Ministry of Justice UK
22786 - Waste Management & Recycling - Non vocational Instructor (NVI)

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Job Description
Job Description
The postholder will work as part of an established team, responsible for supervising prisoners employed in our waste recycling unit. Our waste management team collect, sort and recycle waste on site, supporting environmental and sustainability objectives.
Instructors also have an important role in helping prisoners to develop industry relevant knowledge and skills.
This is a physical job role which involves working outdoors all year round. The role also involves operating industrial machinery and vehicles such as forklifts and tractors. Full training and PPE will be provided.
Overview of the Job
This is a non-operational job in an establishment.
The job holder will be responsible for providing supervision to prisoners in the waste management and recycling environments within an establishment. They will be required to transfer knowledge and skills to prisoners to ensure safe and effective waste collection and appropriate disposal.
Some waste management units (WMU) deliver qualifications (or training to an equivalent level). This work will be delivered by a Specialist Production Instructor (SPI) and not be undertaken by the job holder. Advising the establishment on waste/recycling practices, legislation and disposal, as well as compliance with the Circular Economy and Data Submissions, should also be completed by the SPI.
Prisoners working towards a qualification in this area will be assessed by Specialist Production Instructors. However, the job holder may be required to input supportive statements into assessments.
Although this is a non-operational job in an establishment with no line management responsibilities, the job holder will have workshop and prisoner management responsibilities. This is a non-rotational role.
Summary
The job holder will be able to brief prisoners within the Waste Management Unit on what is required of them. They will be expected to build effective, appropriate and supportive relationships with the prisoner workforce through managing them in a proactive manner and promoting the decency agenda.
Contributes to sentence planning and reducing reoffending. Applies safer custody practices and complies with national and local security standards. Responsible for high level of security, good order and hygiene within workshops areas.
Responsibilities, Activities and Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
- Supervise and escort prisoners to collect, process and dispose of waste/recycling from all areas inside the establishment. Comply with all Health and Safety policies, procedures and legislation to ensure a safe working environment.
- Accurately record all waste removed from site, including weight, cost, and revenue. Contribute to control measures for restricted waste and shredding of confidential waste.
- Monitor, maintain, and account for all workshop tools, equipment, and raw materials, ensuring safety and security at all times.
- Open and manage the workshop area, issue tools, supervise and escort prisoner work parties, and oversee the quality of their work in line with local procedures.
- Participate in the selection, induction, and training of prisoners for the workshop, covering health and safety, COSHH, machinery and tool usage, WMU objectives, workshop discipline, manual handling, and PPE.
- Provide tailored support, learning, and training to prisoners, set work schedules, and manage targets and quality standards.
- Supervise and control prisoners to ensure their safety, security, motivation, discipline, appraisal, and development, including conducting searches as required.
- Contribute to prisoner reports, parole and sentence planning, and complete relevant documentation such as ACCTs, SIRs, IEPs, regime monitoring, training records and Progress books/trackers.
- Manage workshop resources by requesting materials, maintaining stock levels, logging attendance, approving prisoner hours and wages, and providing administrative support including liaison with contractors.
- Maintain effective communication and security by operating radio equipment, supporting local contingency plans, escorting technical contractors, acting as banksman, and driving estates vehicles and plant equipment as required.
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The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.
An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.
Behaviours
- Developing Self & Others
- Communicating & Influencing
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
- Seeing the Bigger Picture
Experience
- May have completed manual handling, basic security awareness and be trained in break-away techniques.
Technical Requirements
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of the Waste Hierarchy
- Understand what Waste Permits and Exemptions are
- Will comply with the relevant Health & Safety policies and regulations such as COSHH.
Ability
- IT Skills
- Basic Maths
- Basic English
Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances
37 hour working week (standard).
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.


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If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.
The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.
Benefits
Annual Leave
- The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.
Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays
- You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment
Pension
- The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Work Life Balance
HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ
Season Ticket Advance
- After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work
Childcare Vouchers
For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
Training
HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes
- There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts
- All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles
Eligibility
- All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post
- All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS
- All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
- To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk);
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management
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