Director General, Prisons

Role overview

The Director General for Prisons is a senior leadership appointment responsible for the secure, decent and lawful running of the public prison estate in England and Wales. The remit covers 105 public prisons, around 36,000 staff, and a complex, high-risk operating environment with tens of thousands of people in custody. The role also includes operational oversight of the private prison estate and Youth Custody Service establishments.

This position provides the strategic and operational direction needed to meet HMPPS statutory responsibilities and protect the public. It requires keeping the prison system stable, resilient and effective while facing population pressure, estate and infrastructure constraints, rising operational complexity, and significant political and public attention.

The postholder will work closely with the DG CEO for HMPPS and hold accountability for delivery, risk, performance and assurance across prisons, including security, safety and rehabilitation so that custody arrangements support the effective and safe execution of court orders.

Operating within the wider justice system, the Director General must provide system leadership, represent the interests of prisons, and help shape reform and transformation across the sector. As part of the HMPPS Leadership Team, the role also contributes to organisational strategy, cultural change, ministerial advice, and alignment with cross-government priorities such as prison capacity and sentencing reform.

Key accountabilities

• Direct the delivery of safe, decent and lawful custody across all public sector prisons, with strong standards for security, order and safety.
• Strengthen public protection through proactive risk control, incident handling and management of higher-risk prisoner groups.
• Provide decisive operational leadership during crises and ensure readiness for major incidents, disorder, escape threats and estate failures.
• Oversee prison performance, assurance and improvement activity so delivery is consistent across regions and establishments.
• Maintain oversight of the women’s prison estate and support safe, decent, gender-informed provision.
• Improve staff capability and safety, along with regimes, education, work and rehabilitative activity in prisons.
• Work with prison supply teams so estate condition, capacity planning, expansion work and health and safety compliance support operational needs.
• Partner with senior colleagues across the Ministry of Justice, including Policy, Finance and HR.
• Be accountable for around 36,000 staff across England and Wales working in operational, leadership and strategy roles.
• Line-manage six SCS2 directors.
• Lead workforce and capability development, including recruitment, skills, leadership and retention.
• Build effective working relationships with partners across the Criminal Justice Sector.
• Provide visible leadership across the prison estate, supporting governors, prison group directors and frontline teams, and giving operational input to contract-managed prisons and the YCS.
• Contribute to MoJ and cross-government strategy so prison needs are reflected in departmental, ministerial and criminal justice strategy.

Person specification

To be successful, candidates should bring strong senior operational leadership and the ability to set a clear vision that motivates staff and builds capability to deliver results. The role also calls for substantial experience in a fast-moving, high-profile environment, with the confidence to work across organisational boundaries and handle complex stakeholder and political settings.

Applicants must have deep operational experience and a strong understanding of the prison estate or a comparable custodial environment, together with the ability to lead large, dispersed services under pressure. Sound crisis judgement, confident decision-making and credibility with frontline teams, senior officials and Ministers are essential.

The successful candidate will also need proven partnership skills across justice, policing, health and local government, alongside the ability to build and maintain productive relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders. Experience leading cultural and organisational change is required, as well as a deep grasp of operational risk, security, assurance, financial management and workforce issues.

Application process

Applications are to be completed through the online process linked in the advertisement for this role. If online application is not possible, candidates may send their application to kerrie.bryce@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

Applicants must provide the following by 23:55 on 29 July:

• A CV including education, qualifications, full employment history, explanations for any gaps, and wherever possible details of budgets and team sizes.
• A covering statement of no more than two A4 pages or 1,000 words, explaining interest in the appointment and how the candidate meets the Person Specification.
• A diversity monitoring form, which is used only for anonymous and aggregate recruitment monitoring.
• A declaration of interest form.

The expected timetable is subject to change, but currently includes a closing date of 23:55 on 29 July, shortlisting during w/c 3 August, staff engagement and stakeholder meetings for shortlisted candidates, and a panel interview chaired by Paul Kernaghan from the Civil Service Commission during w/c 24 August and w/c 7 September. Interview panel members may include James McEwen, CEO HMPPS; Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary DfE; and Nick Campsie, HMPPS Non-Executive Director and Chair of the HMPPS Agency Board. Feedback will be provided only to candidates who attend an interview or assessment.

Security and vetting

Successful candidates must pass a criminal record check and meet the required security standard before appointment. The security level for this post is Developed Vetting. People working with government assets must also complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks.

Nationality and civil service eligibility

This vacancy is open to UK nationals, Irish nationals, Commonwealth nationals with the right to work in the UK, eligible EU/Swiss/Norwegian/Icelandic/Liechtenstein nationals and certain family members with settled or pre-settled status or valid EUSS applications, individuals with limited or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020, and Turkish nationals and certain family members who have gained the right to work in the Civil Service.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out expected standards of behaviour. Recruitment is based on merit through fair and open competition. The Civil Service also supports inclusion through its Disability Confident Scheme and Redeployment Interview Scheme.

Additional information

The recruitment pack notes that an attached candidate brief provides further detail. Artificial intelligence may be used to support applications, but all examples and statements must be truthful, factually accurate and drawn from the candidate’s own experience. Any plagiarism or misrepresentation, including the use of AI-generated content as if it were personal experience, may lead to withdrawal of the application and possible disciplinary action for internal candidates.

The role is based in London, with coverage across East Midlands, East of England, London, North East England, North West England, Scotland, South East England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber.