Skip to content

General Information

Salary
£31,995
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
Barnard Castle
Region
North East
Closing Date
27-Jun-2025
Business Unit
Deerbolt
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
EO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
6895

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Candidate must hold a CNC qualification, or be willing to work towards this if successful.

Overview of the job

This is a non-operational instructional job in an establishment. All staff have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The post holder must undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

Summary

The job holder will be responsible for ensuring the successful operation of the prison retail outlet which is open to the public. They will focus on training, supervising and developing prisoner “employees” by building effective, appropriate and supportive relationships through managing them in a proactive manner and promoting the decency agenda. Applies safer custody practices and complies with national and local security standards and is responsible for productivity, good order and hygiene within the outlet area. Will contribute to improving prisoners’ employability, reducing re-offending and maintaining a positive income stream. This is a non-operational job in an establishment with no line management responsibilities.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out some or all of the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
  • Supervise and motivate prisoners to work with customers including the public to deliver a quality, knowledgeable service and produce quality food and drink.
  • Promote and drive forward the sale of services, food and manufactured products from both local and national sources. Build a customer base and continually improve turnover and gross profit.
  • Supervise and drive forward the local income generation and business strategy, while creating links with internal and external organisations to deliver a community based facility and carry out necessary tasks required for adherence to legal and associated protocols.
  • Induct prisoners to the Retail Outlet.
  • Assess and evaluate skills of prisoners including National Vocational Qualification levels 1 & 2 and other relevant industry recognised qualifications.
  • Undertake the registration, supervision, monitoring, assessment and accreditation of learners in accordance with awarding body requirements.
  • Liaise with key contracted partners.
    • Undertake other instructor tasks including:
  • Supervise and maintain discipline of prisoners receiving training, education or work experience. Responsible for performance, motivation, discipline, appraisal and development of prisoners.
  • Open and complete Assessment Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) forms, Violence Reduction Incident Reports (VRIR) and Security Information Reports (SIRs) when required and contribute to Incentive Earned Privileges (IEP) reports.
  • Carry out prisoner searches on their entry and exit of the training room/ workshop.
  • Log attendance and approve prisoner hours worked and wages including recording piece work for individual prisoners in certain workshops.
  • Carry out fabric checks of work areas and maintain security of locks, bolts and bars used in these areas.
  • Contribute to prisoner reports including parole, sentence planning and Individual Learning Plan.
  • Complete regime monitoring information and update prisoner training records.
  • Log any tool/equipment faults, which require maintenance and repair of tools.
  • Conduct risk and health and safety assessments on consumables under Safer Custody guidelines.
  • Order materials and estimate usage in order to meet work learning targets.
  • Participate in self-audit and in achieving Service Delivery Indicators (SDIs).
  • Complete administration activities to support the smooth running of the workshop.
  • Open up individual learning paths for learner and keep them updated.
  • Locate individual learners’ Maths and English levels for their initial assessment and support them in developing their skills further.
  • Advise and assist learners in seeking appropriate and relevant employment opportunities upon resettlement.
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

  • Leadership
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Managing a Quality Service 

Technical requirements

  • Job holder must hold as a minimum the following essential qualifications; level 2 certificate in Food Preparation and Cooking or equivalent City and Guilds 7061/ 7062 or equivalent and either have attained higher qualifications or be working towards them as noted.
  • Staff can work towards a relevant vocational qualification such as level 3 or already hold formal qualifications in catering e.g. City and Guilds 7063 or NVQ level 3. Additionally, they must hold a Food Hygiene Certificate level 3 (intermediate level). They are required to be familiar with all current health, safety and hygiene related regulations for working in a kitchen environment. Refresher training in Food Safety (HACCP) should be completed at 3 year intervals.
  • Will hold or be working towards a Vocational qualification at level 2 in Retail.
  • Knowledge of accreditation process including the Qualification and Credit Framework.
  • Is committed to gaining an assessor award required by relevant Awarding Bodies, within one year.
  • When transferring to a Young Persons establishment the job holder will be required to successfully undertake an assessment to demonstrate suitability to work with Young People.

Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances

37 hour working week (standard).
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 6895

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 6895

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Delivering at Pace, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Delivering at Pace
Developing Self and Others
Leadership
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Experience Questions
Experience Questions Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Experience Questions

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
To be confirmed
Behaviours
Delivering at Pace
Developing Self and Others
Leadership
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
Enhanced Baseline Standard (EBS)