23408 - Senior Probation Officer - HMP Stocken

The Ministry of Justice is looking for a Senior Probation Officer to join the National Probation Service in the East Midlands, with the role based onsite in Oakham. It’s a permanent, full-time position that sits in the NPS East Midlands Public Protection unit. The salary ranges from £46,746 to £48,760 per year. This external vacancy is for a single post, with a reserve list held for up to 12 months, and the regional context is East Midlands.

This is a leadership posting that supports the Head of Operational Function to provide direction within a Local Delivery Unit or another operational area. You’ll be responsible for guiding and developing staff, providing cover when needed, and ensuring the team delivers practice that meets policy and national standards. The role emphasizes equality and inclusion and requires handling sensitive information with appropriate safeguarding. Depending on the needs of the unit, some out-of-hours work may be required.

It’s suited to someone who enjoys leading teams, working with partners to protect the public, and delivering improvements in how probation services operate. The Civil Service environment means you’ll contribute to public protection while aligning with the organisation’s aims and values.

Steering the Local Delivery Unit in Oakham

You’ll set the tone for your team, ensuring high-quality practice and the efficient use of resources to meet contract requirements with HMPPS, Community Rehabilitation Companies, and local plans. A core part of the job is using performance data to spot opportunities for improvement, while supporting staff development and stepping in to cover colleagues during absences. The post also focuses on safeguarding and managing risk, working with multi‑agency partners, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

As part of the unit’s management team, you’ll help shape how services are delivered and how partners are engaged. You’ll be expected to communicate effectively across internal teams and external stakeholders, and you may represent the NPS when needed. The role requires a consistent, fair approach to staff issues, including attendance, health and safety, and diversity matters, with decisions grounded in policy and best practice.

What it takes to lead in the NPS

• Extensive probation or related criminal‑justice experience with a proven track record of good practice in offender risk assessment and risk management.
• A clear grasp of the Probation Service’s role within the criminal justice system and in multidisciplinary settings.
• Understanding of what influences victims’ engagement and how to support that engagement.
• Experience with risk management and multiagency risk assessment and management procedures.
• Ability to evaluate practice and offer a practitioner’s perspective on policy development.
• Experience working under pressure, meeting tight deadlines, and collaborating flexibly to hit performance targets.
• Experience contributing to effective administration and information systems to support delivery.
• A record of leading change and driving improvements in quality and efficiency.
• Strong IT skills, including the ability to interpret and apply performance reports.
• Experience championing diversity and inclusiveness with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to implement health and safety policies and ensure compliance by staff.
• Proficiency in spoken English to fulfil all aspects of the role (Welsh not required in this location).
• Technical qualifications: either a Probation Qualification Framework Graduate Diploma/Honours Degree in Community Justice with a Level 5 Diploma in Probation Practice, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Secretary of State for Justice under the Offender Management Act 2007 (including Diploma in Probation Studies, Diploma in Social Work with Probation Option, or CQSW with Probation Option).

Compensation, benefits and working details

The position carries a salary in the range of £46,746 to £48,760 per year and is based on a standard full-time schedule of 37 hours per week, with unpaid breaks. It is an onsite role located in Oakham, East Midlands, and is open to applicants from the UK under the Civil Service nationality rules. A Prison Environmental Allowance of £737 is available as part of the package.

Beyond pay, the MoJ offers a broad benefits package, including 25 days of annual leave on appointment (rising to 30 after five years) plus public holidays, a Local Government Pension Scheme via GMPF, and a commitment to staff training and development. Flexible working patterns are possible in line with the Flexible Working policy, and there are networks and family-friendly policies to support work-life balance. Security checks required for the role include DBS Standard, and eligibility rules apply for relocation and childcare support schemes.

Hybrid working may be available where business needs allow, but this role is described as onsite. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate and reviewed regularly. You may also expect to participate in broader civil service terms that may affect benefits and terms of service as part of reform efforts.

Tips to help you stand out for this role

Put your substantial probation experience up front, with concrete examples of offender risk assessment and management you’ve led or contributed to across different settings. Highlight the measurable outcomes you achieved and the scope of your responsibility to show you can handle a senior, multi‑team role.

Demonstrate your ability to use performance data to drive change. Include specific metrics you’ve interpreted and the actions you took in response, especially where you improved practice or efficiency within a team or unit.

Prepare for Behavioural questions by lining up crisp stories for each of the listed behaviours (working together, developing self and others, delivering at pace, managing a quality service, making effective decisions, communicating and influencing, leadership). Bring examples that show you’ve applied these in real situations and the impact you achieved.

Think of a thoughtful question to ask about partnership work and how the LDU collaborates with agencies to manage risk and protect the public. You could also ask how success is tracked against public protection standards and the contract requirements in your area.

How to apply for this MoJ opportunity

To be considered, reference the job ID 23408 and submit by the closing date of 04-Nov-2026. If you need help with your application, you can call MoJ recruitment at 0345 241 5359 or email [email protected], and you may also contact HMPPS recruitment at 0345 241 5358 or the same email. Please quote job reference 23408 in your correspondence.