Approved Premises - HM Inspector (Ref: 17822)

Advert and job description

HM Inspectors Approved Premises inspection programme

HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of probation and youth justice services in England and Wales. We promote excellence in these services.

HMI Probation 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. We may also be able to offer one permanent position.

When joining us on a secondment/loan, 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/loan 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 58,511.

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 these roles

• Are you a senior manager in the criminal justice sector?
• Are you looking for a role that is interesting, challenging and makes a difference?
• Do you want to develop your leadership skills and boost your career prospects?

HMIs will be responsible for leading Approved Premises inspections across England and Wales. You may also have the opportunity to contribute to other inspection programmes.

As an HMI, you will be involved in every stage of our inspections: planning, conducting fieldwork, and drafting the final report. You will interview and hear from senior leaders, practitioners and people on probation, as well as use a wide range of data sources to form judgments. You will identify effective practice as well as areas for improvement; you will also make recommendations and contribute to final ratings. These are collaborative roles so you will work closely with the Head of Programme and other members of the inspection team, and have regular contact with the Chief Inspector of Probation. Your final report will be submitted to the Secretary of State for Justice and will help to improve practice locally and nationally.

The Inspectorate is committed to learning and development for all staff. During your first year with us, you will be required to complete and pass our internal training programme, which focuses on developing the skills and knowledge needed to undertake high quality inspection practice. You will receive ongoing feedback and support as you develop your professional skills.

HMIs who have completed secondments with us have gone on to take senior leadership roles in the Probation Service and broader criminal justice sector. A current HMI said:

One of the best decisions Ive ever made was to join the Inspectorate. Its an organisation that is working so hard to improve probation service delivery.

About you

HMIs must:

• have worked at a senior level in a related profession and have experience of interacting with senior stakeholders.
• have operational and strategic experience of Approved Premises work
• 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.

If you are a Welsh language speaker and you would like to discuss how your unique skill set can improve our service delivery, please e-mail [email protected] to arrange a discussion with Helen Davies who can provide further insight to our commitment to treating the Welsh and English languages on an equal basis when conducting inspections in Wales. Please mark your email HMI recruitment, request for Welsh language discussion and if you would like the discussion to occur in Welsh, please indicate your preference in the e-mail.

Os ydych chi'n siaradwr iaith Gymraeg ac yr hoffech drafod sut y gall eich set sgiliau unigryw wella ein darpariaeth gwasanaeth, e-bostiwch [email protected] i drefnu trafodaeth gyda Helen Davies a all drafod ymhellach ein hymrwymiad i drin yr ieithoedd Cymraeg a Saesneg yn gyfartal wrth gynnal archwiliadau yng Nghymru. Marciwch eich e-bost HMI-recriwtio, cais am drafodaeth iaith Gymraeg ac os hoffech i'r drafodaeth ddigwydd yn Gymraeg, nodwch eich dewis yn yr e-bost.

The option of part‑time or job-share contracts can be discussed individually.

Selection process

You must complete your application by no later than 23:55 on Friday 12 June 2026.

If there are a large volume of applications, we will sift on the lead behaviour of Making Effective Decisions.

We will invite short-listed candidates to an online assessment centre, which will be held on Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 August. Candidates must be available to attend on one of the two proposed dates when notified, as we are unable to offer alternative dates.

Candidates who are successful at the assessment centre will be invited to an interview based on a blend of Behaviours and Strengths. Interviews, will be conducted remotely and will take place during the week commencing 24 August 2026.

We recruit using the Civil Service Success Profiles https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles

Further information on the structure and expectations of our assessment centre process will be sent to candidates who are successful through the application sift stage.

About us and contacts

Our vision

High-quality probation and youth offending services that change peoples lives for the better.

Our purpose

HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of probation and youth offending services in England and Wales. We set the standards that shine a light on the quality and impact of these services. Our inspections, reviews, research and effective practice products provide authoritative and evidence-based judgements and guidance. We use our voice to drive system change, with a focus on inclusion and diversity. Our scrutiny leads to improved outcomes for individuals and communities.

We work in ways that are influential, independent, professional, diverse and inclusive. Read more about our vision, mission and values on our website: www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation

If you would like to discuss these posts, please contact [email protected] , marking your email Approved Premises recruitment January 2026.

We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all staff. We will not discriminate on grounds of gender, ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, faith or any other factor not relevant to a person's work.

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