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Two prison custody officers standing inside a secure facility.

Prison Custody Officer

Smiling man with glasses wearing a black G4S jacket.

Overview of the role

As a Prison Custody Officer (PCO), you are key to ensuring the secure environment runs smoothly and safely to ensure both those in our care and employees feel safe.

You will be responsible for maintaining a safe, secure and structured environment, but always treating every prisoner with dignity and respect.

This job gives you a chance every day to truly make a difference, helping prisoners find a better direction and get ready for a positive return to society.

Core responsibilities you will undertake

Maintaining Security outline icon

Maintaining Security

Keep everyone secure and minimise risks, deal with incidents, and write up reports.

Providing Structure outline icon

Providing Structure

Managing the daily prison regime, ensuring prisoners attend work and education sessions, and conducting welfare checks.

Rehabilitative Support outline icon

Rehabilitative Support

Promoting a rehabilitative culture by challenging poor behaviour, encouraging purposeful activity, and holding one-on-one sessions for vulnerable individuals.

Prison Custody Officer

Wellingborough, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

ID ya Tiro : 9044
Mofuta wa tiriso : Ditirelo tsa Tlhokomelo le Pholoso
Lefelo : Wellingborough, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Letsatsi le e phatlaladitsweng : 20/04/2026
Letsatsi la go tswala : 19/07/2026

PRISON CUSTODY OFFICER

HMP FIVE WELLS, WELLINGBOROUGH, NN8 2NG

Salary £32,159.06* per annum increasing to £34,711.93 per annum after 2 years’ service

Permanent, Full Time – average 40 hours per week, with various shifts

Benefits:  Company Pension, 33 days annual leave (inclusive of Bank Holidays), Company Sick Pay and Life Assurance, free on-site parking, staff canteen, free uniform, free onsite gym, PERKS at work scheme with access to High Street Shop discounts, Blue Light Card for extensive discounts, local shopping discounts and extensive training and development.

Be that person who makes a difference every day, the chance to do an extraordinary job.

Looking for a secure career? Are you a good communicator? Do you have resilience? A good listener?

We have a number of openings available for Prison Custody Officers. Prison Custody Officers are key to the effective running of our prisons and we are looking for people who can fit naturally into this role. There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ Prison Custody Officer (PCOs).  We encourage applications from individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds, who can demonstrate the integrity, resilience and strong communication skills needed to thrive in this role.  No specific qualifications or relevant experience is required.

The philosophy of our prisons is to rehabilitate prisoners and equip them to re-integrate into mainstream society on release. We seek to normalise prison conditions as far as possible to reflect life in the outside community. Our aim is to create an environment in which staff and prisoners feel safe.

The people in your care will have a variety of different needs and it will be your role to ensure those individuals are treated with dignity and respect and helped to find a new way of life whilst maintaining a safe, secure and structured environment.

You will play a key role in providing prisoners with structure and routine, making sure they get to work in the morning within the Prison, are actively engaging in education or work and the prison regime and are secure in their cell in the evening.

For more information about HMP Five Wells please visit https://hmpfivewells.co.uk/

If you join us, you can be sure that you’ll find a secure, friendly and professional working environment and be given all the support, training and encouragement you need to build and develop a successful career with us.

When you join us, you will receive comprehensive training, designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge to deliver every aspect of being an effective Officer in a Secure environment which includes Control & Restraint, First Aid, Interpersonal skills and Health & Safety, including a shadowing period working alongside qualified PCOs to gain real on the job experience.

As a PCO you will work a variety of shifts, including weekends, evenings and nights. All shifts are on a rolling pattern and agreed in advance. Any change to shift patterns will be communicated clearly with a minimum of 30 days notice. We are committed to supporting individuals to achieve a positive work life balance and on successful completion of their ITC will consider any Flexible Working Requests.

Equality and Diversity is an important part of G4S Care and Rehabilitation Services. We actively encourage applications from all backgrounds and are a fully inclusive employer who aims to support all employees to be their true selves. We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments for either the role or during the recruitment process

G4S CaRS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children and adults at risk and each employee is expected to support these goals.

Our training and operational practices emphasise the need to treat prisoners with dignity and respect and G4S staff build positive and supportive relationships with the prisoners in their care.

Our team has a real opportunity to make a difference and we encourage people to improve the way we operate and develop new ways of working to improve safety and better support prisoners.   When you join us, you can be sure that you’ll find a secure, friendly and professional working environment and be given all the support, training and encouragement you need.  In addition, we have recently launched our Development Pathway, which provides clear career development from Prison Custody Officer through to middle manager, should that also be of interest to you.

Please note that these vacancies are subject to a 5 year checkable history and the strict vetting standards set by G4S, and HMPPS and are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

You must be eligible to work in the UK and you will need to provide full details of your employment and education history for the last 5 years as part of the security screening process for this role.

*Please note that whilst on your 9 week Training Course, the training hours will be 35 hours per week therefore your salary whilst on training will be £28,140.63 increasing to £32,159.06 after training.

G4S is the International business of Allied Universal, the world’s leading security and facility services provider and trusted partner to more than 400 of the Fortune 500. Allied Universal delivers unparalleled customer relationships, innovative solutions, cutting-edge smart technologies and tailored services that enable clients to focus on their core businesses. With operations in over 100 countries and territories, Allied Universal is the third largest private employer in North America and seventh in the world. Annual revenue is approximately $23 billion. There is no greater purpose and responsibility than serving and helping to safeguard customers, communities and people. For more information, visit g4s.com.   In the UK, the company has an extensive network of offices and more than 31,000 employees.


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Success profile

It takes someone special to be a Prison Custody Officer. Here are some of the qualities we're looking for in our team members:

  • Resilient & Calm
  • Exceptional empathetic communicator
  • Integrity & Respect
  • Proactive problem solver
  • Caring
  • Team player

Hear from one of our Head of Residence's

I was in my early twenties when I joined G4S and earned a really good salary, doing a job I absolutely loved. I was really proud to be a PCO. I look at myself now, a Governor grade in a prison. If it wasn’t for G4S for giving me so many opportunities to grow and progress my career, I would never be in this position.

Laurie-Ann Paton
Head of Residence

Career path

Our Prison Custody Officer positions offer candidates a range of things to support the personal and professional development of our teams. From your initial comprehensive Officer training to our structured Development Pathway, we provide the tools and support needed to progress from the front line into senior management.

Prison Custody Officer (PCO) First Line Manager (FLM) Operations Manager Functional Head Deputy Director/ Director

Rewards and benefits

Working at one of our prisons provides a secure and professional environment with a clear focus on your wellbeing and growth. Our benefits vary role to role and are designed to ensure our staff have access to the things they need to thrive both in and out of work.

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Training & Development

An initial training program covering Control & Restraint, First Aid, and Interpersonal skills, followed by ongoing development pathways.

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Competitive salary and bonuses

A structured salary that increases with years of service.

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Career growth

A defined Development Pathway to move from a PCO through to middle management and beyond.

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