Prison Officer

Prison Officer – HMP Huntercombe

Employer: HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS)
Salary: £36,428–£40,834 per year, depending on weekly hours
Location: HMP Huntercombe, Nuffield, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 5SB
Contract: Permanent
Job type: Operational Delivery
Working pattern: Full-time, part-time, flexible working and job share
Number of vacancies: 20
Job grade: Administrative Officer
Reference number: 473844
Closing date: 12 November 2026, at 11:55 pm

Visa sponsorship: Skilled Worker visa sponsorship may be available, subject to eligibility and the UK Immigration Rules. However, HMPPS states that candidates requiring sponsorship are unlikely to be sponsored for this recruitment campaign. 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 Huntercombe in South East England.

Prison officers help protect the public, maintain safety and security, and support prisoners in making positive changes to their lives. The role involves building professional relationships, managing challenging situations and working closely with colleagues in a demanding environment.

You do not need a specific qualification or previous prison service experience to apply. The employer values communication, empathy, resilience, sound judgement and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.

Salary and Working Hours

The salary depends on your contracted weekly hours:

• 37 hours per week: £36,428 per year
• 39 hours per week: £38,316 per year
• 41 hours per week: £40,834 per year

Initial training is 37 hours per week. After training, you can choose from the available 37-, 39- or 41-hour working patterns.

The advertised salaries include applicable additional allowances. Opportunities to work extra paid hours may also be available.

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

Key Responsibilities

As a Prison Officer, your responsibilities will include:

• Maintaining safety, security and order within the prison.
• Building constructive, positive and professional relationships with prisoners.
• Communicating effectively and influencing behaviour where appropriate.
• Making sound decisions in challenging situations.
• Supporting prisoners while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to keep prisoners, staff and visitors safe.
• Providing a consistent and respectful approach to daily prison operations.

Essential Skills and Qualities

You do not need formal qualifications to become a Prison Officer. However, you must demonstrate:

• Effective communication and influencing skills.
• A commitment to delivering a quality service.
• The ability to make effective decisions.
• Care, understanding and empathy.
• Resilience, integrity and self-confidence.
• The ability to work as part of a team in a demanding environment.

You must also be at least 18 years old when you start employment and meet the relevant Civil Service nationality requirements.

Eligibility Requirements

Successful applicants must meet the role’s medical, fitness, eyesight and hearing standards.

Additional requirements include:

• Passing the required medical and fitness assessments.
• Meeting the eyesight standard in both eyes, with and without corrective lenses.
• Meeting the required hearing standard without hearing aids.
• Complying with the employer’s tattoo policy. Visible tattoos are permitted, but offensive, discriminatory, violent or intimidating tattoos are not acceptable. Facial tattoos are generally not accepted, subject to specified cultural, religious or medical exceptions.
• Meeting the relevant nationality and right-to-work requirements.

For this vacancy, the advert states that applicants must have been resident in the UK for the last three years to work in a high-security Category A prison.

A driving licence and personal transport may be beneficial because of the prison’s location and shift times, but they are not essential requirements unless otherwise specified. Applicants should consider transport arrangements carefully because shift start and finish times are fixed.

Training and Assessment Process

The recruitment process includes online tests and an online assessment centre.

Stage 1: Initial online test

You will complete an online test assessing basic judgement and numerical skills.

Stage 2: Values-Based Assessment

If successful, you will be invited to complete a values-based assessment designed to evaluate the qualities needed to work effectively as a Prison Officer.

Stage 3: Online Assessment Centre

Candidates who meet the required assessment criteria may be invited to an online assessment centre. This assesses the behaviours, strengths and abilities required for the role.

Assessment invitations may depend on available capacity and candidates’ scores. Applicants who meet the required pass mark but are not invited immediately may remain under consideration for a later assessment.

Candidates who were unsuccessful at the second online test during the previous six months may now reapply.

Medical and fitness assessment

Once a suitable vacancy is identified, successful candidates will be invited to complete medical and fitness checks, including eyesight, hearing and basic health screening.

Medical and fitness assessments cannot be arranged outside the UK. Applicants must attend a UK-based assessment centre to progress.

Merit List and Job Offers

This is a merit-based vacancy. Candidates who pass the online assessment centre will be placed on a merit list according to their scores.

Job offers will be made to the highest-scoring candidates as positions become available. Candidates may remain on the merit list for up to 12 months.

If you are unsuccessful at the sift or assessment stage, a six-month waiting period will apply before you can submit another application for a Prison Officer position.

The assessment centre may also identify candidates suitable for an Operational Support Grade (OSG) position. If you are unsuccessful for the Prison Officer role, you may be offered an alternative OSG role.

Benefits

The role offers a range of Civil Service benefits, including:

• 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days after 10 years of service.
• Paid time off for public holidays.
• One additional privilege day.
• Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• Cycle-to-work scheme.
• Travel loans and other employee benefits.
• Potential opportunities to work additional paid hours.

Right to Work and Visa Sponsorship

Skilled Worker visa sponsorship is not guaranteed for this campaign. Although sponsorship may be available subject to eligibility and current immigration rules, the employer specifically warns that applicants who require sponsorship are unlikely to be sponsored for this recruitment round.

Applicants should review the eligibility requirements carefully and confirm their right to work in the UK before applying.

Application and Selection Process

To apply, complete the application through the official HM Prison & Probation Service recruitment website.

Closing date: 12 November 2026 at 11:55 pm.

Applicants should ensure they meet the eligibility requirements and are prepared to complete the online tests, assessment centre and subsequent medical and fitness checks.

For recruitment enquiries, contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team on 0345 241 5358 or email Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com. Quote job reference 20656 when making an enquiry.

Important Information

Successful candidates must undergo an enhanced criminal record check and the relevant security checks. The role also requires confidence in fulfilling the spoken aspects of the job in English or, where specified in Wales, Welsh.

All application examples and statements must be truthful and based on your own experience.

Apply before 12 November 2026 to be considered for the Prison Officer vacancies at HMP Huntercombe.