Reintegration and Employment Lead

Salary: £38,000 FTE Contract: Permanent Working pattern: Full-time; 39 hours p/w Location: HMP Brixton, HMP Downview, HMP Send, The Clink Cafe in Herne Hill and the South East Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. ABOUT THE CLINK CHARITY The Clink Charity, founded in 2009, aims to prevent and reduce reoffending through training, rehabilitation, and support. We deliver hospitality and horticulture training behind the prison walls and in the community, by creating an environment where our students are supported to gain the skills, confidence and qualifications they need to rebuild their lives. Since that time, we have trained approximately 5,000 people in prison and delivered 2,600 City & Guilds qualifications in a variety of hospitality and food courses. What makes The Clink unique is our post-release support and mentoring programme that rehabilitates an offender back into society through assistance with health and mental health issues, housing, employment, family connections and friendships. The charity operates an award-winning fine dining restaurant open to the public in HMP Brixton, training kitchens in the prison estate, horticulture projects at HMP Send and HMP Earlestoke, a commercial bakery in Brixton and a bespoke delivery service, Catered by Clink. Additionally, Clink Events is our social enterprise catering business with food produced by the women in HMP Downview and also and additional kitchen at Herne Hill and then served by alumini on front of house ats some of the best venues in London including the Guildhall, the Science Museum, Cutty Sark, Kew Gardens and the Camden Roundhouse. . In 2024, across 218 events, The Clink fed 36,000 people. More information can be found on our website and social media channels. JOB PURPOSE The Reintegration and Employment Lead (Prisons & Through the Gate) is responsible for leading the delivery of high-quality reintegration and employment support across multiple prison establishments and into the community, as well as across our youth projects. This is a visible operational leadership role, working across a portfolio of prisons to ensure individuals are supported to leave custody with realistic employment opportunities, coordinated Through the Gate support and the practical tools they need to secure and sustain meaningful employment post-release. The role also supports our youth café projects in South London and Guildford, working alongside Chef Trainers and Youth Support Workers to ensure that young people at risk of offending are supported to progress into further education, employment or training following graduation from the programme. You will lead and develop a geographically dispersed team of Support and Employment Workers, building strong relationships with prison governors, prison staff, probation, employers and community partners to ensure a consistent, high-quality service across all locations. By providing effective leadership, driving continuous improvement and maintaining the highest professional standards, you will help people build positive futures through education, training and employment, contributing to reduced offending and reoffending and safer communities. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Operational Leadership · Provide visible operational leadership across multiple prison establishments and community locations, ensuring a consistent, high-quality employment and reintegration service. · Lead, motivate and develop a geographically dispersed team of Support and Employment Workers delivering support both within prisons, post-release and across our youth projects. · Create a positive, collaborative and high-performing team culture through coaching, supervision, mentoring and regular one-to-one support. · Manage workloads, resources and priorities across multiple sites to ensure services remain responsive to operational needs. · Conduct regular quality assurance, case reviews and performance discussions to maintain high standards of practice. · Report to the Head of Training and Impact and the wider SLT on the delivery and impact of the Reintegration and Employment team, ensuring they are kept informed of performance, outcomes and the impact of interventions. Through the Gate Delivery · Lead the delivery of an effective Through the Gate service, ensuring seamless continuity of employment support from custody into the community. · Work closely with prison teams to embed employment planning throughout an individual's custodial journey. · Ensure every participant has a realistic and personalised employment plan that continues beyond release. · Oversee effective release planning and handover arrangements so individuals are connected with employers, probation, mentors and community services immediately following release. · Identify and help remove barriers to employment, including housing, benefits, transport, digital inclusion, health and wellbeing. Youth Pro…