Prison Officer - HMP Woodhill

Descriptions & requirements

Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working

23-Jul-2026

Location: Milton Keynes

Job ID: 19504

Prison officer - HMP Woodhill

Starting salary: £40,316 (for a 39 hour week including 20% unsocial)

City/Town: Milton Keynes

Region: South East

Vacancy type: Merit

Sponsorship is not guaranteed; applicants are responsible for ensuring they have, and can maintain, the appropriate right to work in the UK. Skilled Worker visa sponsorship may be available for this role, subject to eligibility and in line with UK Immigration Rules in force at the time of application. However, due to current immigration requirements and recruitment timescales, candidates who require Skilled Worker visa sponsorship are unlikely to be sponsored if applying to this campaign.

Due to the security status of this prison a Counter Terrorism Check (CTC vetting) will need to be undertaken. Proof that you have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years is needed to complete the CTC vetting process. Applicants who do not meet the residency requirement will not be able to take up the post at this prison.

Prison officers protect the public and help make an impact on prisoners' lives. If you have the integrity, skills and strength of character we're looking for, this fast paced role could be the start of a successful career. Our officers come from different walks of life; whether you're a parent, a teacher, have worked in retail, the armed forces, or just feel like a natural people person, you'll have the empathy, self confidence, great communication skills and resilience we want.

You will be required to work various shifts and some weekends. Some prison establishments are situated in rural locations with limited public transport options; a driving licence and own transport is beneficial but is not an essential requirement of the role (unless specified). Please carefully consider the location of this vacancy and your transport options before applying.

Eligibility & requirements

To become a prison officer, you will need to:

• be at least 18 years old at the point you commence employment
• meet the Civil Service Nationality requirements (see nationality requirements section below)
• pass a medical and fitness assessment as part of the application process
• meet the required eyesight standard in both eyes (with and without corrective lenses)
• have a suitable standard of hearing (without the use of hearing aids)
• tattoos must not be offensive, discriminatory, violent or intimidating; facial tattoos are generally not acceptable except for cultural, religious or medical reasons

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals and certain family members of Turkish nationals who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Essential skills

• Communication and influencing skills
• Commitment to quality
• Effective decision making
• Care and understanding

Pay

The initial training is 37 hours a week. After training, you can choose to work 37, 39 or 41 hours a week. Your annual salary will reflect your weekly hours.

• 37 hours a week = £38,428 a year
• 39 hours a week = £40,316 a year
• 41 hours a week = £42,834 a year

All salary figures quoted include any additional allowances applicable to the role/location.

Benefits

• 25 days' annual holiday (rising to 30 days after 10 years' service) paid time off for public holidays and 1 extra privilege day
• Civil Service pension with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Cycle to work scheme, travel loans and other benefits

Job details

Prisons operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including evenings, some nights, weekends and public holidays (added to your holiday allowance). Most prisons work with a changing shift pattern of 39 hours a week. You may also have opportunities to work additional paid hours.

During the recruitment process you will be assessed on the behaviours, strengths and abilities you need to become an effective prison officer. These include communicating and influencing, managing a quality service, caring, as well as numerical, written English and spoken English abilities.

Online Tests & Assessment

After completing your initial application, you will be invited to complete stage 1 of the online test to confirm basic judgement and numerical skills. Successful candidates progress to stage 2, a values based assessment. If you are successful, you will then be invited to an online assessment centre where we test your abilities, behaviours and strengths.

Security Checks

In addition to enhanced level 2 vetting, a Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) is required due to the security status of the establishment. Proof of 3-year UK residence is required.

Job offers and merit list

This is a merit vacancy. Successful candidates are added to a merit list based on their assessment centre score. The prison will make job offers to individuals with the highest scores when positions become available. The merit list remains valid for 12 months.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified, applications may be withdrawn.

Job Description Attachment

Band-3-PO-Safe-Decent-and-Secure-JD048-v8.0.pdf (Job Description Attachment)

Closing date: 23rd July 2026

Level of security checks required: Counter Terrorism Check (CTC)