20933 - Operational Support Grade - HMP Whatton (Prison Support Role)

20933 - Operational Support Grade - HMP Whatton (Prison Support Role)

As an Operational Support Grade, you will look after the day-to-day running of a busy prison, working in a close-knit team to carry out a range of support services – everything from patrol and gate duties, to managing deliveries, supervising visitors, and monitoring phone calls and CCTV. You will work shifts and nights to keep things running.

PLEASE NOTE Driving duties are an essential part of the OSG role at HMP Whatton and therefore candidates are required to hold a full, valid UK Driving Licence.

In addition to your base pay, you will receive:

annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after 10 years’ service (calculated on a pro-rata basis)

9 days bank, public and privilege holidays

access to a paid Level 2 apprenticeship in customer service

access to the generous Civil Service pension scheme

season ticket loans, retail discounts, an Employee Assistance Programme and a Cycle to Work scheme

The salary figures quoted are for a 37 hour working week inclusive of 20% unsocial hours working allowance which is included in the salary to reflect the requirement to work nights, evening and weekend shifts

Hours

You will work an average of 37 hours per week and this will include working night shifts, evenings, weekends and Bank/Public holidays (these days are added to your holiday allowance) on a rolling shift pattern. The frequency of night shifts will vary for each Establishment and can be discussed at interview. For an example of the shift times that you could be working please visit our website

Responsibilities, activities and duties are likely to include:

gate/portal duties: ensure the secure entry and exit of staff, visitors, vehicles; carry out searches of staff, prisoners, visitors, contractors and vehicles; issue and collect staff keys/radios

control room: operate the establishment radio system and monitor CCTV ensuring all suspicious activities are reported

visits: book visits; identify and process visitors on their arrival, escort them if required

censors/correspondence: monitor/log mail and report any illicit or contraband items, maintaining the preservation of evidence

night duties: ensure cell doors are locked/secure and all prisoners are safely accounted for

reception: assist in supporting appropriate tasks in reception; photograph prisoners; collate documentation for the property process; search/x-ray incoming prisoner property and parcels; receive items for prisoners and check all seals are intact on property storage

prisoner supervision: supervise prisoners as required; undertake prisoner clothing/property exchange and assist officers with free flow movement

food delivery: food trolley delivery and collection, which may involve the use of an electric tug vehicle

driving duties: transport prisoners and their escort to their destination in the cellular vehicle; collect mail from local sorting office

phone calls: monitor the Personal Identification Number (PIN) system, maintaining the log of PIN Phone requests from prisoners; complete all relevant paperwork keeping an audit trail of conversations; check that legal numbers are registered solicitors

procedures and protocol: understand and conform to national and local policies, responding appropriately to invoke emergency procedures and the actions required in relation to incidents

At the interview we will assess you against the following Success Profile behaviours -

Communicating and Influencing

Managing a Quality Service

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of behaviours and experience

The interview is the ideal opportunity to tell us more about yourself, your work history or personal experiences, so we can get to know you better and assess how you will be suited to prison work.

The job holder must be able to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh.

Job offers: ‘merit’ vacancy

This is a ‘merit’ job vacancy. If you are successful at the interview you will be added to a merit list based on your score.

When all applicants have completed the assessment, the prison will make job offers to those with the highest scores first when positions become available.

You can stay on the merit list for 12 months. After this, you’ll need to apply again.

Allowance Details

In addition you will receive 20% unsocial working allowance. This has been included in the salary figures quoted.

Closing Date: 20th August 2026

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.

Behaviours

Communicating and Influencing

Managing a Quality Service

Making Effective Decisions

Caring

Strengths will be assessed at sift stage and at interview but these are not shared in advance.

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