A prison leader wants to inspire others from Essex to apply for an exclusive new programme to find and recruit the next generation of talented prison leaders.
His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has today launched the Future Prison Leaders Programme. The three-year programme aims to recruit 35 talented individuals from diverse backgrounds to help shape the future of the prison service. It offers a
clear career pathway leading to a senior leadership position in prisons. But only the best will make the final cohort if they can negotiate a selection process that’ll be as tough as the role itself.
If you can make it through, you’ll have the unique chance to shape the future of our prisons, lead with vision and play a key role in revolutionizing rehabilitation and reducing reoffending.
Katie Lawley, 33, is now the Lead for Drug Strategy Leads and Recovery Environments within HMPPS’s Rehabilitation Directorate. But her prison career started as an administration worker at HMP Hollesley Bay in Suffolk, after graduating from the University of
Suffolk in 2013 with a degree in Psychology and Criminology.
While at university, she volunteered with the charity Catch 22, working with young people and adults providing intervention, rehabilitation and victim services in prison and in the community.
She successfully applied to a prison graduate scheme in 2015 and first worked as a prison officer at HMP Highpoint in Suffolk, working her way up the ranks, and working in four head of function roles, as well as working in the Prison Group Director’s office.
Working in a drug treatment wing as a prison officer had ignited her interest in helping prisoners with substance dependency, and she now leads on this work across the whole prison estate.
Katie says:
“The leadership programme I did gave me all the experience I needed in different types of roles and prisons and in management to succeed in the prison service. There are no two ways about it – if I hadn’t done the scheme, I wouldn’t be sitting where I am
now leading drug and alcohol strategy across all prisons.
“When I first started it was daunting, and progressing to quite a senior level at a young age was a challenge – I was often in charge of people old enough to be my parents.
“As long as you’re resilient and eager to learn, it is a leadership role that gives you the ultimate challenge while knowing you’re making a real difference. I’ve worked with some incredibly inspirational women in the prison service.
“My ambition has always been to be a prison governor and I’ve never lost sight of that. My plan is still to go back into an operational role as a governor one day.
“My current role has great influence across the service, but I’m still excited by the prospect of improving parts of a prison and changing it for the greater good.
“To apply for this scheme, you need to be interested in people and be able to communicate well. You need to be hardworking and driven – having that drive has helped me to progress, and you must always be thinking of the next step and be like a sponge, absorbing
knowledge and information from other people.”
Successful candidates will serve as prison officers learning the full range of operational duties on the wings. Before progressing to Custodial Manager in year two, when they’ll manage a team of prison officers, and then a Head of Function management role in
year three, taking responsibility across a whole prison in areas such as security, operations, drug strategy, residency and staffing.
Upon completion, participants will be prepared to undertake assessments to become a Deputy Governor, responsible for hundreds of staff and prisoners, depending on the prison you work in.
Lord Timpson OBE, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, says:
“This is a leadership role like no other and we’re looking for the best people to create the next generation of leaders to transform our prison system.
“Prison staff play a vital role in keeping the public safe and helping us to reduce reoffending. This critical work means it is vital that we find extraordinary, resilient individuals who want to join a challenging but rewarding working environment and make
a difference.”
To apply, you need people management experience or a degree. You need to be able to motivate staff and lead from the front, have great communication skills, to be analytical, make decisions and have the ability to think on your feet.
Key features of the programme include bespoke learning and development, a clear progression pathway to senior leadership, operational experience, line management responsibilities and a competitive starting salary and benefits.
If you’re motivated by a desire to make an impact and be recognised for hard work; want a career that offers growth, development, and the opportunity to contribute to society and an interest in the criminal justice system, then we want to hear from you.
Having the right people to lead our prison service is vital if we want to protect the public and reduce reoffending through rehabilitation. If you have the integrity, skills and strength of character we’re looking for then this could be the start of a successful
career.
There’s leadership. Then there’s setting the culture for prison staff to live by. Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be a prison leader of the future? If so, we want to hear from you. For more information, register
your interest at Prison
and Probation Jobs.
