Operational Support Grade – HMP Downview (Prison Support Role)

Company: Ministry of Justice
Apply for the Operational Support Grade – HMP Downview (Prison Support Role)
Location: London
Job Description:

Responsibilities

  • Ensuring the secure entry and exit of staff, visitors, vehicles
  • Carrying out searches of staff, prisoners, visitors and vehicles
  • Walking around the prison site to escort vehicles and contractors
  • Issuing and collecting staff keys and radios
  • Walking around the prison site patrolling and searching perimeter fence areas
  • Operating the prison radio system and monitoring CCTV
  • Welcoming visitors on arrival, escorting them if needed, monitoring and logging mail, reporting contraband, preserving evidence where required
  • Ensuring cell doors are locked and all prisoners are safely accounted for
  • Photographing prisoners, processing prisoners’ property and parcels, supervising prisoners, exchanging clothing and property, escorting prisoners around the prison
  • Delivering and collecting food trollies, using an electric tug vehicle
  • Collecting mail from the local sorting office, monitoring the prison’s Personal Identification Number (PIN) phone system, maintaining the log of PIN phone requests from prisoners
  • Understanding and conforming to national and local policies, responding appropriately to incidents and emergencies

Qualifications and Experience

  • No formal qualifications required; good judgement, common sense, responsibility and teamwork are essential.
  • Physical ability to lift, carry, stand and walk for long periods; ability to work nights, evenings, weekends and bank/public holidays.
  • Confidence in spoken English and, where specified in Wales, Welsh.
  • Full training will be provided on the job.

Benefits

  • Annual leave 25 days on appointment, increasing to 30 days after 10 years of service (pro‑rated).
  • 9 bank, public and privilege holidays.
  • Access to a paid Level 2 customer‑service apprenticeship.
  • Generous Civil Service pension scheme.
  • Season ticket loans, retail discounts, an Employee Assistance Programme and a Cycle to Work scheme.
  • 20% unsocial hours allowance included in the salary.

Working Hours

The average working week is 37 hours, including night, evening, weekend and bank/public holiday shifts on a rolling shift pattern. Frequency of night shifts varies by establishment.

Open to Applicants

This role is open to applicants who meet the following group criteria:

  • 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 with settled or pre‑settled status under the EUSS
  • Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain eligible to apply for EUSS before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals and certain family members with the right to work in the Civil Service

#J-18808-Ljbffr…

Posted: July 6th, 2026