WOMEN IN PRISON LIMITED

Vacancy at Women in Prison

Advocate (South London)

Salary £ 30640

South London boroughs

Details

About Women in Prison

Women in Prison is a national, women-led, feminist organisation.  We deliver front line support to women harmed by the criminal justice system, through our work in prisons, in the community and ‘through the prison gate’ as they resettle back into their communities. We also campaign for systems change that addresses the root causes of offending, reduces the harmful impact of prison, and creates workable, community-based alternatives to imprisonment. 

Terms & Conditions:

Job Purpose:

Women in Prison’s Advocates deliver high-quality, trauma-informed, independent advocacy for women in communities and in prisons, which focuses on early intervention, and holistic provision as part of a ‘whole system’ multi-agency response that looks to address the root causes of women’s offending. 

The primary purpose of this role is to provide in-depth, ongoing support to a caseload of women in the community, co-located in hubs across South London. This programme is funded by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) co-commissioning grant, along with investment from the six Local Authorities, the Community Rehabilitation Company and NHS England. The funding will be used to develop and expand support for female offenders and women at risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system across Bromley, Bexley Croydon, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and Wandsworth. 

The primary purpose of this role is to provide in-depth, ongoing support to a caseload of women across the South London boroughs. 

The Advocate will: 

• Provide advocacy, support and advice services to women in contact with, or at risk of being in contact with, the criminal justice system.
• Be co-located across London Boroughs to support clients in Women’s Only Hubs.
• Attend designated office for monthly team meetings, training and team development time.
• Provide Through the Gate support to women leaving custody returning to one of the WIP’s boroughs.

To Apply;

If you require reasonable adjustments to support you during the application process, please contact the HR team on hr@wipuk.org.

We are happy to invest in developing the right person, so you are welcome to apply even if your professional experience does not fully meet the job description or person specification.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and minoritised women, and women who have personal experience of the criminal justice system. 

• Is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement
• Requires the right to work in the UK
• Is subject to an Enhanced + Adult Barred List DBS check
• Is subject to successful HMPPS enhanced vetting

Benefits

Annual leave: 30 days plus statutory bank holidays (if full time). All WIP staff also receive an additional 3 days leave between Christmas and New Year.

Pension scheme: WIP provides an auto enrolment pension scheme with 5% contributions from the employer and 3% from the employee.

Clinical supervision: Working with WIP can be enormously rewarding but also challenging at times. So we provide clinical supervision through a Harley Street practice, to encourage reflective practice and support the wellbeing of our team.

Employee Assistance Programme: Confidential access to a range of support and information on a 24/7 basis. Including legal advice, emotional support, practical advice and signposting.

Cycle to Work Scheme: Eligible employees can save money and spread the cost of a new bike and accessories.

Notes

Please upload an application form. CVs will not be accepted.

Attached documents

Vacancy at Women in Prison

Senior Project Worker (WomenMATTA)

Salary £ 30702

Manchester and Trafford, Greater Manchester

Details

About Women in Prison

Women in Prison is a national, women-led, feminist organisation.  We deliver front line support to women harmed by the criminal justice system, through our work in prisons, in the community and ‘through the prison gate’ as they resettle back into their communities. We also campaign for systems change that addresses the root causes of offending, reduces the harmful impact of prison, and creates workable, community-based alternatives to imprisonment.  

Job Purpose:

WomenMATTA delivers innovative services to women in Manchester and Trafford who are in contact with, or at risk of being in contact with, the criminal justice system. This includes one to one practical and emotional support, advocacy and group work.  

This post is two-fold; the post holder will provide in-depth, ongoing support to a small caseload of complex cases, whilst they also support with the coordination of the WomenMATTA Hubs. The post holder will also provide administrative support, ensuring quality standards are consistently met, staff are effectively managed, and partnerships are maintained.   

• Provide high-quality, trauma-responsive support to women in contact with, or at risk of contact with the criminal justice system.
• Support effective service delivery, staff practice, and safeguarding across WomenMATTA services.
• Monitor case management systems to ensure accurate and timely data recording, aligning with contract KPIs and WIP policies.
• Develop and maintain effective partnerships with statutory and voluntary sector services to ensure coordinated, multi-agency support for women.

Terms & Conditions:

To Apply;

Please note, we do not accept CVs.

If you require reasonable adjustments to support you during the application process, please contact the HR team on hr@wipuk.org.

We are happy to invest in developing the right person, so you are welcome to apply even if your professional experience does not fully meet the job description or person specification.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and minoritised women, and women who have personal experience of the criminal justice system. 

• Is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement
• Requires the right to work in the UK
• Is subject to an Enhanced + Adult Barred List DBS check
• Is subject to successful HMPPS enhanced vetting

Benefits

2026

Senior Communications
Manager

Charity no: 1118727. Company no: 5581944.

Contents
Senior Communications Manager .................................................................................................... 0

Welcome! .................................................................................................................................... 2

1.  Women in Prison – Our Story ................................................................................................. 3

2.

Application and Recruitment ................................................................................................ 5

Senior Communications Manager ................................................................................................. 6

Terms and Conditions: ................................................................................................................. 6

Job Description: ........................................................................................................................... 8

Person Specification: ................................................................................................................. 11

To Apply: .................................................................................................................................... 12

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy ....................................................................................... 12

Policy on the Recruitment of Women with Lived Experience of the Criminal Justice System .......... 13

1

Welcome!

Dear Applicant,

Women in Prison is the only national charity focused on women in the criminal justice sector,
we are women-led and know the importance of ensuring we have a clear gendered approach
in  all  that  we  do.    Our  influencing  potential  and  campaigning  voice  are  substantial.  We  are
currently in our 40th year of supporting women impacted by the criminal justice system.  We
work with women who are at risk of, or being, harmed by the systems that are meant to protect
us.

At Women in Prison we are passionate, ambitious and grounded in the reality of women’s lives.
We  are  proud  of  our  roots  as  a  feminist  grassroots  organisation,  and  we  have  grown  from
strength  to  strength  since  the  1980s,  delivering  services  to  women  and  campaigning  for
change.  We exist to support women facing multiple marginalisation and exclusion, who have
been let down, and their rights denied.  We believe that prison doesn’t work and we want to see
an end to the harmful imprisonment of women in England and Wales.

This is a very exciting time in Women in Prison. As a deeply value-led organisation, we know
that our recently agreed set of values represents the unique nature of our organisation, and
also need to hold us to account for how we work in an unpredictable future.  Our new vision
and purpose will guide us as we build a strategy during 2024 to be implemented from 2025.

We  know  we  want  to  build  more  coproduction;  deeper  support  to  women  who  are
disproportionately affected by the system through an intersectional lens; greater connection
between the women we support and the influencing we do; an increased focus on alternatives
to the system and a stronger focus on preventing women being caught up in the system.

If you are excited by our purpose, and the breadth of what this role could offer to you, we would
love to hear from you.

I look forward to meeting you.

Sonya Ruparel, Chief Executive

2

1. Women in Prison – Our Story

 Our Vision is of a society which no longer accepts the structural inequalities
that lead women and girls into contact with the criminal justice system.

Women in Prison was born out of the anger our founder – Chris Tchaikovsky – felt about what
she experienced and saw when imprisoned in HMP Holloway in the 1980s.

During Chris' time in prison, a woman died after setting fire to her own cell. Chris saw that the
specific needs of women in prison and the damaging effect prison sentences were having on
women scarcely figured in public or political discourse. So, in 1983, alongside international
criminologist Pat Carlen, Chris founded Women in Prison, pushed hard to expose this scandal
and campaigned for change. Our founders wanted to increase awareness of the lives behind
the women in our prisons, and the impact of poverty and abuse on women’s lives.

Chris believed the idea of sending a woman to prison as punishment was shameful and absurd.

In her words:

3

“Taking the most hurt people out of society and punishing them in order to teach them
how to live within society is, at best, futile. Whatever else a prisoner knows, she knows
everything there is to know about punishment because that is exactly what she has
grown up with. Whether it is childhood sexual abuse, indifference, neglect;
punishment is most familiar to her.”

In the early 1990s, the organisation was able to expand its remit beyond campaigning to
deliver direct support to women affected by the criminal justice system. WIP's initial focus on
prison in-reach services was then expanded to support women in the community following
their release. Chris, sadly, passed away in 2002. Despite the loss of our visionary founder,
Women in Prison works to carry on Chris' legacy.

Today, WIP is a national charity dedicated to making a difference to the lives of women
affected by the criminal justice system. We campaign for a new system of justice - one that
addresses the root causes of offending (including homelessness, substance use, mental ill
health and experiences of poverty, trauma and abuse). Our women’s centres in Manchester
and London and the services we provide in communities and prisons deliver holistic, women-
centred support to enable those whom we work with to address the complex challenges they
face.

We want to persuade decision-makers to radically reduce the women’s prison population, by
demonstrating how a focus on human rights, social justice, health and investment in
specialist community support services, including women’s centres, enables women to move
forward with their lives. We do this by:

1.  Leading inspiring, passionate campaigns to replace the current system, and to radically
reduce the number of women in prison, thereby freeing resources for investment in
community support services, including women’s centres.

2.  Delivering high quality, trauma-informed, independent advocacy services for women, in
communities and prisons, which focuses on early intervention, health and holistic
provision as part of a ‘whole system’ multi-agency response.

3.  Offering a platform for women’s voices which builds women’s confidence and self-belief,

strengthening an understanding of their rights and responsibilities, and provides
opportunities to speak ‘truth to power’ to bring about real change

Here is a link to our most recent annual report:
2023_Annual_report__and_accounts_Women_In_Prison.pdf (womeninprison.org.uk)

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2.  Application and Recruitment

Completing the Application Form

Please complete the application form clearly and in full. The personal statement should be no more
than 2000 words, clearly demonstrating how your skills, knowledge and experience relate to the
Person Specification and competencies required for the post. Give examples of your work (paid,
voluntary or life experience). Be positive and specify your own responsibilities rather than those of
your team. Remember we’re interested in what you did and the outcome. We can only shortlist you
based on the information you provide in the application form.

Please provide details of two referees, one must be your current or most recent employer, voluntary
placement or educational reference.

Equalities Monitoring

WIP is committed to building and valuing diverse teams and aims to provide a working environment
that promotes equality of opportunity and is free from unfair and unlawful discrimination. As part of
this process, we monitor recruitment to help us understand who we are reaching, reduce inequalities
and continually inform our policies and practices. Completing the equalities monitoring form is
voluntary however we do encourage you to do it. The information you provide will be used for
statistical purposes only, it is confidential and will not be shared with the recruitment panel.

Shortlisting

After the closing date, all applications will be reviewed by a shortlisting panel to determine how each
applicants’ skills, knowledge and experience relates to the competencies required for the post (as
outlined in the Person Specification and Job Description). Applicants who meet the role criteria will be
invited for interview. We will only consider information enclosed in the application form when
shortlisting.

Interviews

As part of the interview process you will be asked to complete an exercise before  the interview. You
will then meet with a panel of three people who will ask you questions relevant to the role. During the
interview, you will have the opportunity to ask the panel questions about WIP, the role and the terms
and conditions of service.

Feedback

Unsuccessful applicants will be informed of the outcome of their interview in writing with an offer to
provide feedback. If requested feedback supported by relevant examples from the interview will be
provided.

5

Senior Communications
Manager

Reports to:

Director of Development

Direct reports:

N/A

Department:

Fundraising/Comms

About Women in Prison

Women in Prison is a national, women-led, feminist organisation.  We deliver front line support
to  women  harmed  by  the  criminal  justice  system,  through  our  work  in  prisons,  in  the
community and ‘through the prison gate’ as they resettle back into their communities. We also
campaign  for  systems  change  that  addresses  the  root  causes  of  offending,  reduces  the
impact  of  prison,  and  creates  workable,  community-based  alternatives  to
harmful
imprisonment.

Start date:

23rd February 2026

Terms and Conditions:

Salary:

£48,750 per annum (inclusive of £3,990 London/Southeast Weighting)

Location:

Hybrid: need to be available to work from London Office and occasional
national travel

Working hours:          Full time: 35 hours per week

Contract:

Permanent

6

Annual leave:

30 days plus statutory bank holidays (if full time). All WIP staff also
receive an additional 3 days leave between Christmas and New Year.

Pension scheme:  WIP provides an auto enrolment pension scheme with 5% contributions

from the employer and 3% from the employee.

Clinical supervision: Working with WIP can be enormously rewarding but also challenging at

times. So we provide clinical supervision through a Harley Street
practice, to encourage reflective practice and support the wellbeing of
our team.

Employee Assistance Programme: Confidential access to a range of support and

information on a 24/7 basis. Including legal advice, emotional support,
practical advice and signposting.

Cycle to Work Scheme: Eligible employees can save money and spread the cost of a new

bike and accessories.

7

Job Purpose:

Job Description:

This role will lead and coordinate Women in Prisons’ external communications, platforming
the voice of women with lived experience of the criminal justice system to raise the
organisation’s public profile and awareness of the criminalisation of women.

Key Responsibility Areas

1.  Lead and develop comprehensive communications strategies to raise WIP’s profile for

influencing, fundraising and impact and that align with our vision and mission.

2.  Build  public  engagement  and  awareness,  leading  on  campaign  development  and

delivery

3.  Oversee the production of Women in Prison’s publications.
4.  Platform the voice of women with lived experience of the criminal justice system in all

external communications.

5.  Manage WIP’s Spokesperson network
6.  Develop, build and  contribute  to  high  quality  and authentic  partnerships  and

relationships with stakeholders including journalists.

7.  To  be  a  member  of  the  extended  leadership  of  Women  in  Prison,  modelling  feminist
leadership, anti-oppression and empowering, values-led, collective leadership for the
organisation.

Duties and key responsibilities

1.  Lead  and  develop comprehensive communications  strategies  to  raise  WIP’s
profile for  influencing,  fundraising  and  impact  and  that  align  with  our  vision  and
mission

•  Create and manage the budget for communications activities including website;

events, and publications.

•  Develop and lead a communications strategy, ensuring consistency of voice and key

messages across all external communications.

•  Work in collaboration with colleagues across the organisation and women with lived
experience to develop a set of key messages that align with our mission and values.
•  Lead and deliver engaging, accessible and interesting content for WIP’s digital media
platforms, ensuring they are kept active and reflect our key messages and values.
•  Lead, develop and grow WIPs social media presence and explore new and creative

ways to deliver WIPs content through various platforms.

•  Collaborate with the Fundraising Team to develop and run effective, proactive

fundraising campaigns utilising our social medial platforms.

8

•  Analyse, measure and report on the impact and effectiveness of WIPs external

communications, identifying areas for development and implementing
improvements.

•  Manage the development and upkeep of WIPs website ensuring it is accessible,

engaging, user friendly and meets the needs of all stakeholders including women with
lived experience, decision makers and partners.

•  Work closely with our programmes to ensure our communications promote and

accurately reflect the work we are doing alongside women affected by the criminal
justice system.

•  Work closely with Head of Policy to maintain up to date knowledge of existing and

emerging issues related to the criminalisation of women.

2.  Oversee the production and distribution of Women in Prison publications
•  Lead and coordinate the distribution of publications, including WIPs magazine ‘Still I

rise’ to appropriate stakeholders through diverse means.

•  Ensure all WIPs reports, newsletters, and other promotional material have

consistency of brand and voice.

•  Focus on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in outputs to ensure representation of the
intersectional experiences of women in contact with the criminal justice system.
•  Work across the organisation to develop, manage and keep up to date WIPs key

contacts, including key influencing targets.

3.  Platform the voice of women with lived experience of the criminal justice system in

all external communications

•  Lead and expand a ‘spokesperson network’ across the organisation and with women
with lived experience of the criminal justice system ensuring the provision of full
training and support.

•  Develop, in coproduction, an ongoing series of case studies demonstrating the views
and experience of women in contact with the criminal justice system to use in all
external communications to help challenge unhelpful stereotypes and the stigma
associated with the criminal justice system.

•  Ensure the provision of briefings and support for all staff and women with lived

experience of the CJS when required for media opportunities.

•  Proactively seek opportunities for women with lived experience to platform their

voice.

4.  Develop, build and  contribute  to  high  quality  relationships  with  stakeholders

including journalists

•  Act as a media spokesperson for women in prison.
•  Lead and oversee a media strategy, focusing on developing collaborative relationships
with journalists and media professionals to secure quality coverage regarding women
affected by the criminal justice system and to support WIP’s strategy.

•  Develop collaborative relationships with partner agencies and

organisations to facilitate shared messaging .

9

5.  To be a member of the extended leadership of Women in Prison, modelling feminist
leadership, anti-oppression and empowering, values-led, collective leadership for
the organisation.

•  To work with the extended leadership team to bring collective accountability and

leadership for the organisation.

•  To effectively manage and coordinate staff and external stakeholders on relevant

communications projects.

•  To embed the organisation’s values through feminist leadership and anti-oppressive

practice.

•  To work collectively with the extended leadership team on operational planning and

design, taking a leadership role when required.

•  Work closely the Head of Policy to share information and contribute to the delivery of a

coherent influencing strategy across the team.

The job description does not form part of your contract of employment and can be amended
from time to time as the needs of the organisation require.

10

Skills and Experience

Person Specification:

•  Relevant experience  in  a  communications  or  similar  role,  devising  communications
support

channels for optimal impact

reach

and

to

strategies across
organisational objectives.

•  Experience  of  effective  line/project and  supplier management,  delegating  tasks  and

overseeing the work of others.

•  Overseeing  the  publication  and  dissemination  of  a  range  of  publications  including

reports, briefings and promotional materials.

•  Building  and maintaining effective  relationships  with  key  stakeholders  in  external

organisations.

•  Sharing  power,  co-producing and  platforming

the  voice  and  experience  of

beneficiaries.

Personal Attributes and other requirements

•  Budget management and reporting skills.
•  Excellent  written  and  oral  communication  skills  which identify key  messages,

engage audiences and encourage understanding.
•  Excellent organisation and project management skills.
•  Sharp attention to detail and maintaining accuracy of communications.
•  Ability  to  work  in  a  fast-paced  environment  managing  reactive  and  proactive  work

simultaneously.

•  Commitment to the core values and ethos of Women in Prison, including social justice

and feminism.

•  Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities and an ability to

apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work.

•  A strong collaborative leadership style.

11

To Apply:

Applications close: 2nd February 2026 at 9am
Interviews with Women in Prison: TBC
To apply: Submit a CV and cover letter to application portal

If you require reasonable adjustments to support you during the application process, please
contact the HR team on hr@wipuk.org.

We are happy to invest in developing the right person, so you are welcome to apply even if
your professional experience does not fully meet the job description or person specification.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and minoritised women, and
women who have personal experience of the criminal justice system.

In line with legal requirements and the nature of our work, this role:

Is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement

•
•  Requires the right to work in the UK
•
Is subject to a Basic DBS check.
•  Requires that the post holder is not automatically disqualified by (or can obtain a waiver

from) the Charity Commission

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

Our Principle Commitments
WIP is committed to building and valuing diverse teams and taking positive action to promote
equality and challenge unfair and unlawful discrimination. We recognise that women may
experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination based on their sex and
additional, real or perceived, characteristics including age, disability, gender reassignment,
marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion, sexual orientation,
social-economic background, immigration status, caring responsibilities, spent convictions
or trade union membership.

WIP works to tackle discrimination and the structural inequalities women experience. We are
committed to embedding diversity and inclusion in all areas of our work, including
recruitment, and aim to reflect the diversity and excellence of the women that we work with.
We actively encourage applications from women from a variety of backgrounds, and with a
range of skills and experiences. We are particularly interested to hear from Black, Asian and

12

minoritised women and women who have lived experience of the criminal justice system.

Policy on the Recruitment of Women with Lived
Experience of the Criminal Justice System

Women in Prison actively encourages and supports the employment of women with lived
experience of the criminal justice system. We believe that women’s own experiences drive
the Charity forward through understanding, solidarity and passion for change.

Job Advertisements and the Application Process
We do not ask for disclosure of criminal records during the application process, to ensure
that women with lived experience of the criminal justice system are assessed on their merit,
without risk of discrimination and are not asked to disclose sensitive personal information
unnecessarily.

If a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required for a role, this will be stated clearly
in the job advert, including the level of DBS.

Levels of DBS Checks
Basic DBS checks contain details of unspent convictions. Standard and Enhanced DBS
checks contain details of unspent and spent (unless filtered) convictions and cautions
(including reprimands and warnings). Enhanced DBS checks may also include other
information held by police forces deemed relevant to the role or check for inclusion on the
Children’s or Adults’ Barring List.

Job Offers and the Induction Process
We will only ask for a DBS check at the point of job offer.

Disclosures will be treated confidentially and only stored where necessary, in line with
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) guidelines. Access will be restricted to limited
Senior Management or HR representatives as needed to assess suitability for the role.

A criminal record will not arbitrarily bar women from employment with us. We discuss
disclosures with applicants (in person, or via phone or video call), to allow them to explain the
background in their own words. We consider the relevance to the role, including the type and
seriousness of an offence, how much time has passed and whether the individual’s
circumstances have changed. If they have restrictions on the work they are able to do, we
consider whether we are able to make reasonable adjustments to facilitate their
employment.

13

The Charity Commission does however have its own automatic disqualification rules on who
can hold senior positions within a charity, which apply to our Trustee, CEO and Director of
Finance and Resources positions. Although it is possible to apply for a waiver.

Women in Prison does not have a blanket ban on any criminal records and will always
approach disclosures fairly and on an individual basis. We seek to balance supporting
women with lived experience into employment, alongside safeguarding our current
employees, service users and the organisation.

14