We're Hiring!

Custody Team Leader

Locations:  HMP Dovegate, HMP Birmingham and HMYOI Swinfen Hall
Salary: £31,590
Contract Type: Permanent

Rebuilding your life after a custodial sentence is one of the toughest challenges a person can face. But with the right support, it’s possible. Our Custody teams are instrumental in delivering a quality service to support rehabilitation by pro-actively supporting participants on their journey

We are looking for a Custody Team Leader to support our teams in the West Midlands. This is a challenging and rewarding role, providing leadership and guidance to a team of Case Workers who work directly with individuals in custody. You will play a key role in maintaining a safe, supportive, and professional environment for both staff and those we support.

About the Role

You will be responsible for managing and leading a team of Activity facilitators and Case Workers, ensuring best use of resources to deliver activities on a day-to-day basis in a custody setting. You will lead by example, ensuring that high standards of professionalism and safety are consistently maintained.

You will oversee the day-to-day delivery of the service, ensuring staff are effectively deployed, supported, and confident in their roles. You will provide coaching, performance feedback, and supervision to ensure continuous improvement and professional development across the team.

You will also act as a point of escalation for incidents, safeguarding concerns, and operational issues, working closely with prison staff and other professionals to promote a joined-up approach to care and safety within the establishment.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Relationship Building: to liaise and build relationships with internal departments within the custody setting, your team and partner organisations, to drive referrals to the programme. You will be expected to attend regular meetings in the prisons to update on performance and maintain a joined up approach.
• Performance management: To ensure all monthly performance and KPI’s are met, holding regular performance meetings and conducting monthly 121/performance reviews with activity facilitators and case workers and conduct training where needs are identified.
• Reporting: Liaising with Custody Delivery Manager on a weekly basis to ensure all relevant service level and KPI’s are maintained and report any risk to performance that has been identified.
• Training and development:  To conduct learning needs analysis as required, with all activity facilitators and case workers, carry out observations of service delivery to measure quality assurance and provide feedback and training when needed to activity facilitators and case workers.

What We are Looking For:

• Communication Skills: You’ll have the ability to engage, motivate, persuade, and listen—building strong connections with those you support, your team and internal and external stakeholders.

• Safeguarding awareness: The team are supporting complex individuals at a challenging time in their lives so you will need clear understanding of safeguarding, confidentiality, and professional boundaries.
• Leadership Skills: Ability to support, supervise and motivate a team. We look for enthusiastic and flexible team players with high expectations of self and others.
• Flexibility: Using your lateral thinking skills and flexible approach to problem solving you will ensure your teams are working efficiently and effectively.
• IT Skills: Competent in the use and purpose of technology with excellent IT and administrative skills with the ability to upskill the team where necessary.

What We Offer:

At Ingeus, we listen to our employees and have developed a benefits package that supports both your personal and professional well-being:

• 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to trade for additional leave.
• EAP Support programme available 24/7, including 6 free counselling sessions.
• Private medical insurance and life assurance.
• Up to 2 days of Community Giving (volunteering) each year to support a cause that matters to you.
• Eyecare vouchers to help with glasses or eye care.
• Exclusive discounts via Perks at Work.
• Cycle to Work scheme and travel season ticket loan.
• Long service awards to celebrate your commitment.
• Salary Finance offering financial education and advice.
• The opportunity to purchase extra benefits like critical illness cover and dental insurance.

Whilst we welcome applications from those with lived experience, this role requires an enhanced DBS check and HMPPS EL1 vetting. As we wait for the necessary background checks to be completed, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to shadow your colleagues, ask questions, and learn the ropes.

Our Justice division is dedicated to transforming lives and creating safer communities. Our mission is to reduce reoffending, build stronger communities, and help people realise their potential.

At Ingeus, we’ve spent time listening to our employees to build our benefits package;

• 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to trade for additional leave.
• EAP Support programme available 24/7, including 6 free counselling sessions.
• Private medical insurance and life assurance.
• Up to 2 days of Community Giving (volunteering) each year to support a cause that matters to you.
• Eyecare vouchers to help with glasses or eye care.
• Online Shopping discounts
• Cycle to Work scheme and travel season ticket loan.
• Long service awards to celebrate your commitment.
• Salary Finance offering financial education and advice.
• The opportunity to purchase extra benefits like critical illness cover and dental insurance.

We understand that everyone’s journey is different, and we’re committed to making our recruitment process as inclusive and accessible as possible. If you require any support or adjustments—whether that’s help with the application, interview format, or anything else—we’re here to listen and work with you to find the best approach.

Our goal is to ensure you can showcase your skills and potential in a way that works for you. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at careers@ingeus.co.uk to discuss how we can support you

If you think you have what it takes, don't delay and apply today - If we receive enough applications, this role may close early.