Job Description (JD)
Band 4
Group Profile - Supervising Officer (SO)
Job Description - SO: Safe Decent and Secure
Document Ref.
OR-JES-268-JD-B4 : SO : Safe Decent and Secure
Document Type
Management
Version
10.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
17/04/2025
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
OR-JES-268-JD-B4 : SO : Safe Decent and Secure v10.0
Job Description
Job Title
SO : Safe Decent and Secure
Group Profile
Supervising Officer
Organisation Level
Delivery
Band
4
Overview of the job
This is an operational job in an establishment.
All staff have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The
post holder must undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for
ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the
organisation.
Summary
The job holder will provide day-to-day supervision and support for Prison Officers and
Operational Support Grades (OSG), co-ordinating the delivery of the regime and
activities within a Residential Unit in an establishment.
The job holder will co-ordinate initial staff response until a Custodial Manager is in
attendance.
The job holder will undertake Regime Officer duties via the establishment's rota and
may be required on a rotational basis to be responsible for the establishment during
the night period. This requirement will be based upon local risk assessment and
establishment complexity.
This is an operational job with no line management responsibilities; however they
will have supervisory responsibilities for staff.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
Activities and Duties
and duties:
• Supervise and support staff during prisoner activities; including exercise and
association.
• Supervise the locking and unlocking of prisoners.
• Supervise the Personal Officer strategy, ensuring completion of reports on
prisoners as requested, within time limits set, which contribute to sentence
planning and prisoner progress.
• Encourage staff to promote responsible and respectful behaviour in prisoners.
• Receive and progress applications and complaints.
• Supervise the updating and maintenance of prisoner records.
• Supervise the completion of accommodation fabric checks.
• Supervise the completion of all administration in support of main duties including
ordering cleaning materials and completing regime monitoring.
If Residential Unit is used as First Night/Induction accommodation the following will
also be part of this job:
• Supervise and co-ordinate all staff that work within the First Night Centre/
Induction ensuring all procedures are adhered to.
• Supervise and check that all prisoners receive the First Night initial needs
assessment.
• Supervise and check all prisoners located on the wing/unit and received from
Reception are provided with their basic entitlements.
• Supervise and coordinate the local systems which are in place for all prisoners to
speak to a Listener and Peer Support prisoner.
OR-JES-268-JD-B4 : SO : Safe Decent and Secure v10.0
• Supervise and check all paperwork has been completed e.g. initial assessments
of prisoners from Reception are logged on the prisoner database and approved
Cell Sharing Risk Assessment (CSRA).
• Supervise delivery of the induction programme so that no prisoner is moved
before they have completed all elements.
If Residential Unit is used as Care and Separation Unit (CASU) accommodation the
following will also be part of this job:
• Supervise officers to ensure that Care and Separation Unit is cleaned and
maintained to a high standard and that checks are completed.
• Support and assist adjudications and the processes involved.
• Supervise, co-ordinate and check that adjudication results have been recorded.
• Support the Fast track appeals for adjudications.
• Supervise and advise staff on the adjudications process and check all adjudication
paperwork is correct including any relevant evidence available.
• Supervise and monitor the content of any Care Plans, Case Notes and
Observation book entries and Rule 45.
• Supervise and co-ordinate the escorting of prisoners to the adjudication room
and supervise during the hearing.
• Supervise and co-ordinate completed adjudication paperwork forwarding to
relevant departments for information and updating the prisoner database.
• Supervise and co-ordinate referrals for the Independent Adjudicator.
• Supervise and co-ordinate staff to deal with prisoners on dirty protest as and
when applicable.
• Supervise and ensure correct observation levels and records of hourly checks of
all prisoners awarded cellular confinement is undertaken by unit staff.
• Co-ordinate Control and Restraint paperwork after incident, including supporting
staff and attending any necessary de-briefs.
• Coordinate and ensure completion of all observation paperwork regarding special
accommodation mechanical restraints and dirty protests.
• Co-ordinate mandatory Drug Test referrals with the relevant department/
agencies.
Undertake other Supervisory tasks including:
• Supervise all staff within their area of responsibility ensuring they are briefed on
the work for the day.
• Prepare and deliver team briefings and handovers as appropriate.
• Supervise and prioritise activities in-line with local procedures ensuring
workload/regime is delivered escalating issues to Custodial Manager when
required.
• Promotes Prison Service policy in all activities and behaviours by promoting
diversity, decency, safety and reducing re-offending agendas.
• Supervise and support Prison Officers and other staff when dealing with prisoner
applications and other issues raised by prisoners.
• Supervise and support Prison Officers with actions arising from Standard Audit,
Her Majesty Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) Action Plans, Managing Quality of
Prison Life (MQPL) surveys including local self-audit action plan.
• Co-ordinate any paperwork for the Incentive and Earned Privileges (IEP) scheme,
completing relevant documentation for submission to Custodial Manager.
• Support and create a safe working environment for staff, prisoners and visitors by
adhering to Health and Safety legislation, ensuring Safe Systems of Work (SSOW)
and Risk Assessments are followed reporting incidents to Custodial Manager
• Coach and mentor staff including new recruits and arrange for other staff to
provide mentoring support as required Prison Officer Entry Level Training
(POELTs) and new graduates.
• Co-ordinate and collate data concerning their area of work.
• Co-ordinate initial staff response at the scene of an incident until a Custodial
Manager is present.
• Contribute to the development and application of local policy, procedures and
practice.
OR-JES-268-JD-B4 : SO : Safe Decent and Secure v10.0
• Contribute to staff appraisals by providing relevant performance information to
line managers.
• Allocate daily staff resources to activity within their Unit where appropriate.
• Manage a caseload of Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) within
their work area.
• Discharging prisoners subject to local Risk Assessment.
• Carry out checks as required e.g. Cell Sharing Risk Assessment (CSRA), Incentives
and Earned Privileges (IEP).
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.
Essential Experience
• Must be competent in custodial procedures, including dynamic risk
assessments.
Technical
• Successful completion of POELT and probation period.
Requirements
• Must have Custodial Care National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) 3.
• Must be trained in restraint techniques.
• When transferring to a Young Persons establishment the job holder will be
required to successfully undertake an assessment to demonstrate suitability to
work with Young People.
Ability
Minimum Eligibility
• 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.
OR-JES-268-JD-B4 : SO : Safe Decent and Secure v10.0
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.
To be used by the JES Team only
OR-JES-268-JD-B4 : SO : Safe Decent and Secure v10.0
Success Profile
Strengths
Behaviours
It is advised strengths
Ability
Experience
Technical
are chosen locally,
recommended 4-8
Delivering at Pace
Must be competent in custodial
Successful completion of POELT and
procedures, including dynamic
probation period.
risk assessments.
Leadership
Must have Custodial Care National
Vocational Qualification (NVQ) 3.
Communicating and Influencing
Must be trained in restraint techniques.
Working Together
When transferring to a Young Persons
establishment the job holder will be
required to successfully undertake an
assessment to demonstrate suitability to
work with Young People.
Managing a Quality Service
OR-JES-268-JD-B4 : SO : Safe Decent and Secure v10.0