planning and attention to detail

• Excellent communication skills

• Role model with credibility gained from working effectively in establishments

• Able user of MS Word and MS Excel

Experience

• Significant knowledge and experience of working in public sector prions

• Information collation and analysis

• Able to deal effectively and assertively with staff at all levels


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 4813

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 4813

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Changing and Improving
Communicating and Influencing
Managing a Quality Service
Making Effective Decisions

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
To be confirmed
Behaviours
Changing and Improving
Communicating and Influencing
Managing a Quality Service
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.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Level of security checks required
DBS Enhanced