As a Operations Officer, you’ll operate as part of a busy team to help maintain the smooth running of our establishments.

 You’ll play a key role in maintaining the safety and security of those in our care, our staff and our visitors. Although your direct contact with prisoners will be minimal, the role you will play is of high importance and critical to the safe running of our prisons.

You will work various shifts which may include day shift, night shift and back shift. This will be in line with a roster. 

We have 16 prison establishments based across Scotland. We employ Operations Officers within all of our establishments, further information about our locations can be found here.

As well as having several locations within the central belt of Scotland we also recruit to our establishments in; Dumfries, Inverness and Grampian (Peterhead).

What does it take to become an Operations Officer?

As an Operations Officer, your role will be both challenging and rewarding. Your role is key to ensuring that the prison environment is safe, therefore it’s important that you have good problem solving skills and a pro-active approach towards your work.

Due to the nature of our business, it’s vital that you are able to follow procedures and uphold standards, but you’ll also be able to demonstrate professional judgement and discretion where necessary.

You’ll enjoy working with others and have a natural ability to build relationships with individuals of all backgrounds. You could be the first point of contact for those coming into our care as they enter the establishment from court, so it's important that you are approachable, supportive and show genuine compassion towards others.

There are no formal qualification requirements, however it is essential that you have experience of working within a people facing environment.

Staff members sat with prisoners at a table in Low Moss

Prison Officer - Operations Officer Intakes

We have Prison Officer - Operations Officer intakes planned throughout the year.

Pay & Reward

Operations Officers joining the SPS from 1st April 2024, will receive a starting salary of £28,425 progressing to £32,200 within 3 years, subject to pay progression. Further information on the total reward package can be found here.

What does an Operations Officer do?

Operations Officers are responsible for the overall functioning and security of the establishment, which helps to maintain safety and ensures smooth running of operations. You’ll undertake duties within 5 main areas of the prison.

  • You’ll be the first person that visitors see when entering the establishment. You’ll regularly see visitors, lawyers and family members of those in our care, so it’s important that you are friendly and patient, as this could be someone’s first time in a prison.

  • The ECR is at the heart of the prison and within this role you’ll be responsible for the movement and security of staff and prisoners through the establishment. You’ll carry out security badge checks and be responsible for responding to alarms and controlling secure doors.

  • You’ll be the first person that prisoners see when they arrive at the establishment and will also discharge those in our care. You’ll follow procedures to ensure that warrants are accurate and that the individual’s mental and physical needs are assessed.

  • You’ll help to maintain the security of the establishment by carrying out perimeter checks and identifying and responding to breaches in security.

  • You will oversee the visits area and ensure the environment is safe and controlled. You may also carry out searches.

Operations Officer Recruitment Process

Within the SPS our values are at the heart of everything we do, therefore our recruitment process is designed to ensure that we can attract and appoint individuals whose values align with our own. By recruiting people who share our values, we believe that we can have a real impact on transforming the lives of those within our care, resulting on a positive impact on our communities.

Why are values so important to us?

Juliet Hancock, an organisational development professional, describes the value of values and why they are important in the world of work.

Our personal values describe what is most important to us; they are individual and internal and we use them every day, often at an unconscious level, to make decisions and choices about what we do and how we do it – they are the reason why  we do the things that we do.

Our values provide the motivation, drive and energy to get things done; they also determine when we feel frustrated, angry or lack the energy to do something because it doesn’t fit the values that are important to us.

If there is alignment between our personal values and the prevailing environment at work, we will feel a sense of well-being. If there is a gap, we will ‘disengage’ and not be able to give our best or fulfill our potential. It is for these reasons that values are so important to us as we recognise their importance in allowing us to maximise the positive impact we can have on the lives of those in our care.

Our selection process for Operations Officers consists of the following steps:

  1. Submit application
  2. Situational judgement test
  3. Cognitive ability test
  4. Interview
  5. Pre-employment checks
  6. Assignment
Staff members and prisoners in the hall at Low Moss