Why Hiring for CFO Evolution Is Tougher Than Ever
Recruiting for justice contracts is never simple—but since the launch of CFO Evolution in summer 2025, it’s become even more complex.
CFO Evolution, the successor to CFO3 (which ended in 2024), focuses on reducing reoffending by delivering tailored interventions to prison leavers and people in custody. It’s essential work with life-changing impact—but from a recruitment perspective, it presents some of the toughest challenges in the entire justice sector.
Many providers are already feeling the pressure: struggling to hit performance targets, managing rising caseloads, and facing higher-than-average staff turnover. At the heart of it: finding the right people, fast enough.
Why It’s So Hard to Hire for CFO Evolution
This isn’t a standard community-based role. CFO Evolution is deeply prison-focused, introducing a unique set of recruitment hurdles:
Prison vetting is slow and stringent. You can’t just run a DBS check—prison clearance involves extensive background checks and administrative delays that can drag on for weeks or months.
The setting is tough. Staff work directly with people who may be disengaged, have experienced trauma, or present complex behavioural needs. It demands confidence, resilience, and the ability to build trust quickly.
Performance targets still matter. Despite the challenging environment, providers are held to strict frameworks—missed targets impact funding and delivery.
It’s not just about filling posts. It’s about finding the right people quickly and carefully—because hiring mistakes can have long-term consequences for both the service and the individuals it supports.
The Vetting Dilemma
Understandably, many providers turn to candidates who already have prison vetting in place, including:
Current or former prison staff
Volunteers or mentors already working inside
Charity workers with prior clearance through other justice contracts
These candidates can start faster—but vetting doesn’t equal performance. Just because someone can pass security doesn’t mean they’ll thrive in the role or deliver results. Placing someone who isn’t a natural fit can lead to early exits, low morale, and delivery issues.
So What’s the Answer?
There are two routes:
Fast-track hires with vetting already in place—but with careful screening for performance, rapport-building, and resilience.
Find people without clearance but who are willing to commit to the process and are genuinely suited to the role.
At Red 5 People, we do both. We’ve built pools of vetted professionals and know how to assess their ability to deliver—not just “get through the gate.” We also specialise in spotting emerging talent—from criminology graduates to people with frontline experience in homelessness, recovery, or mental health charities.
These candidates may not be cleared yet, but they’re motivated, values-driven, and more likely to stay the course.
Final Thought
CFO Evolution is a critical justice contract with real impact. But it won’t succeed without the right people. That means hiring strategies that go beyond clearance alone—focusing on individuals who can handle the demands of prison-based work and consistently deliver results.
If you’re looking for the right talent to deliver on CFO Evolution, we can help.