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| Filling Prison Officer Vacancies |
(Non-Specialist/Not Principal or Senior Officer)
Area Managers/Governing Governors must decide whether Prison Officer vacancies are to be filled through external recruitment or by advertising for level transfer. They may also decide to use the internal conversion programme for Prison Service staff wishing to become Prison Officers.
Internal transfer of prison officers from establishments with staff recruitment and retention problems can at times exacerbate staffing difficulties in some establishments and areas, creating additional pressures on other staff and affecting the ability of Governing Governors to maintain effective regimes.
The decision should it be decided to advertise internally should be based on operational requirements or priorities at any given time such as:
- The need for a reasonable balance of experienced officers, particularly where it is necessary to open up new prisoner accommodation
- The need for a suitable and appropriate mix of experience and competence to support change in an establishment's role or key changes to regimes
- Where recourse to external recruitment has failed to provide sufficient suitable candidates to fill existing or projected vacancies
If external recruitment is deemed the most appropriate option guidance on arrangements and procedures can be found on the external recruitment intranet site.
Area Managers may decide to advertise for voluntary transfer at a local or area level. If they wish to advertise at a national level agreement must be sought from the Operational Director or DDG.
Transfers may be advertised:
- locally within their area
- in adjacent or specified areas
- in specified prisons or in the local or relevant areas concerned
- nationally throughout the Service
Minimum Posting Periods:
Governors may wish to stipulate a minimum posting period in regard to level transfer advertisements. The minimum posting period must be of reasonable length (not exceeding two years unless authorised by the relevant Director) and valid for the post it must also be specified on the recruitment information sheet and covering letter.
In the case of staff moving home on a full public interest transfer (PIT) a further expenses paid transfer is not normally granted within three years.
A transfer restriction does not apply to an application for promotion and may be waived in compassionate circumstances supported by line management and/or Staff Care and Welfare. Documentary evidence should be provided where appropriate. Governing Governors should consider all applications for compassionate transfer on their individual merits taking into account
- the strength of the compassionate circumstances
- the operational and business needs of both establishments
- the availability of a suitable vacancy
- that the individual fully meets the skills and competences needed for the post
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