Ministry of Justice

Future Prison Leaders Programme

You could build an ordinary career. Or you could build an extraordinary one as a prison leader.   

If you have an ambition to lead where it matters and you’re looking for a new challenge in an environment like no other, the Future Prison Leaders Programme is for you. 

With a dedicated training programme and clear progression path, you will gain first-hand experience of working in a variety of roles and prisons to give you the skills and knowledge you’ll need to be a future prison leader. 

A leadership programme like no other

Being a prison leader is an extraordinary job, and it could be done by someone like you. If the idea of leading teams through challenging situations while focusing on rehabilitation, protecting lives and maintaining security makes you tick, the Future Prison Leaders Programme is for you. 

This is a leadership programme like no other. It will see you fast-track your way from prison officer to a senior leader running your own prison department in just 3 years.

Your first year will see you working on the frontline as a prison officer. This is where you will learn the realities of working on the ground and building positive and meaningful interactions with prisoners. With thorough training and development, and subject to passing a number of assessments, you will progress into leadership roles. In your second year, you will work as a custodial manager, leading a team of prison officers, and then move into a head of function management role in year three, taking responsibility across a whole prison in areas such as security, operations, drug strategy, residency and staffing. 

Visit our dedicated website to find out more.

Eligibility to apply

To apply you need to:

• have people management experience or hold a degree/level 6 qualification 
• be coming to the end of a degree/level 6 equivalent qualification when applying – and be able to evidence that you have a degree before your contract of employment is issued (by 10 November 2025)
• be at least 18 years old when you start your new role
• have the right to work in the UK and Civil Service (GOV.UK, opens in a new tab)
• have resided in the UK for at least 3 years immediately before you submit your application. This is because you will work in a variety of prisons which require additional vetting.

Skilled Worker visa changes from 4 April 2024

From 4 April 2024, the Government increased the salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas. The change means that HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) cannot guarantee sponsorship for people seeking sponsorship via the Skilled Worker visa route.

If you do not meet the new eligibility criteria for sponsorship, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK.

HMPPS will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. 

You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria at Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK.

Skills & Qualifications Required

Being a prison leader isn’t a job that can be done by everyone.  We want people who don’t shy away from the realities of prison life but embrace them. We want people who are passionate about making a real difference in the lives of prisoners and the public. The ones who want to lead where it matters the most.

To apply for the Future Prison Leaders Programme, you need people management experience or a degree/level 6 qualification.

Read about the skills you need to be a prison officer  - essential for your first year on the programme and beyond.

You will also need the following skills to be a future prison leader:

• to lead with integrity, be able to motivate staff and build diverse teams that work collaboratively
• to provide constructive feedback to teams, and focus on learning and development to drive continuous improvements

• great analytical, strong verbal and numerical skills
• to be able to think and plan strategically
• an ability to think on your feet, with sound judgement to consider risks and make evidence-based decisions. 

Pay and benefits 

As a future prison leader, you will gain first-hand experience of the workings of a prison and gain the skills and experience you need to work with prisoners.

Your pay will rise to at least £60,000 by your third year (subject to performance). All figures below are correct as at 1 April 2024, and are subject to an annual pay review (with changes being effective from 1 April):

*Year 1 - Figures include 20% unsocial hours allowance. You will be contracted to 37 hours and are able to opt to work 39 or 41 hours in year 1 after completing the prison officer foundation training.

In year 1, a market supplement of £2,000 or £3,500 also applies to some prisons (not included in the figures above). Take a look at the full prison officer starting salary information for HMPPS prisons across England and Wales.

**Year 2 - Figures based on working 37 hours and inclusive of a 20% unsocial hours allowance. 

***Year 3 - Figures based on working 37 hours and inclusive of a required hours allowance. 

Increases for 2025/26 (effective from 1 April 2025) will be published around June 2025. 

Life on the programme

The Future Prison Leaders Programme comes with real variety, with no 2 days ever being the same. The satisfaction you’ll feel from the positive impact you are making on lives inside and outside the prison will be unmatched. 

The opportunity to train and progress will be around every corner: 

• Following a two-week induction, you will complete an eight-week prison officer foundation training course. Along with other future leaders who will also be starting out on the leadership programme, you will not only gain insights into leading in a prison but also cover all you need to know about working as a prison officer. You will then spend your first year as a frontline prison officer.
• At the end of your first year, you will need to successfully complete an assessment centre to progress to the role of custodial manager. Custodial managers is a senior uniformed officer manage people and resources, often across multiple prison departments.
• You will transition to head of department/function in your third year. Prison heads of function are responsible for functions such as security or operations across a prison.  

During your time on the leadership programme, you will work in different categories of prison. This will give you first-hand experience of what it’s like working in different types of prisons such as training or local prisons, high security prisons, women’s prisons and young offender institutions.

Alongside the placements, there is a comprehensive leadership programme that integrates extensive training and development with routine requirements. The programme will be fast paced and challenging. It will equip you with the skills and knowledge required by senior prison leaders.  You will be expected to rise to the challenge and demonstrate your growth as a practitioner within a modern custodial environment, both formally through assessment and on a daily basis within an operational setting. Different support will be provided to participants through their line manager and other senior leaders, alongside peer action learning sets and mentoring. The cohort will also be brought together often to create a cohort support network alongside celebrating progress at key milestones. 

Working hours 

Working in a prison isn’t your regular 9 to 5 job. Prisons operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

As a prison officer you can choose to work between 37 and 41 hours per week.  The normal shift pattern averages to 39 hours. You will be required to work shifts, including some nights, weekends and public and bank holidays. Any public or bank holidays you work will be added to your annual leave allowance. Watch this short video to find out more about prison officer shift patterns. 

Location

Throughout the programme you will be a mobile grade and will undertake three placements. You will initially be assigned to a specific prison where you will complete year 1 of the programme.  As part of the application process, you will be asked to identify three prison location preferences. Where possible we will aim to take into account your preferences when allocating to the year 1 placement, although this cannot be guaranteed. Your initial posting will be at your own expense, however future postings may attract an allowance to compensate for any additional travel expenses resulting from moves to different base locations.  Placements will not attract Public Interest Transfers (expenses to relocate).

As you progress through the programme your base location is likely to change and, subject to the impact of that change, you may be entitled to an allowance to compensate for any additional travel expenses resulting from the move.

To maintain an appropriate gender balance of prison officers working in women’s prisons, HMPPS may sometimes apply an occupational requirement to limit applications to female applicants only, in line with Sch 9 of the Equality Act 2010. Any active occupational requirements will be taken into consideration when making year 1 placement decisions.

Internal applicants

For those applying internally (if you are currently employed by the Ministry of Justice - including MoJ HQ, HMPPS, HMCTS, OPG, CICA, LAA, a MoJ arms length body or non-departmental public body) and who are currently in an operational role, your circumstances will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine the most appropriate entry point onto the Future Prison Leaders programme, taking account of any previous experience, length of service, existing accreditations etc. A personal development plan to prepare you for entry onto the scheme will be discussed.

Assessment Process

The application process 

Due to the nature of the work and the custodial environment, the application process for all roles in prisons is rigorous. Successful applicants will start the Future Prison Leaders Programme in December.

During the recruitment process you will be assessed on the behaviours, strengths and abilities you need to be effective on the Future Prison Leaders Programme.  These include:

• communicating and influencing
• changing and improving
• developing self and others
• leadership
• making effective decisions
• seeing the big picture

Your natural strengths are assessed to find out what motivates and energises you. We will also assess your numerical, verbal and data analysis abilities.

Apply online 

The first stage of the application process is online. You will need your National Insurance number and, if you have a degree, proof of your qualification.
 
You will be asked some eligibility questions, such as your nationality and your right to work in the UK, plus you’ll need to enter some personal details.

You will also need to respond to 2 behaviour-based questions that will ask you to explain how you would respond to scenarios you may face in a prison.   To be eligible to apply for this programme you’ll need a degree/level 6 equivalent or have people management experience.

• If you apply via the people management experience route, you will need to evidence that you have managed an individual at work within the application form to confirm eligibility.
• If you apply via the degree/level 6 equivalent route, you will need to confirm that you have a Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 6 Undergraduate Degree or will have a Level 6 Degree by the time a contract of employment is issued (by 10th November 2025). You will be asked to upload proof of your qualification to confirm eligibility.

The application form will include two behaviour-based questions. You will be asked to consider how you would respond to scenarios you may face in a prison. Further information is provided in the application form about how to structure your responses.

You will be able to choose up to 3 prisons you would like to start the Future Prison Leaders Programme in.  Please note, these will be preferences only and cannot be guaranteed.

Let us know if you need any reasonable adjustments  

Our reasonable adjustments scheme supports individuals who may face disadvantages in the job assessment process when applying for one of our jobs due to a diagnosed or undiagnosed disability, long-term condition, or short-term need arising from an illness or injury. If you think you might need a reasonable adjustment, simply select the ‘yes’ option in the application form when asked.  

Complete the online tests 

You will need to complete an online numerical reasoning test and an online critical verbal reasoning test.

• The numerical reasoning test will assess your ability to interpret and handle numerical data. 

• The critical verbal reasoning test will assess your effectiveness in understanding, interpreting and analysing written information.

Applicants need to meet eligibility requirements, pass both online tests and pass the application form behaviour-based questions, to be invited to the assessment centre stage.

Attend a face-to-face assessment centre 

The face-to-face assessment centre will be held at our Prison Service College, Newbold Revel, near Rugby, Warwickshire, CV23 0TH.

The assessment centre will be a full day and will include an interview, a role-play and a written exercise. 

You will also need to take a medical and fitness assessment. This will include:  

• an eye test and hearing test 

• basic health screening (BMI and blood pressure checks) 

• a grip test 

• a shield hold test 

• a bleep/shuttle run test 

• a speed and agility test 

This is a standard requirement when applying to become a prison officer.

Complete your pre-employment checks 

If your application is successful, you will need to undergo and clear pre-employment checks. This will include His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Enhanced Level 2 vetting, DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and due to the security status of prisons across the estate, a Counter-Terrorism Check (CTC vetting) is also required.

Proof that you have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years is needed to complete the CTC vetting process. The residency requirements refer to the period immediately before an application is made, and not any other three-year period, or any other accumulation of time spent in the UK.

If you have been out of the country for a significant period of time (usually up to one year) and maintained your UK residency you may still be considered for vetting clearance. For example, if you have:

• spent a significant period of time overseas without returning to the UK, but intend to return in the future
• taken a gap year before or following university
• travelled for a year
• spent time overseas visiting family

This is not an exhaustive list.

Candidates must be able to provide correct and up to date documentation when requested during the application process.

Banking and mirroring of scores

• If you make multiple applications for the Future Prison Leaders Programme, you will only be invited to complete the assessments once, and this will be for your first application submitted.
• Your assessment scores from your first submitted application will be mirrored to all subsequent applications. The outcome of your application will be determined by the pass mark set for each vacancy and assessment stage.
• Your assessment scores at every assessment stage listed above will be ‘banked’ for 6 months and will only be valid for this 2025 intake for the Future Prison Leaders Programme.

JOB DESCRIPTION ADDITIONAL INFORMATION – SET AND STANDARD

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.

Benefits

Annual Leave

On entry you will be entitled to 25 days annual leave pro-rata.  The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non-standard 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.

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.

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

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.

Please see the sections above on the additional training and development provided on the Future Prison Leaders Programme.

Eligibility

All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.

All external candidates are subject to 12 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

• To Sopra Steria Ltd  (0345 241 5358   (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or email recruitment-allocations@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk )
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk); 

To the Civil Service Commission (details available here).

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 Sopra Steria  Recruitment Enquiries Team on recruitment-allocations@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

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. This allows 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.
Click here for further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit. 

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

Please click here for further information on nationality requirements  

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the 2025 Future Prison Leaders Programme.