Descriptions & requirements
All staff have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The post holder must undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

Job description
We are seeking a dedicated and motivated individual to join our team as a Textiles Manufacturing Workshop Instructor within a women’s prison. This is a rewarding opportunity for someone who is passionate about supporting women in custody to develop practical skills, build confidence, and enhance their future employability.

This is a practical, hands‑on role based in an industry‑standard large‑scale sewing production workshop, where you will lead by example and maintain professional manufacturing practices, safe working standards, and high‑quality outputs. The workshop provides products for the prison’s internal market, requiring the team to work to industry‑set specifications and meet quarterly production orders reliably and efficiently.

As a Workshop Instructor, you will play a key role in creating a structured, safe, and productive textiles manufacturing environment. You will supervise daily workshop activities, provide clear and supportive instruction, and ensure that women develop sewing, production, and quality‑control skills. You will promote a positive working culture that balances operational targets with meaningful rehabilitative outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Provide hands‑on training in sewing, production processes, and quality control.
Ensure all work meets industry‑specified production standards, including accuracy, consistency, and quality.
Support the completion of quarterly internal market production orders, helping women understand targets and work as a team to achieve them.
Create and maintain a safe, structured, and positive workshop environment.
Supervise women in the workshop and maintain discipline, ensuring behaviour meets required standards and addressing issues promptly in line with HMPPS expectations.
Support women’s performance and motivation, offering guidance, corrective feedback, and encouragement.
Contribute to women’s development through coaching, skills practice, and positive role‑modelling.
Ensure compliance with all health and safety procedures, security protocols, and production requirements.
Model professional workplace behaviours, including teamwork, punctuality, and respect.
Maintain accurate records of attendance, production output, and training progress.
This role goes beyond supervision—you will train, coach, and support women to develop the work discipline, confidence, and practical skills that prepare them for future employment and successful reintegration.

This role requires an Enhanced DBS check with a child‑barred list component. This will be completed as part of the recruitment process.

Additional Information
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.

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