Mentoring Prison Officer

Reports to	Regional Manager/Head of Region
Location	North and South regions
Contract	Fixed term
Start date	Monday 4th August 2025
End date	October 2026
Closing date for applications	14th March 2025
Grade	Band 5 role in Learning and Development (HMPPS will remain your employer)

About Unlocked

Unlocked Graduates exists to break cycles of reoffending. Currently, prison is not able to do this, and over 50% of prisoners released from short-term sentences reoffend within a year. This reoffending costs the UK taxpayer over £18bn every year. We believe the transformative relationships between prison officers and prisoners are key to creating a rehabilitative environment in prisons. 

Since 2016, Unlocked has been inspiring ambitious graduates to become outstanding prison officers and high-performing leaders, breaking cycles of reoffending in prisons and throughout society. Our award-winning, two-year graduate leadership development programme is creating a generation of leaders who believe that rehabilitation is possible. In 2024, we launched Unlocked ChangeMakers, a leadership development programme for custodial managers that aims to transform the quality of middle leaders in prisons. 

Unlocked’s leadership development programmes have put the prison officer role on the map as a career where people can develop extraordinary leadership skills whilst making a real difference. We have raised the status of the role, and Unlocked’s graduate programme features in the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers list.

The Role

Mentoring Prison Officers (MPOs) are one of the most important aspects of the Unlocked Graduates programme. You’ll typically work with 20-25 new officers in two or three prisons, spending one or two days a week in each establishment. You will support groups of participants from day one of their training until the end of their two years, coaching them on everything from prison procedures to career opportunities. You remain an operational member of staff, but you will not carry out operational duties as part of the MPO role.

During a typical week, you will run regular bespoke training, fortnightly group supervisions and fortnightly 1-to-1 coaching/mentoring sessions with the participants. These take place within their establishments, helping to develop them into exceptional prison officers and leaders. You’ll record and monitor their progress, working with managers and Governors in the prisons to get a full picture of your graduates’ performance. Other MPOs and your line manager will support your decision making and planning.

We prioritise your professional development. One day a week is spent with your line manager and MPO team receiving training which includes working towards a coaching qualification (Level 5 equivalent); adult facilitation training; group supervision; updates from Head Office staff on the programme and its developments and external training opportunities.

You will not be required to work nights or weekends as part of the MPO role. You will be paid as a Band 5 and continue to receive any unsociable hours allowances.

Location

The North Region consists of 4 sub regions which are: North West, Yorkshire and Humberside, North-East of Wales and West Midlands.

The South Region consists of 4 sub regions which are; Greater London, South Central, East of England and Kent and Sussex.

How to Apply

For more information about the role and how to apply, please follow this link to the application page.

The closing date for applications is 14th March 2025.