Prison Officer – HMP Winchester
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is recruiting Prison Officers at HMP Winchester in Winchester, Hampshire.
This is a full-time, part-time, job-share or flexible-working opportunity for people who can build professional relationships, communicate effectively and remain resilient in a challenging environment.
Important sponsorship update: Skilled Worker visa sponsorship may be available subject to eligibility, but the employer states that candidates who require sponsorship are unlikely to be sponsored for this campaign because of current immigration requirements and recruitment timescales. Applicants must already have, or be able to maintain, the appropriate right to work in the UK.
Job Details
- Job title: Prison Officer – HMP Winchester
- Employer: Ministry of Justice
- Location: HMP Winchester, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO22 5DF
- Region: South East
- Civil Service grade: AO
- Job reference: 20628
- Job type: Merit vacancy
- Working options: Full-time, part-time, job share and flexible working
- Starting salary: £38,816 per year for a 39-hour week, including the applicable 20% unsocial-hours allowance
- Closing date: 1 October 2026
- Security checks: DBS Enhanced
About the Role
Prison Officers play an important role in maintaining safety and security while supporting prisoners and helping them make positive changes.
The role involves working directly with prisoners and building constructive, professional relationships. Depending on the situation, you may be required to act as a peacekeeper, provide support and guidance, make decisions, communicate with different people and work closely with colleagues to maintain a safe prison environment.
Prisons operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so the role involves working different shift patterns, including evenings, some nights, weekends and public holidays.
Key Responsibilities
As a Prison Officer, you will be expected to:
- Maintain safety and security within the prison.
- Build positive and professional relationships with prisoners.
- Communicate effectively and influence others appropriately.
- Make effective decisions in challenging situations.
- Provide care and support to prisoners.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues as part of a wider team.
- Contribute to a safe, decent and secure prison environment.
- Adapt to different responsibilities and situations throughout the working day.
Essential Skills and Qualities
No specific qualifications are required to become a Prison Officer. The recruitment process focuses heavily on personal qualities and relevant behaviours.
Applicants should be able to demonstrate:
- Good communication and influencing skills.
- Commitment to delivering a quality service.
- Effective decision-making.
- Care, empathy and understanding.
- Resilience and self-confidence.
- The ability to work effectively as part of a team.
Previous experience in areas such as retail, teaching, parenting, the armed forces or other people-focused environments may provide useful transferable skills, but the employer states that there is no typical background required.
Eligibility and Right to Work
Applicants must:
- Be at least 18 years old when they start employment.
- Meet the Civil Service nationality requirements.
- Have the legal right to live and work in the UK and the Civil Service.
- Pass the required medical and fitness assessment.
- Meet the required eyesight standards, both with and without corrective lenses.
- Meet the required hearing standard without hearing aids.
- Meet the role’s other suitability requirements.
Tattoos are permitted, including visible tattoos, provided they are not considered offensive, discriminatory, violent or intimidating. Facial tattoos are generally not accepted except for cultural, religious or medical reasons.
For work in a high-security Category A prison, applicants must generally have been resident in the UK for the previous three years.
Visa Sponsorship
Skilled Worker sponsorship is not guaranteed.
The Ministry of Justice states that Skilled Worker visa sponsorship may be available subject to eligibility and the UK Immigration Rules in force at the time of application.
However, the vacancy specifically warns that candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship are unlikely to be sponsored for this campaign due to current immigration requirements and recruitment timescales.
Applicants who require sponsorship should therefore carefully check their eligibility and current right-to-work position before applying.
Salary and Working Hours
The initial training period is 37 hours per week.
After training, officers can work 37, 39 or 41 hours per week, with salary reflecting the chosen working hours:
- 37 hours: £36,928 per year
- 39 hours: £38,816 per year
- 41 hours: £41,334 per year
The quoted salaries include applicable allowances for the role and location.
Prison Officers may also have opportunities to work additional paid hours.
Benefits
The role includes a range of Civil Service benefits, including:
- 25 days’ annual leave, increasing to 30 days after 10 years’ service.
- Paid public holidays plus one additional privilege day.
- Civil Service pension with employer contributions of 28.97%.
- Cycle-to-work scheme.
- Travel loans.
- Other employee benefits.
Medical, Fitness and Physical Requirements
As the role is physically active, successful candidates must complete the required medical and fitness assessment.
This includes:
- Eyesight testing.
- Hearing testing.
- Basic health screening.
- Blood pressure checks.
- Fitness assessment.
Important: The Ministry of Justice cannot facilitate medical and fitness assessments outside the UK. Candidates must attend a UK-based medical and fitness assessment centre to progress their application.
Assessment and Selection Process
The recruitment process assesses the behaviours, strengths and abilities required for effective prison officers.
Applicants will be assessed in areas including:
- Communicating and influencing.
- Managing a quality service.
- Making effective decisions.
- Caring.
The process also assesses numerical ability, written English and spoken English.
Online Tests
After submitting the initial application, candidates will be invited to complete Stage 1 of the online testing process, which assesses basic judgement and numerical skills.
Successful candidates progress to Stage 2, the Values Based Assessment (VBA), which examines how well applicants demonstrate the values required for the role.
Candidates who successfully pass the VBA can progress to the Online Assessment Centre (OAC).
Candidates achieving a higher predetermined VBA score may be invited to the OAC sooner, depending on available assessment capacity. Those who meet the required pass mark but are not initially selected may remain under consideration and could receive an invitation later.
Candidates who were unsuccessful at Stage 2 within the previous six months can now reapply.
Merit Vacancy and Job Offers
This is a merit vacancy.
Candidates who successfully complete the Online Assessment Centre will be placed on a merit list according to their assessment score.
When positions become available, job offers will be made to candidates with the highest scores first.
Successful candidates can remain on the merit list for up to 12 months. After this period, they would need to apply again.
If an application is unsuccessful at the sift or assessment stage, a six-month waiting period applies before another application for a Prison Officer position can be submitted.
Operational Support Grade Opportunity
The Online Assessment Centre also assesses suitability for an Operational Support Grade (OSG) role.
If a candidate is unsuccessful for the Prison Officer position following the OAC, the Ministry of Justice may consider offering an alternative OSG position.
Travel and Transport
Some prison establishments have limited public transport options.
A driving licence and access to a vehicle can therefore be beneficial, although they are not an essential requirement unless specifically stated.
Shift start and finish times are fixed, so applicants should carefully consider how they will travel to HMP Winchester and arrive on time for each shift.
Nationality Requirements
The role is broadly open to eligible:
- UK nationals.
- Republic of Ireland nationals.
- Commonwealth nationals with the right to work in the UK.
- Eligible EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein nationals and qualifying family members with the relevant EUSS status or application.
- Individuals with limited or indefinite leave to remain who met the relevant EUSS eligibility requirements.
- Turkish nationals and certain family members who have acquired the right to work in the Civil Service.
Successful applicants must maintain the legal right to live and work in the UK and Civil Service.
Reasonable Adjustments and Disability Support
The Ministry of Justice is a Disability Confident employer and provides reasonable adjustment support during recruitment.
Candidates who require adjustments should request them during the application process. Applicants should arrange support before completing online tests or attending the Online Assessment Centre, as adjustments may not be possible on the day of an assessment.
Veterans
The Civil Service’s “Great Place to Work for Veterans” initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme for eligible former members of the Armed Forces who meet the required minimum criteria.
Application and Selection Process
Applications are submitted through the Ministry of Justice recruitment system.
Applicants should ensure that all information and examples provided are truthful and based on their own experience. The employer states that applications may be withdrawn where plagiarism or inappropriate use of AI-generated material is identified.
The job reference is 20628.
Closing Date
1 October 2026
Applicants are advised to complete the application and assessment stages as early as possible rather than waiting until the closing date.
How to Apply
Apply through the official Ministry of Justice vacancy page:
Prison Officer – HMP Winchester – Job Reference 20628
Source: Ministry of Justice / Civil Service Jobs.