Senior Forensic Psychologist

Serco; Doncaster; Hybrid; GBP 62,000; Full time

Job description

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Salary - £61,471 per annum plus company benefits

Ready to think differently about rehabilitation? Join our innovative psychological services team at HMP Doncaster, a Category B prison located in South Yorkshire, with an operational capacity of 1,145 prisoners. This is not just another prison psychology role – it’s an exciting opportunity to lead, innovate, and make a tangible difference. You'll be at the forefront of a team dedicated to transforming rehabilitation and shaping the future of psychological services for prisoners.

As a Senior Forensic Psychologist, you’ll play a crucial role in delivering impactful psychological assessments, interventions, and treatment to offenders with complex needs such as mental illness, personality disorders, and significant offending histories. This is your chance to use your expertise to influence and guide rehabilitation strategies that reduce re-offending, contribute to safer communities, and promote positive change.

Make an impact at Serco

You’ll be more than just a clinician. You’ll take on the role of a leader and positive role model, driving forward the quality of psychological services within the prison and encouraging fresh, forward-thinking approaches to rehabilitation. Your contributions will have a lasting impact on both the individuals you work with and the broader rehabilitative efforts across the prison.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Conduct evidence-based assessments and treatments for both determinate and indeterminate sentence prisoners.
• Supervise and support Forensic Psychologists and Forensic Psychologists in Training.
• Act as a professional witness in parole hearings and formal settings.
• Provide consultancy and guidance on managing challenging behaviours and mental health issues.
• Deliver training on topics like personality disorders, complex behaviours, and trauma awareness.
• Contribute to external audits, preparing case studies and liaising with external agencies.
• Collaborate within a multi-disciplinary team to integrate psychological expertise in rehabilitation and risk management.

As an active stakeholder in the Rehabilitative Culture strategy of the prison, you’ll integrate psychological services into prison rehabilitation efforts and stay up to date on knowledge and research in the field of Forensic Psychology.

Join a place you can grow

At Serco, we believe in your development. This role offers not only an opportunity to make a real impact but also the chance to grow within an organisation that champions career progression and continuous learning. You’ll be part of a forward-thinking team that encourages fresh perspectives and new ideas in the rehabilitation space, allowing you to explore innovative approaches to prisoner care and rehabilitation. You’ll have access to a variety of development programmes and CPD activities, enabling you to continually refine your skills and progress in your career.

You’ll also receive:

• Pension: Up to 6% contributory pension scheme
• Health and wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programme, Bupa Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, 30% off at Serco-managed leisure centres, and 24/7 access to a virtual GP service and free flu jabs
• Training and development: Ongoing support and training opportunities to enhance your skills and career progression, with your professional training fees paid.
• Discounts: Discounts across around 1,000 retailers, from food and clothing to days out, entertainment and travel.
• ShareSave scheme: Save regularly with the choice to buy Serco shares at a discount at the end of your savings period.
• Charity: Support a charity or organisation with a paid volunteering day each year. You can also choose to donate to your favourite charity tax-free, through our Payroll Giving Scheme, and donate your pennies from your monthly pay to the Serco People Fund Charity.
• Employee networks: Join a network where colleagues can come together, meet new people, find support, share ideas and be part of a real community.

What you’ll need

To succeed in this role, you should:

• Hold Chartered status with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and be registered as a Forensic Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Be on the Register of Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors (RAPPS) with the BPS.
• Possess a strong understanding of the Offender Personality Disorder pathway and experience in clinical formulations for offenders with complex needs.
• Be comfortable completing parole reports and conducting assessments such as WAIS IV, HCR-20, PCL-R, IPDE, and SARA.
• Have the ability to work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team, sharing expertise to enhance service delivery and rehabilitation outcomes.
• Possess strong report writing skills and experience presenting evidence in formal settings such as Oral Hearings.
• Have significant post-qualification experience working in secure settings, particularly in the rehabilitation of offenders.

Desirable (but not essential)

• Experience working in a prison setting and with individuals who have complex mental health needs.

A little bit about us

At Serco, we’re a fast-growing company, serving governments around the globe. Our work spans a wide range of sectors including Justice, Immigration, Defence, Leisure, Healthcare, Transport, and Citizen Services. We’re committed to delivering, improving and redesigning public services for the benefit of everyone, guided by our values of Trust, Care, Innovation, and Pride.

Our inclusive recruitment process: We see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We’re a proud holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard and a Disability Confident Leader, championing fair access to employment and equal opportunities for all. As such we’re open to flexible working arrangements and we’ll make reasonable adjustments from interview through to employment.

As part of the Disability Confident Scheme, disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.

Ready to make a difference? Apply today!

Impact a better future at Serco.

Apply
Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment.

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. We operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly Disability Confident Leader employers and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview. For help with your application please contact 0345 010 4000.

At Serco we support fair access to employment for those with unspent criminal convictions through the ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some may be exempt due to the nature of the role and the security clearance required). Please contact our recruitment team directly on 0345 010 4000 to discuss.