1. Careers within the Prison Service National Offender Management Service
Karen Mulliner
Regional HR Business Partner
West Midlands

2. Principles - NOMS Values
How we manage
In delivering offender management services, we will:
Be objective and take full account of public protection when assessing risk
Be open, honest and transparent
Incorporate equality and diversity in all we do
Value, empower and support staff, and work collaboratively with others
Treat offenders with decency and respect
Embrace change, innovation and local empowerment
Use our resources in the most effective way, focusing on outcomes and delivering value for money for the taxpayer

3. Background
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) was formed in 2008, bringing together Her Majesty’s Prison Service (HMPS) and the National Probation Service (NPS).
NOMS works to protect the public and reduce reoffending by delivering the order of the courts.
NOMS now delivers offender services through 4 channels;
NPS – For community elements of an offender’s sentence.
HMPS – 109 Public Sector Prisons provide custodial services.
Private Prisons – 14 Prisons managed under contracts commissioned by NOMS.
Partnerships – Commissioned work with Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), Education Providers etc.

4. Background Types of Prison
High Security – House Category A prisoners that would pose the most threat to the public, the police or national security should they escape.
Core Local Prisons – House Category B prisoners, taking them directly from the courts either sentenced or remand.
Training Prisons – House Category C prisoners and provide them with opportunities for developing skills to enable them to secure work on release.
Open prisons – House Category D prisoners who will often spend their day away from the prison carrying out work whilst on licence.
Female Prisons – unless classed as category A, female offenders are unclassified and either held in open or closed conditions
Young Offenders Institutes – as with females they are unclassified unless they are deemed to be required to be held in category A conditions.
Juvenile – operated in partnership with the Youth Justice Board and house prisoners aged 15-18

5. Care & Separation
Operations
Security
Programmes
Offender Management
Drug Treatment
Activities
Residential
Induction
First Night
Reception

6. Operational Roles Careers Band 4 Specialist/ Supervising Officer
Custodial Manager
Band 7/8
Functional Head
Band 8/9
Deputy Governor
Band 10/11
Governor
Band 2
OSG
Band 3
Officer

7. Non - Operational Roles
Careers
Non - Operational Roles
We have a variety of roles at different grades that cover a range of areas or specialisms within the prison. Some of our non-operational functions are provided on a regional basis.
Administration Hubs
Instructional Officers
Interventions/Psychology
Human Resources
Finance
Health &Safety
Industries/Activities

8. How we recruit
As an agency of the Civil Service our recruitment has to be in line with the principles of Civil Service resourcing.
Certain roles only become available externally once all internal routes have been attempted and there is no successful applicant.
Graduate schemes and Prison Officer recruitment are available to apply for externally.
We use competency based in interviews and assessment centres as our recruitment method.

9. How we recruit – Prison Officers

10. How we recruit – Competency Based Interviews
The competency based approach is more systematic, with questions targeting a specific skill or competence.
Candidates are asked questions about their behaviour in certain circumstances which they need to back up with examples.
At interview, the panel will probe into the examples to get explanations for the behaviour/skill demonstrated.
The interviewer is interested in you and your suitability for the role. When providing an example it is therefore important to demonstrate what you personally did in that situation.
NOMS uses the Civil Service Competency Framework

11. www.nomsjobs.com www.justice.gov.uk Current recruitment
Graduate Scheme
Now closed for applications for 2015 intake
Prison Officers
Currently open for applications (certain prisons only). Closes 23:59 on 27th February 2015