Careers
Welcome to HM Inspectorate of Probation Careers.
Here you’ll find information about our current vacancies, a chance to meet our staff, and why we’re committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce.
Our Expressions of Interest page provides information about the relevant roles and how to sign up to receive vacancy notifications for HM Inspectors and HM Assistant Inspectors.
Expressions of InterestWhat the job entails
A career at HM Inspectorate of Probation is varied and challenging. As an inspector or assistant inspector, you will be part of a team working to improve probation and youth justice services through professional and rigorous assessment.
You will help us to build up a picture of each service by conducting interviews and focus groups with senior leaders, staff and service users; analysing samples of cases and other sources of data; and writing/contributing to inspection reports. You will also have the opportunity to contribute to thematic inspections that address key national issues.
If you have relevant experience, coupled with empathy and curiosity, read on!
Mentoring scheme
We are pleased to launch our Mentoring Scheme for inspection staff vacancies. All applicants for Assistant Inspector and HM Inspector posts who are invited to attend our assessment centre will be contacted by one of our recruitment mentors. Our recruitment mentors are current members of our inspection staff team. They will offer one-to-one support and guidance to candidates throughout the assessment centre process and be on hand to answer questions – about the recruitment process or the job role itself. We are committed to recruiting the best people into our organisation and to enabling candidates to give their best throughout the recruitment process.
Meet our staff
Want to know what it’s like to transfer from probation and youth justice services to the Inspectorate? Or how you can juggle working as an inspector and having a family? Or learn more about our commitment to diversity? Click on the videos below to find out more.
- Avtar
- Simi
- Julie
- Paulette
Meet Avtar, one of our experienced HM Inspectors…
One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was to join the Inspectorate. It’s an organisation that is working so hard to improve probation service delivery…
Disclaimer: we use an external platform to host our videos. Recommendations for further viewing may appear at the end of the video and are beyond our control.
Meet Simi, our Head of Probation Inspection Programme…
I became involved in driving service delivery improvements at a local level when the opportunity arose for me to join HM Inspectorate of Probation.
Disclaimer: we use an external platform to host our videos. Recommendations for further viewing may appear at the end of the video and are beyond our control.
Meet Julie, retired HM Inspector, who discusses her career during her time at the Inspectorate…
I’ve had time since I retired to reflect on what working for them meant for me. It was hard work, it was fun there were lots of positive teamwork going on and I enjoyed the travel. And I can confidently say it’s one of the best jobs I ever had…
Disclaimer: we use an external platform to host our videos. Recommendations for further viewing may appear at the end of the video and are beyond our control.
Meet Paulette, one of our newest HM Assistant Inspectors…
This is the only job I’ve done so far in my career where I’ve been afforded the opportunity to really reflect on how to actually improve practice…
Disclaimer: we use an external platform to host our videos. Recommendations for further viewing may appear at the end of the video and are beyond our control.
Current jobs
Approved Premises Inspector
Working Pattern – Full time, part time, flexible working
Location – National
Region – National
Closing Date – 31-Jan-2025
Post Type – Fixed Term, Secondment
Civil Service Grade – Grade 7
Number of jobs available – 2
The national salary range is £56,532 – £64,048, London salary range is £61,201 – £69,338. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Apply on Ministry of Justice careers page
Job description
HM Inspectors – Approved Premises inspection programme
We are the independent inspector of probation and youth justice services in England and Wales. We promote excellence in these services.
We are launching a new programme of Approved Premises inspections and are seeking to recruit two inspectors. These posts are available on two-year secondments/loans or a fixed term contract of up to two years.
When joining us on a secondment, remuneration (salary and any taxable allowances), pay progression and employment terms & conditions will be the same as currently received from the seconding employer. Due to recruitment rules, we can offer current civil servants a secondment of two years with a possibility of an extension to three years. For successful candidates who do not currently work for the civil service (for example staff working for local government/local authority) we can offer a two-year secondment. When joining on a fixed term contract the salary will be £56,532.
If applying for a secondment, you should confirm with your employer that, in principle, they are willing to second you before you apply for these posts.
If you are a HMPPS employee, senior leaders have agreed that probation staff can apply on secondment for HM Inspector (HMI) roles and will be supported with these secondments if they are successful.
Successful candidates will be allocated a notional office base, as close to their home location as possible, for the purposes of travel and subsistence, but in practice we are flexible in terms of where in the country you wish to work from.
About you
HMIs must:
- have worked at a senior level in a related profession and have experience of interacting with senior stakeholders.
- have experience of assessing the quality of practice against a set of established standards
- understand and/or be adept at using qualitative and quantitative analysis methods
- be able to interpret and extrapolate themes from large volumes of written and numerical data
- be able to assimilate large quantities of information from a range of sources and produce a report using a house style guide
- be confident and competent in using IT (you have experience using Word, Excel, Outlook, a reasonable amount of case management software, etc).
HMIs will be expected to travel across England and Wales and spend time away from home. We want applicants to be fully aware of this requirement and to ensure this fits with your expectations and lifestyle. In addition to onsite inspection work, you will be required to attend other in-person events. We strongly encourage you to contact us for a discussion and to ask any questions – these conversations will be confidential and will not count towards your application (see contact details at the end of the advert).
We warmly welcome applications from minority ethnic and/or Welsh speaking candidates.
To apply, and for further information please visit the Ministry of Justice careers page.
Closing date 23:55 on Friday 31 January 2025
Expressions of Interest
If you would like to subscribe to our mailing list and be notified about future recruitment campaigns for HM Inspector and HM Assistant Inspector positions, please visit our Expressions of Interest page.
