Prison Custody Officer HMP Peterborough

Please note:

This role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route in line with current UK immigration rules.

SECURE THE PRESENT, SHAPE THE FUTURE - Transform Lives

as a Prison Custody Officer!

As a Prison Custody Officer, you’ll play a crucial role in maintaining safety, security, and order within our prison facilities. This is more than just a job - it’s a meaningful opportunity to support rehabilitation, ensure justice, and contribute to the wider community. Rehabilitation is at the heart of what we do - you will play a key role in helping individuals make positive changes while maintaining clear professional boundaries.

If you're pursuing a career with meaning, we welcome you to apply for the position of Prison Custody Officer at HMP Peterborough

HMP Peterborough is the UK’s first purpose‑built prison to house both men and women on the same site. With high levels of physical security, it provides needs‑led personal development services tailored to both populations. As a resettlement‑focused establishment, it offers a wide range of educational, vocational and behavioural programmes, alongside workshops, accredited training and employment opportunities that build practical skills for release. The site also includes dedicated healthcare, family services and faith facilities to support overall well‑being.

Sodexo has a culture built on three hallmarks: Be Positive, Be Courageous and Be the Difference. We encourage people to be positive by creating hope and respect in every interaction, to be courageous by safely challenging behaviours that don’t support a positive environment, and to be the difference by taking actions that improve outcomes for those we support.

By living these hallmarks each day, you help build routines, rituals and behaviours that show what good looks like. You recognise and encourage the right actions, and you lead with intention - knowing every moment of connection counts.

As part of the recruitment process, you will be invited to attend an assessment centre made up of three stages:

• Written English and maths assessments

• Scenario-based exercises

• Interview

We strongly encourage candidates to prepare in advance.

5 days Assessment Centre Date: Week commencing 13th of July

Please only apply if you are available to attend.

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What You'll Do

Your responsibilities will include:

• Maintaining a secure and disciplined prison environment

• Supervising daily routines, prisoner movements, and scheduled activities

• Escorting prisoners securely within and outside the facility

• Responding calmly and professionally to challenging or high-pressure situations

• Supporting rehabilitation initiatives and encouraging positive behaviours

• Building respectful, professional relationships with prisoners to promote a safer, more supportive atmosphere

Who We're Looking For

There’s no such thing as a typical prison officer. Our team is made up of people from all walks of life – whether you’re a parent, former teacher, retail worker, member of the armed forces, or simply someone who thrives on helping others.

Whatever your background, if you’re a natural people person with strong communication skills, self-confidence, empathy, and resilience, we want to hear from you.

You’ll be working with individuals who may be at the lowest point in their lives. No matter the challenge, you'll be expected to build constructive, positive, and professional relationships based on fairness, consistency, and respect.

You must also be comfortable enforcing rules, setting boundaries, and addressing challenging behaviour directly. You must be emotionally resilient and able to manage exposure to difficult behaviours, including verbal aggression and confrontation.

Teamwork Matters

Teamwork plays a vital role in this environment. You’ll need to be fully committed to supporting your colleagues and understand the importance of acting as one team to keep the prison safe – for staff, visitors, and prisoners alike.

You must be confident in calling for support when required and supporting colleagues during incidents. Trust, communication, and reliability are essential - your team will depend on you in high-pressure situations.

The Behaviours That Make a Great Officer

To thrive in this role, you’ll need to demonstrate:

• Calm Under Pressure

  – Manage high-stress or unpredictable situations with a level head

• Empathy & Respect

  – Treat everyone with dignity, regardless of their circumstances

• Strong Ethics

  – Maintain fairness, professionalism, and integrity at all times

• Resilience & Adaptability

  – Stay composed and effective, even when the job gets tough

• Effective Communication

  – Listen actively and speak clearly and confidently

• Conflict Resolution

  – Use de-escalation techniques to manage tension and disputes

• Teamwork

  – Collaborate closely with colleagues for the safety and success of all

• Vigilance

  – Remain observant, alert, and responsive to potential risks

Training and Development

You don’t need prior experience to apply. You’ll receive a comprehensive 8-week training programme, delivered locally, to fully prepare you for the role. This includes:

• Classroom and practical learning

• Conflict resolution and communication training

• Shadowing experienced officers

• Continued development and support throughout your career

• You will be required to pass and maintain Control & Restraint certification as part of your ongoing role

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for a position as a Prison Officer, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years of age

  at the time your employment begins

• Be able to work shifts, including nights, weekends, and bank holidays
• Be physically capable of performing control and restraint techniques, standing for long periods, walking significant distances, and responding quickly to incidents
• Confident communicating clearly in spoken and written English in challenging or high-pressure situations

• Tattoos are permitted

  , including those that are visible, but must not be offensive, discriminatory, violent, or intimidating.

• Facial tattoos are generally not allowed

  , except where they are for cultural, religious, or medical reasons

A Role That Offers More

This role provides opportunities for personal growth, career progression, and the satisfaction of knowing your work truly matters. You’ll witness change first-hand and play a key part in supporting rehabilitation and community safety.

What We Offer

• Starting salary £33,467.54 with annual increases over initial 5 years’ service 
• Free meals and parking 
• Access to our on-site gym and subsidised gym membership
• Opportunity to earn overtime (subject to availability)
• Comprehensive paid training and progression opportunities
• Life assurance 
• BUPA healthcare 
• Pension schemes and much more!

Please see the benefits guide attached which outlines all of Sodexo's excellent benefits!

Apply now to embark on this rewarding journey as a Prison Custody Officer

Interested in seeing what it’s like to work in one of our prisons? Click the link to learn more- Working in our prisons

Application

To move forward with your application, we’ll need to complete a pre-screening process within a few days of your submission. You’ll receive an email with instructions on how to do this - please be sure to check your junk or spam folder in case it lands there.

You will then be invited to participate in an assessment centre.

All offers are subject to full security clearance checks.

Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this position

For further guidance on visa eligibility and sponsorship criteria, please refer to the official UK Government website: www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.

About The Company

We're all about building a workplace for the future. We believe in equal opportunities and celebrate diversity. We’re an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be natural, and everyone can be the best versions of themselves.

File Downloads

• UK Rewards and Benefits Guide.pdf
• PCO JD General.docx