About the job

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

As a Band 4 Specialist Vocational Instructor you will lead a team of prisoners within the workshop helping them to become the best versions of themselves. Finding employment upon release is key to changing lives and reducing reoffending and as an instructor in a workshop that’s just what you’ll contribute towards. We will reply on you to train and supervise a team of prisoners to ensure that items made or repaired in your workshop meet the highest standards. You will set tasks to match their ability, while ensuring safety and production is maintained at all times. You will work in partnership with internal and external contracts to provide important services across a wide range of sectors. Along the way, you could play a part in innovating products for use in a custodial setting or launching a new range for another government department. You will certainty discover potential for rewarding development of your career and the most unique challenges.

As well as knowledge and skills spanning your specialism, you will need strong communication and influencing skills and a caring, resilient approach.

Overview of the job

This is a non-operational instructional job in an establishment.

Summary

The job holder will be responsible for providing supervision, knowledge and skills to prisoners in a specialist workshop so they can improve their employment prospects on release with a view to reducing reoffending. The job holder will ensure that all services are provided to a high standard and that security and control is maintained at all times. The jobholder will be able to teach prisoners towards achieving nationally recognised qualifications and may be supported by external organisations such as local colleges.

This job description is not for use by jobholders in basic assembly / packing workshops, instead Production Instructor – Enterprises should be used. However, on an exceptional short term basis jobholders can supervise prisoners in more basic workshops.

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 the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• May participate in the selection process of prisoners for the workshop/area of work
• Induct prisoners to the workshop/area of work and train them in aspects such as health and safety, Control of Substance Hazardous to health (COSHH), machinery and tools usage
• Provide support for prisoners where required; tailor learning and training requirements to individual needs
• Set work schedules and manage targets/quality standards, maintaining delivery of contractual arrangements
• Assess and evaluate skills of prisoners up to national qualification standards
• Supervise and maintain discipline of prisoners within workshop/area of work, responsible for performance, motivation, discipline, appraisal and development of prisoners
• Maintain regular communications via radio net in accordance with Local Security Strategy (LSS)
• 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
• Will conduct a metal detector scan or rub down search of prisoners attending and leaving their own workshops
• Provide quality assurance against product specification
• Log attendance and approve prisoner hours worked and wages including recording piece work where appropriate
• Carry out fabric and tool checks of workshops and maintain security of areas, logging any tool/equipment faults. Undertake planned maintenance programme on machinery
• Contribute to prisoner reports including parole and sentence planning
• Complete regime monitoring information and update prisoner training records
• Contribute to Health and Safety risk assessments relating to the workshop/work of area and specialist areas
• Request materials and estimate usage in order to meet work targets
• Initiate product development reviews to maintain workshop/area of work output levels, and to provide variety of work and experience for prisoners
• Participate in self-audit and in achieving Service Delivery Indicators (SDIs)
• Complete administration activities to support the smooth running of the workshop

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.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,471, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £8,257 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.