Job Description (JD)
Band 4
Group Profile - Prison Officer Specialist
(POS)
Job Description - POS: New Colleagues Mentor
Document Ref.
OR-JES-3015-JD-B4 : POS : New Colleagues Mentor v1.0
Document Type
Management
Version
1.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
5 April 2022
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
OR-JES-3015-JD-B4 : POS : New Colleagues Mentor v1.0
Job Description
Job Title
POS : New Colleagues Mentor
Group Profile
Prison Officer Specialist
Organisation Level
Delivery 3-4
Band
4
Overview of the job
The priority for the New Colleagues Mentor (NCM) role will be to support new
colleagues, particularly prison officers, who join their prison.
They will make sure new staff have the uniform and equipment needed before they
start and be a point of contact, advice, information, and moral support. They will
arrange and facilitate the first two weeks’ induction of prison officers and support
them once they have completed NOA foundation training. The Operational NCM role
will complement apprenticeship coaches.
The job holder is responsible for building relationships with new staff based on trust
and honesty. Meeting regularly with new staff to offer feedback and allow
opportunities for open discussion and problem solving. Acting as a mentor to the
new staff from pre-employment procedures and throughout their first 12 months in
post, and as an expert on-boarding and outreach resource for the Governor.
This is an operational job with no line management responsibilities.
May have some prisoner facing activities/duties.
Summary
The key objective of the role of New Colleagues Mentor is to ensure that new
recruits have a supportive and smooth onboarding experience into their new
working environment, providing ongoing guidance and support. As an effective
Mentor you will offer the possibility to commence the process of culture change
within the prison, instilling positivity and resilience in new recruits.
The NCM post holder will develop and oversee a prison-wide buddying scheme,
focused particularly on new prison officers. Mentoring/coaching skills are highly
desirable and successful candidates can be offered the opportunity as part of their
personal development to study for formal qualifications.
The job holder will provide support and advice to new staff in their first year within a
challenging environment ensuring high standards of professionalism, decency, safety
and security.
A key measurement for success in the role will be a noticeable uplift in new staff
retention.
The job holder will be required to be part of the outreach programme within the
local area and promote their establishment.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
Activities and Duties
and duties:
•
Act as a mentor to the new staff from pre-employment procedures and
throughout their first 12 months in post, and as an expert on-boarding and
outreach resource for the Governor.
•
To maintain contact with the individual as a point of contact and
information and helping them to prepare for their new role responding to
queries.
•
Facilitate a local buddy scheme, working with Invision where required, to
ensure all new colleagues have a buddy. Coordinate the induction and
OR-JES-3015-JD-B4 : POS : New Colleagues Mentor v1.0
training for new recruits by liaising with relevant teams ensuring
appropriate processes are in place. Ensure that induction timetables are set
and met.
•
Agree allocation of local peer mentors including briefings and any required
training and have this duty noted on their appraisal by their Manager.
•
Ensure arrangements are made to meet and welcome new colleagues on
their first day and after early residential foundation training.
•
Meet regularly with new staff to offer feedback and allow opportunities for
open discussion and problem solving. Building relationships with new staff.
•
Arrange regular new recruit forums to give an opportunity for discussion,
learning and sharing. Feeding back to establishments and prison managers
with regard to progression.
•
Support development plans for new entrants, ensuring development goals
are set and achieved. Encourage and facilitate self-directed learning in a
non-judgemental and risk-free relationship.
•
Create an open dialogue between Managers and new staff feeding back on
observations for Managers to hold one to one conversations.
•
Liaise and work with the People Hub and the Business Hub to ensure all
relevant tasks and actions for new recruits are processed efficiently and
accurately such as epaulettes, ID Cards, setting up of IT. Ensure uniforms for
operational staff have been ordered in time and are in place.
•
Work with colleagues and managers to ensure new colleagues feel
supported and valued by ensuring that support and signposting protocols
are made available as appropriate. Ensure that the needs of individual staff
are met by ensuring equality of opportunity and access.
•
Undertake other management/administrative tasks as required and
requested.
•
You may also be required to carry out duties in line with a qualified Prison
Officer Specialist.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not
intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable
alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant
adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall
be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.
An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium
of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.
Behaviours
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8. Need to be added
Ability
• Mentoring skills are desirable but not essential
• Strong organisational skills, planning and attention to detail
• Excellent communication skills
• Role model Prison Officer with credibility gained from working effectively in
establishments
• Able user of MS Word and MS Excel
Experience
• Must be competent in custodial procedures, including dynamic risk assessments
• Significant knowledge and experience of working in public sector prions
• Information collation and analysis
• Able to deal effectively and assertively with staff at all levels.
OR-JES-3015-JD-B4 : POS : New Colleagues Mentor v1.0
Technical
• Successful completion of POELT and probation period
• Must have Custodial Care National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) 3
• Must be trained in restraint techniques
Minimum Eligibility
Please do not alter this box
• All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.
• All external candidates are subject to 6 months’ probation. Internal candidates are
subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within
HMPPS.
• All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or
organisation which HMPPS consider to be racist.
• All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post
Hours of Work
37 hour working week (standard).
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
HMPPS Staff on closed pay structures only
Additional Conditioned Hours Pensionable (ACHP)
Staff moving from a closed 39 hour pay structure will be eligible for the two
protected pensionable additional committed hours (ACHP). They will work a 39 hour
week consisting of the standard 37 hour week and a further 2 additional hours
(ACHP) paid at plain time pensionable rate.
Unsocial Hours Working
This role requires working regular unsocial hours and a 17% payment will be paid in
addition to your basic pay to recognise this. Unsocial hours are those hours outside
0700 - 1900hrs Monday to Friday and include working evenings, nights, weekends
and Bank/Public holidays.
OR-JES-3015-JD-B4 : POS : New Colleagues Mentor v1.0
Success Profile
Strengths
Behaviours
It is advised strengths are
Ability
Experience
Technical
chosen locally,
recommended 4-8.
Delivering at Pace
Mentoring skills are
Must be competent in custodial
Successful completion of POELT and
desirable but not
procedures, including dynamic risk
probation period
essential
assessments
Leadership
Strong organisational
Significant knowledge and
Must have Custodial Care National
skills, planning and
experience of working in public
Vocational Qualification (NVQ) 3
attention to detail
sector prions
Communicating and Influencing
Excellent communication Information collation and analysis
Must be trained in restraint techniques
skills
Working Together
Role model Prison
Able to deal effectively and
Officer with credibility
assertively with staff at all levels
gained from working
effectively in
establishments
Managing a Quality Service
Able user of MS Word
and MS Excel
OR-JES-3015-JD-B4 : POS : New Colleagues Mentor v1.0