When people think about careers at Corrections, work in a prison environment often comes to mind. But there are many other careers in the community, supporting rehabilitation, reintegration, and positive change.

This article shines a light on some of those lesser‑known roles, exploring what they involve day to day, the challenges and rewards, and the skills that they use.

Operations adviser

“This work makes the community safer by keeping a close watch on people serving sentences outside of prison.” – Dean, operations adviser

Operations advisers are part of a 24/7 team that support the management of electronically monitored individuals living in the community. They observe location data in real-time to make sure that people follow their bail and sentence conditions and escalate alerts to the police and field officers when necessary. Public safety is their highest priority.

They field calls from monitored individuals, service providers, and other government organisations, including the police and Oranga Tamariki. Calls could be about general enquiries around monitoring conditions and requirements, installation or collection of equipment, or operational support and guidance requests.

It can be a challenging role, requiring quick and calm decision-making during high-pressure emergency alerts. However, operations advisers have the support of their team and supervisors. Each day brings new scenarios, and each caller is different; it’s a role where they are always learning.

Day-to-day:

• Observing GPS data in real-time
• Assessing risks
• Managing alerts and escalating breaches to the police
• Handling inbound calls from people we manage
• Focusing on keeping our communities safe

Considering this role?

Here are some of the skills that are useful for operations adviser:

• Ability to operate calmly in a fast-paced, pressured environment
• A sharp eye for reading tracking data
• Clear communication skills
• Strong personal honesty
• Ability to listen and not judge
• Empathy and respect

Service manager - community

“My ‘why’ comes from being curious: What is the nature of their offending? How can we make a difference, and how can we reduce harm and keep our communities safe?” – Ella, service manager

Service managers at Corrections are responsible for ensuring their office runs smoothly and overseeing community teams, which includes probation officers and sometimes community work supervisors. This involves screening reports, providing guidance in decision-making and being a sounding board to their team. Like all our roles, public safety is their highest priority.

It is a fast-paced and versatile role, often requiring flexibility and quick decision-making. They lead and guide staff to balance accountability with rehabilitation, ensuring that people serving community sentences are supported to make positive changes while keeping communities safe.

Day-to-day:

• Supporting and supervising a community team
• Managing risk and compliance
• Responding to incidents or escalations
• Working collaboratively with the courts, Oranga Tamariki, Ministry of Social Development, the police, and non-governmental organisations
• Focusing on keeping our communities safe

Considering this role?

Here are some of the skills that are useful for service managers:

• Strong leadership and communication skills
• Ability to support and guide a team
• Reliable, trustworthy and accountable
• Sound judgement and risk management
• Resilience, empathy and staying calm under pressure
• Adaptable and flexible

“I value the collaborative relationships I’ve built in the community; by working collectively towards a common goal, we can better understand the bigger picture and support more meaningful, lasting change for individuals and their whānau.” – Ella, service manager

* Please note: Names have been changed for privacy.