IAG Advisor - in Custody

The Growth Company’s (GC) Employment team is currently recruiting two Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) Advisors - in Custody to provide high-quality, labour market-informed careers advice and support.

IAG Advisors work with offenders in custody from the start of their sentence, up to preparing for release, with the aim of helping prevent cycles of re-offending. The advisors help those in custody to set education, skills, and work-related goals, develop employability skills, and search for and apply for jobs as they prepare to transition back into the community.

They also work with employers to help offenders increase their knowledge of the labour market and promote more sustained employment outcomes. They work in close partnership with education and training providers and wider rehabilitation services to support sustainable, long-term outcomes and help reduce re-offending.

These roles will be based out of HMP Forest Bank.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver personalised IAG advice that aligns with each customer’s unique needs, promoting career development, independence, and long-term learning or employment outcomes.
• Oversee a varied caseload of customers, working towards performance targets with a focus on securing sustained employment or educational progression.
• Utilise up-to-date labour market intelligence and employer networks to guide customers toward meaningful and lasting job opportunities.
• Establish and nurture productive relationships with key stakeholders, including prison governors, uniformed staff, and partner agencies, to ensure a consistent pipeline of eligible customers.
• Provide flexible, customer-centred support through platforms such as the Virtual Campus, group workshops, and in-person sessions.
• Create detailed and impactful action plans for each customer, ensuring initial engagement meets satisfaction benchmarks and sets a clear path forward.
• Work closely with colleagues across mainstream services (e.g National Careers Service) to enhance tracking of customer outcomes and streamline evidence collection.
• Adhere to all requirements of the Prison Service DPS contract and consistently exceed standards set by the Skills Funding Agency, Ofsted, and Matrix.

About You:

• Hold an NVQ Level 3 or 4 in Advice and Guidance, DipCG, or an equivalent qualification, with a commitment to achieving the CDI Licence to Practice.
• Demonstrate the ability to excel in a target-driven environment, consistently working towards positive outcomes for Prison Service customers.
• Confidently use digital platforms and online tools: including the Virtual Campus, to provide accessible and effective IAG services.

Skills Required:

• Ideally possess recent experience delivering employment or learning outcomes within a custodial environment, particularly in a performance-driven setting.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals who are currently in custody or have previous offending histories.
• Skilled in providing high-quality one-to-one and group career guidance sessions, consistently achieving at least a Grade 2 standard.

We are currently unable to provide sponsorship for work permits or visas. Therefore, we can only consider candidates who already have the legal right to work in the UK.

Artificial intelligence can assist you during the application process, but every example and statement you include must be honest, accurate, and based on your own real experiences. If plagiarism is detected, meaning you present someone else’s ideas or experiences, or AI‑generated content, as your own, your application may be withdrawn, and internal applicants could face disciplinary action.

At GC, safeguarding the welfare of all individuals including vulnerable adults and young people is a top priority, and we expect all staff to uphold this standard. All appointments follow Safer Recruitment Procedures, including a DBS check carried out by Due Diligence Limited (DDC Ltd), at no cost to the successful candidate.

Please note: It is a legal offence to apply for a role involving regulated activity if you are on the Barred List.

We are committed to increasing workforce diversity and offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet the essential criteria and either have a disability or are from a diverse ethnic community.

If this applies to you, you can request consideration under this scheme during the application process. Your request will be shared only with the Hiring Manager and Internal Recruitment Team.

We also aim to make our recruitment process inclusive and accessible. If you need reasonable adjustments or have any general enquiries at any stage or the recruitment process, please contact careers@growthco.uk or call us on 0161 237 4447.

Examples include:

• Meeting the hiring manager or touring the venue in advance.
• Extra time for tasks.
• Interview questions shared beforehand.
• Accessibility software or equipment for assessments.

We’re proud to support the Ban the Box campaign, which helps people with convictions access job opportunities. As part of this, we’ve removed questions about convictions from the initial application stage.

GC is committed to fostering a culture of flexibility and agile working. Many roles will increasingly support full agile arrangements. If you require more permanent flexibility, we encourage you to discuss this during your interview so your request can be considered early in the process.

All GC colleagues will work in line with the Health and Safety at work act and the GC Health and Safety Policy.

Key information

• Employer: The Growth Company
• Locations: Salford
• Role Type: Permanent
• Working Hours: Full-Time
• Working Hours Per Week: 37