Regional Employment Broker (Ref: 17306)

Role overview

This opportunity sits within HM Prison and Probation Service, supporting the New Futures Network in the Reducing Reoffending Directorate. The post is focused on building employer relationships that help create sustainable work routes for people in prison and for those leaving custody.

The role can be based across a wide range of prison and justice locations in the South East and Eastern area, including: Eastern Area Stirling House, Newmarket; HM Prison & YOI Warren Hill, Woodbridge; HM Prison Bure; HM Prison Chelmsford; HM Prison Coldingley, Woking; HM Prison Cookham Wood, Rochester; HM Prison Elmley, Sheerness; HM Prison Ford, Arundel; HM Prison Highpoint, Newmarket; HM Prison Hollesley Bay, Woodbridge; HM Prison Littlehey, Huntingdon; HM Prison Maidstone; HM Prison Norwich; HM Prison Rochester; HM Prison Standford Hill, Sheerness; HM Prison The Mount - Work Complex, Bovingdon; HM Prison Wayland, Thetford; HMP Bedford; HMYOI Lewes; MOJ JCC Brighton Lancaster House; and MOJ JCC Ipswich Peninsular House.

About the team

The New Futures Network is the specialist part of HMPPS that works with employers and prisons across England and Wales. Its purpose is to help prisons build the systems, relationships, and infrastructure that improve employment outcomes for prison leavers. The wider aim is to support stable employment, which is linked to better outcomes for people with convictions, their families, and their communities, and is an important part of the government approach to reducing reoffending.

What the role involves

The Regional Employment Broker for the South East and Eastern Area will lead employer engagement across the region and hold sole responsibility for this activity in the area. The postholder will use employer partnerships to support outcomes through employment on release, commercial workshops, and release on temporary licence.

Working across prisons in the South East and Eastern regions, including women’s prisons in the area, the successful candidate will develop and maintain relationships with governors, prison group directors, prison employment leads, and local and regional employers. A key part of the job is identifying and approaching businesses in growth sectors, using labour market insight together with information from prison employment leads to target the most suitable employers.

The postholder will act as a trusted link between employers and prisons, helping shape opportunities that meet business needs while also improving employment outcomes for prisoners. The role reports into the central NFN team and involves close working with the South East and Eastern group.

Responsibilities

The work is not limited to the points below and may change where reasonable to meet operational needs.

• Develop employer partnerships that create long-term employment pathways for prisoners.
• Take full ownership of employer engagement activity across the South East and Eastern area.
• Use relationships with employers to support employment on release, commercial workshop activity, and release on temporary licence.
• Build strong working relationships with governors, prison group directors, prison employment leads, and other key stakeholders.
• Identify and engage employers in priority and growth sectors using labour market intelligence and local prison insight.
• Represent the role of prisons to employers and act as a credible broker between the two sides.
• Shape opportunities that balance commercial requirements with meaningful employment outcomes.
• Work closely with the central NFN team and the South East and Eastern group to deliver impact.

Behaviours assessed

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

Candidate profile

The successful candidate will need experience in employer engagement, the confidence to influence effectively, and the ability to operate at senior level. These capabilities are particularly important in a region with a wide range of stakeholders and strategic priorities.

Selection process

The vacancy uses Success Profiles and will assess behaviours and strengths. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Candidates must be prepared for reasonable changes to duties and additional tasks of a similar level where required.

Security and checks

Successful applicants must complete a criminal record check. People working with government assets must also complete baseline personnel security standard checks.

Nationality and eligibility

This role is broadly open to UK nationals, Irish nationals, Commonwealth nationals with the right to work in the UK, eligible EU/Swiss/Norway/Iceland/Liechtenstein nationals and certain family members with settled or pre-settled status or a valid application under EUSS, those with limited or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020, and Turkish nationals and certain family members who have gained the right to work in the Civil Service.

Equal opportunities and inclusion

The Civil Service recruits on merit through fair and open competition. It supports diversity and equal opportunity, including a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria. The role is also part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative, and applications are welcomed from people who have recently left prison or who have an unspent conviction.

Benefits

In addition to a salary of £57,398, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £16,628 towards membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. The employer contribution to the Civil Service pension is 28.97%.

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports flexible working options to improve work-life balance
• An inclusive working culture that encourages diversity
• Annual leave
• Public holidays
• Season ticket advance

Information session

An online information session is scheduled for Thursday 9 July from 12:00pm to 1:00pm on Microsoft Teams for candidates who want to learn more about the role and ask questions. Meeting ID: 379 843 704 655 859. Passcode: Wi7Dm76y.

Application guidance

Artificial intelligence may be used as a support tool, but every example and statement in the application must be truthful, factually accurate, and taken from the applicant’s own experience. Applications may be withdrawn if plagiarism or unsupported AI-generated content is identified, and internal candidates may face disciplinary action.

Contact information

Job contact: SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team. Email: moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk. Telephone: 0345 241 5358. Recruitment team email: moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk.

Further information

Appointments to the Civil Service are governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If a department is believed to have breached these principles, the first point of contact is SSCL. If the role was advertised externally and the response is unsatisfactory, a complaint may be raised with the Civil Service Commission. The advert also notes that once the vacancy closes, it will no longer be available.