Prisoner Escort & Custody Driver

at  Serco Plc

Location: Sittingbourne Vehicle Base ME10 2PG
Permanent roles offering job stability & security.
Working as a Prisoner Escort & Custody Officer in Prisoner Escort Custody Services (PECS) is more than just a job, it’s the chance to be a part of something great, to join a work family where you are valued, and you can make a difference every day. In addition to a rewarding career, we also offer: Salary of £25,716 (40hrs pw). Salary during 5 ½ weeks training is £22,502. Unlike traditional compensation structures, we believe in recognising your contributions and growth, so as well as continuous training & development opportunities, every year, you will be eligible for a base salary increment, allowing you to see tangible progress in your earnings (year 2 - £26,357/ year 3 - £26,835 / year 4 - £27,352 To further enhance the attractiveness of the role, you may have the opportunity to accrue additional earnings through a generous driving allowance of; £600 for B1 license holders who drive our 3 cell vehicles / 2,400 for C1 license holders who drive our 6-cell vehicles / £2,700 for D License holders who drive our 12 cell vehicles (subject to terms & conditions) We want to be transparent about your earnings, by factoring in the base salary and driving allowances provided above, as well as a weekly average of around 8 hours overtime, you can anticipate growing your first-year income between £31,316 to £33,416. Pension (matched up to 6%), life insurance; 20 days annual leave (rising to 25 after 7 years’ service) plus Bank Holidays and access to a range of discounts and exclusive deals such as Merlin Attractions, Mobile Phone discounts, Cinema discounts, Leisure, Retail and Hospitality discounts and more A range of benefits to support the health and wellbeing of you and your family such as Employee Assistance Programme, MIND, Simply Health Care and Dental Plans and more A supportive team & culture where you’ll get the chance to make a positive difference in a company passionate about diversity and inclusion
We are operational 24/6 and you’ll cover various early and late shifts (minimum of 40hrs pw) including bank holidays (apart from Christmas Day and Good Friday). Roles at our bases start from 6.30am and due to the nature of the role, the finish time is not known, therefore flexibility is key in this role, as it is likely that you will work more than the contractual 40-hour week. Whilst it is rare, there can be occasions that you will be required to work in the evening and possibly overnight. However, we operate a rota basis (provided 12 weeks in advance) that allows you the flexibility to enjoy meaningful time off to do the things you enjoy & love.

As a PCO at our base, you’ll work as part of crew to provide safe and secure court transportation & custody services. You’ll collect detainees from prisons or police stations and transport them safely and securely to courts whilst ensuring the care of their physical and mental wellbeing.
Once you arrive at court, you’ll be responsible for every aspect of their care until it’s time for them to return to custody or be released. Key duties include, accompanying defendants in court rooms and cells; searching property or people; ensuring food and drink is available and completing paperwork and data entry for the day.
What you need to do the job!
Our current PCO’s come to us with different work & life experiences, what you’ve done before doesn’t matter, what matters is that you’re committed to making a difference to the lives of others – the rest you will learn during your 5 1/2-weeks training course and through our experienced colleagues.
You’ll need to hold a current driver’s license, C1 License (valid CPC card desirable) / D License (with valid CPC card & Tacho Graph desirable). You must be reasonably fit and have good written and verbal communications skills, using those skills to manage and control all situations. Our roles would suit those who have a particular interest in criminology or psychology.
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