• External Advertising End DateAdvertising End Date:
    17 Sep 2026
  • All LocationsLocation(s):
    Various Locations
  • Salary DescriptionPay Band
    G
  • Vacancy TypeVacancy Type:
    Permanent
  • Salary Details:Salary Details:
    £62130 -£68352
  • Hours Per WeekHours Per Week:
    35
  • Working PatternWorking Pattern:
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  • Eligible For Hybrid Working?Eligible For Hybrid Working?
    Yes
  • About The Role

  • Principal Psychologists will contribute to the range of functions performed by psychological services, including risk assessment and management, treatment interventions (psychological therapies and offending behaviour interventions), supervision, case-management and training delivery, all of which contribute to the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) vision of helping to build a safer Scotland. Post holders will provide management and leadership to Psychology Department teams within establishments and deliver training to other staff. You will be able to work across more than one establishment, providing variety to your daily role and supporting continued professional development through breadth of experience.
  • For full details about the role, please refer to the Job Description, Person Specification and Selection Information & Timeline.

  • Qualifications

  • Candidates must hold a degree in Psychology with Graduate basis for registration; a BPS accredited MSC in Forensic Psychology and hold current HCPC registered practitioner status.Essential
  • Knowledge, Skills & Experience

  • Extensive experience of working as a Psychologist within a forensic setting and at least two years’ experience post registration with HCPC as a practitioner. This must include experience of implementing and supervising high intensity offending behaviour programmes.Essential
    Extensive experience of psychological risk and risk assessment tools, including writing psychological risk reports and presenting to external agencies such as Parole Board. Essential
    Ability to act as designated and/or coordinating supervisor to Forensic Psychologists in Training, to ensure that standards of professional supervision meet the required standard for Chartered Psychologist status.Essential
    Ability to manage staff and assist their development to achieve desired outcomes.Essential
  • Essential Competencies for Success

    • Listen & Communicate
    • Accountability & Initiative
    • Solve Problems & Make Decisions
    • Change & Improve
  • About Us

  • The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) operates in a fascinating, complex and rapidly changing environment. Our vision is to help build a safer Scotland by unlocking potential and transforming lives. To enable us to successfully deliver our vision, we are committed to nurturing and investing in our greatest strength and resource: Our People.

    We are proud to employ a diverse range of people; each contributing their own unique experiences and skills to enhance the service we deliver. Whatever the role, you will find your SPS experience both challenging and rewarding. You will be committed to helping us to achieve our goals and in return we will be committed to helping you to achieve yours.

    We employ approximately 5,000 staff across our prisons, headquarters, college, and training and storage facility. The hard work of our staff is the most critical component in the successful delivery of Scotland’s prison system.

    We need professional, capable and motivated individuals who reflect Scotland’s diversity to deliver effective and efficient activities and services to achieve our Mission and realise our Vision.

    Whatever SPS profession you embark upon, you will be a valued member of the team, helping us build a Safer Scotland for the communities we serve. We are committed to your personal and professional development and offer a wide range of career progression opportunities.

Civil Service Values

All Civil Servants, and therefore anyone employed by the Scottish Prison Service, must be able to fully comply with the requirements of the Civil Service Code. Everyone is expected to carry out their role with dedication and uphold the core values of the Civil Service: Honesty, Integrity, Objectivity and Impartiality.

  • Integrity: putting the obligations of public service above your own personal interests.
  • Honesty: being truthful and open.
  • Objectivity: basing your advice and decisions on rigorous analysis of the evidence.
  • Impartiality: acting solely according to the merits of the case and serving equally well Governments of different political persuasions.

The Civil Service Commission

Our recruitment is conducted in line with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles and external competitions are regulated by the Civil Service Commission. While the legal requirement to follow these Principles applies specifically to external appointments, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) recognises these standards as best practice. Accordingly, SPS fully adopts these principles as the foundation for all recruitment activity, including internal recruitment and selection processes.

External competitions: if you believe that the requirement for selection for appointment on merit based on fair and open competition has not been met, you have the right to raise a complaint. Further information on the Commission’s complaints procedure is available at: https://www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/.

Internal competitions: if you believe that the requirement for selection for appointment on merit based on fair and open competition has not been met, you can raise a complaint to your HR Business Partner.

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