Principal Psychologist – Psychology Services Group – Women's (Ref: 13073)

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

Women’s Estate Psychology Services (WEPS) is seeking a dynamic Principal Psychologist to join our Senior Leadership Team. This is a pivotal role within a service that delivers core forensic psychology alongside a wide range of safety-focused initiatives across the women’s prison estate.

As a key member of our experienced and passionate leadership team, you will provide strategic direction, drive service development, and offer expert guidance to individual sites. Your leadership will empower local teams within your cohort, fostering innovation and excellence in psychological practice.

Working within WEPS and the wider Women’s Group, you will play a vital role in shaping gender-responsive, evidence-based services for women in the criminal justice system. Including contributing to the development and review of policies and strategies across HMPPS, ensuring our work reflects best practice and meets the unique needs of women.

The role of Forensic Psychologists in women’s prisons

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Licences

•The job holder will be a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title.
•They are likely to also be a Chartered Psychologist with Full member of the appropriate division of the BPS if the post requires it.
•They will have experience of delivering psychological services directly, and through a managed team.
•They will have been registered for over two years.

Qualifications

•The job holder will be a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title.
•They are likely to also be a Chartered Psychologist with Full member of the appropriate division of the BPS if the post requires it.
•They will have experience of delivering psychological services directly, and through a managed team.
•They will have been registered for over two years.

Memberships

•The job holder will be a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title.
•They are likely to also be a Chartered Psychologist with Full member of the appropriate division of the BPS if the post requires it.
•They will have experience of delivering psychological services directly, and through a managed team.
•They will have been registered for over two years.

Languages

Written and Spoken English

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £71,027, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £20,576 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0345 241 5358

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/13073?entityId=13073