Head of Function - 3 year Senior Leadership Scheme

The Senior Leaders Scheme, a three year programme, is seeking to recruit an initial cohort of up to 25 candidates to take up permanent Functional Head positions across the prison service in early 2018. The programme will include completing several placements including three months as a uniformed prison officer, and as a Head of Function at two different establishments. Across the three years in either the Midlands, London, East of England or the South East, you will follow a structured scheme that will immerse you in every area of our organisation and beyond.

The scheme is targeted at experienced, knowledgeable managers from government, private and voluntary sectors, including internal non-operational staff across HMPPS. We would expect candidates to demonstrate a minimum of three years people management experience. We will also welcome any graduates but this won’t be a requirement, instead focussing on the skills and experience they could bring from their previous role/s. The ambition is to fill known vacancies in areas where they exist and are proving difficult to recruit and retain. We are keen to recruit individuals who have the desire and understanding to shape the future of HMPPS and who are motivated to follow a route to being given responsibility sooner, with the option to apply for a Deputy Governor role by the end of the programme. Additionally if you also have a keen understanding of working in an operational setting, no matter what the type of business, as well as managing large contracts, this too would be highly desirable. The recruitment process will include initial application, online situational judgement test and an assessment centre including fitness test.

You can expect to complete the following:

• Prison Officer Entry-Level Training Course

Prison Officers are at the very forefront of our service, keeping our prisons safe and secure, and helping offenders turn their lives around. Understanding what they face on a daily basis is imperative, so when you join the scheme you’ll experience our training course.

• 3 months Prison Officer experience

Following the training course, you’ll put your newfound knowledge into practice and work alongside our Prison Officers for up to three months.

• Head of Department development

Your next move will be towards a Head of Department role, and we’ll give you all the opportunities and support you need to get there.

• Criminal Justice System experience

The role we play has a significant impact on society, and as such other areas of the Criminal Justice System. We’ll give you the opportunity to see this for yourself, as you gain perspectives from the police, courts and probation amongst others.

• Fast-Tracked development to Deputy Governor

All the experiences we give you will go into making sure you will have the necessary skills to be ready to take the deputy governor assessment within the three years. Once you are accredited you are then able to apply for any deputy governor roles that come up across the estate. From here you’ll be able to truly lead your prison and affect change.