Prison Officer

Prison Officer – HMP Berwyn

Employer: HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS)
Salary: £34,928 – £39,334 per annum, depending on contracted hours and applicable allowances
Location: HMP Berwyn, Wrexham Industrial Estate, Bridge Road North, Wrexham, Wales, LL13 9QE
Job Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible Working and Job Share
Pay Grade: Administrative Officer
Number of Vacancies: 20
Reference: 473452
Job Reference: 20522
Closing Date: 26 November 2026 at 11:55 pm

Visa Sponsorship

Skilled Worker visa sponsorship may be available for this position, subject to eligibility and the UK Immigration Rules in force at the time of application.

However, HM Prison & Probation Service warns that candidates requiring Skilled Worker visa sponsorship are unlikely to be sponsored through this recruitment campaign because of current immigration requirements and recruitment timescales.

Sponsorship is not guaranteed. Applicants must ensure they have and can maintain the appropriate right to work in the UK.

About the Role

HM Prison & Probation Service is recruiting 20 Prison Officers at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, Wales.

Prison Officers play an important role in protecting the public, maintaining safety and security within prisons, and supporting prisoners to make positive changes in their lives.

This is a varied and challenging position suited to people with strong communication skills, empathy, resilience and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.

You do not need previous prison experience. Applicants from different professional backgrounds, including retail, teaching, parenting, the armed forces and other people-focused roles, are encouraged to apply.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain safety, security and good order within the prison.
• Build constructive, positive and professional relationships with prisoners.
• Support prisoners through challenging situations and encourage positive behaviour.
• Communicate effectively with prisoners, colleagues and other professionals.
• Help protect the public by maintaining a safe prison environment.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure the smooth operation of the establishment.
• Respond appropriately to incidents and make effective decisions.
• Support prisoners in their rehabilitation and personal development.

Essential Skills and Qualities

No formal qualifications are required. The recruitment process focuses on personal qualities, behaviours and abilities.

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Good communication and influencing skills.
• Commitment to delivering a quality service.
• Effective decision-making abilities.
• Care, empathy and understanding.
• Resilience and self-confidence.
• Integrity and a strong sense of responsibility.
• Ability to work effectively within a team.

Eligibility Requirements

To become a Prison Officer, applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years old when starting employment.
• Meet the Civil Service nationality requirements.
• Pass the required medical and fitness assessments.
• Meet the eyesight standards, both with and without corrective lenses.
• Meet the required hearing standard without hearing aids.
• Have tattoos that are not offensive, discriminatory, violent or intimidating. Facial tattoos are generally not accepted, except for cultural, religious or medical reasons.

A driving licence and personal transport are beneficial but not essential unless otherwise specified.

Important: Applicants for high-security Category A prisons must have been resident in the UK for the previous three years. This requirement is not stated as a general condition for this HMP Berwyn vacancy.

Salary and Working Hours

The starting salary depends on contracted weekly hours:

• 37 hours per week: Salary based on the applicable contracted hours.
• 39 hours per week: £36,816 per annum.
• 41 hours per week: £39,334 per annum.

The advertised Civil Service salary is £34,928. Salary figures for the different working hours include applicable allowances.

Initial training involves 37 hours per week. Following training, successful candidates can choose to work 37, 39 or 41 hours per week.

Prisons operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Employees must therefore be prepared to work various shifts, including evenings, some nights, weekends and public holidays.

Additional paid working hours may also be available.

Employee Benefits

Successful candidates will receive access to a range of Civil Service benefits, including:

• 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days after 10 years of service.
• Paid public holidays and one additional privilege day.
• Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Travel loans.
• Opportunities for career development and progression.
• Additional paid working hours where available.

Training and Assessment Process

The recruitment process includes several stages designed to assess applicants’ suitability for the role.

1. Initial Application and Online Test

After submitting the application form, candidates will be invited to complete the first online assessment, which tests basic judgement and numerical skills.

2. Values-Based Assessment

Successful applicants will progress to the second online test, which assesses the values and qualities required to become an effective Prison Officer.

Candidates who achieve the required pass mark may be invited to the next assessment stage.

3. Online Assessment Centre

Applicants who pass the online assessments will be invited to an Online Assessment Centre (OAC).

The assessment evaluates behaviours, strengths and abilities, including:

• Communicating and influencing.
• Managing a quality service.
• Making effective decisions.
• Caring.

Numerical, written English and spoken English abilities will also be assessed.

4. Medical and Fitness Assessment

Candidates identified for available vacancies will be invited to complete medical and fitness assessments, including eyesight, hearing and basic health screening.

Medical and fitness assessments must be completed at a UK-based assessment centre. Assessments cannot be arranged outside the UK.

Additional Employment Opportunities

Candidates who attend the Online Assessment Centre but are unsuccessful in securing a Prison Officer position may also be considered for an Operational Support Grade (OSG) role.

This provides an alternative opportunity within the prison service, subject to suitability and available vacancies.

Merit List and Job Offers

This is a merit-based recruitment campaign.

Successful candidates will be placed on a merit list according to their assessment scores. Job offers will be made to the highest-scoring candidates as vacancies become available.

Candidates can remain on the merit list for up to 12 months.

Applicants who fail at the sift or assessment stage will be subject to a six-month waiting period before they can apply again for Prison Officer positions.

Candidates who were unsuccessful at the second online test within the previous six months are now eligible to reapply.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their applications online through the official HM Prison & Probation Service recruitment portal.

Applicants should review the eligibility requirements, immigration conditions, working hours and assessment process carefully before applying.

Please note that although Skilled Worker sponsorship may be available under certain circumstances, candidates requiring sponsorship are unlikely to be sponsored in this recruitment campaign.

Application Deadline: 26 November 2026 at 11:55 pm.

Further Information:
For recruitment enquiries, contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team on 0345 241 5358 or email Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com.

Please quote job reference 20522 when making enquiries.