About the job

Job summary

Home Office Intelligence brings together a number of existing teams involved in the collection and analysis of border and immigration related intelligence. It delivers Intelligence Collection, Development, Analysis, Targeting (Data Analytics) and Watchlisting capabilities within the Home Office and to its partners across Government and Law Enforcement. Learn more on the HO Intelligence careers page.

Job description

The Operational Security (Op Sec) function sits within Home Office Intelligence providing specialist independent advice and support to teams within covert disciplines and overt areas of Immigration and Borders business.

The Operational Security Advisor (OpSy) must be experienced in one or more covert discipline and is required to be a credible source of information and advice in the operational and covert arena. Whilst specific training is provided through the College of Policing the College training requires candidates to have specific experience and knowledge in the covert arena as a pre-requisite which is due to the main functions of an OpSy being largely focused in the covert world.

OpSy functions include:

• Investigation of suspected legislative breaches on behalf of the HO Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) in respect of all covert powers, including RIPA (2000), Police Act (1997) and the Investigatory Powers Act (2016).

• Review of operational compromise, identifying issues and providing advice and recommendations to improve policy and operational practice.

• To be an effective link with anti-corruption capabilities to ensure appropriate risk mitigation is in place to counter the risk of corruption and insider threats.

• Ensuring understanding and the appropriate application of the ‘Neither Confirm Nor Deny’ principles to protect covert methodology and equipment and techniques are applied.

• Provision of guidance and advice to staff and managers to ensure that assets, capabilities, intellectual property and organisational reputation are appropriately protected.

• To be a source of independent specialist advice at tactical coordinating group (TCG) and covert planning meetings, which necessitates experience in both the investigative and covert arena.

As an Operational Security Advisor you will work with the current HMI OpSy’s to provide advice and support to operational colleagues across Immigration enforcement and Border Force on a variety of operational security related matters and issues. The role is varied and the breadth of issues, events, and occurrences that the OpSy is involved with is diverse, meaning whilst some functions are clearly defined, the variety of reactive issues means no two days are the same.

Op-Sec is split in terms of the provision of proactive assurance and inspection duties for accredited covert teams, and reactive work, which might include responding to an operational compromise, a legislative breach or a physical security incident or threat. Given the breadth and nature of work and the responsibilities of the department, the OpSy must be confident in their knowledge and understanding of investigatory process and powers, and must have experience of covert and sensitive tactics and legislation and knowledge of IE/BF business areas.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

• Advising and supporting senior managers in the planning and delivery of investigations using covert law enforcement tactics with an emphasis upon risk assessment and risk management.
• Protecting covert methodology and equipment by the appropriate application of the ‘Neither Confirm Nor Deny’ principles.
• Providing current and relevant operational security advice and guidance in the management and avoidance of compromise and ‘blue on blue’ issues including physical and people assets, information handling, communications and operational techniques.
• Developing policy and operational practice by review and implementation of approved recommendations.
• Providing and facilitate expert advice in managing risk in covert and relevant overt activities.
• Linking with: Information assurance, Anti- corruption capabilities, National OpSy Network, IPCO, Information Security Officers and other outside bodies and agencies
• Testing the integrity, review process and risk management in any investigation and/or intelligence operation.
• Undertaking independent reviews and inspections of the operational use of intelligence.
• Highlighting operations that are potentially a risk to the organisation.
• Reviewing covert and relevant overt methodology, at all levels within the organisation, to ensure that standards and effective practices are met and maintained.
• Reporting operational security incidents and/or compromises to allow learning and reduce the risk to future operations.
• Identifying learning requirements in relation to covert and relevant overt policing.
• Undertaking and participating in audit and inspections of the Sensitive Intelligence Unit (SIU) in conjunction with the SIU Manager, as determined by local arrangements and the Sensitive Intelligence Network (SIN) National Assurance program for SIUs.

Please note, once in post you will be expected to achieve IPP accreditation as an Senior Intelligence Manager within 18 months of starting the role (if you are not already accredited).

Please note, due to nature of the role this can only be conducted on a full-time basis.

Please note, regular national travel will be required for the role with occasional overnight stays.

Please note, you will be able to start in post with SC clearance, however you must successfully obtain DV clearance once in post (if not already held). During the period where you hold SC clearance, you will only perform elements of the role which fall under SC clearance. If your DV clearance application was unsuccessful, you would be moved into a role which only requires SC clearance. This may not be within the same business area and you will not have a choice on which role you would be moved to.

Person specification

Who are we looking for?

This is a specialist post; the role is challenging and as such the successful candidate must be able to respond to dynamic and varied situations with confidence and proven knowledge providing sound and impartial advice to operational officers, intelligence officers, specialists and managers across the department and at all grades.

Essential criteria

• A sound and demonstrable working knowledge and understanding of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) legislation and Police Act (part III).
• Proven experience of managing or advising in high risk law enforcement operational situations.
• Experience of working in a covert discipline or sensitive intelligence arena.
• Experience of law enforcement investigation processes and covert tactics.
• Experience of Immigration and Borders related functions and powers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills at all levels.

Desirable criteria

• Professional OpSy qualification such as College of Policing L4 Operational Security Advisor Course/ CPNI accreditation or a relevant qualification in law enforcement or anti-fraud investigations e.g. PIP, ACFS or similar.
• A background in law enforcement with experience of investigation techniques and case management processes.
• Experience and knowledge of Border Force Customs and Immigration work.
• Experience in a counter corruption/Insider Threat field.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete: 

•    A CV detailing job history and skills 
•    A statement of suitability (personal statement) (maximum 1250 words) 
•    Provide evidence of the lead behaviour - Making Effective Decisions (250 words maximum)

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The statement of suitability should be aligned to demonstrate your skills and experience for the role and how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job advertisement.

For guidance on how to construct your personal statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links – Statement

For guidance on how to construct your behaviour examples, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links –Behaviours

The sift will be held on the lead behaviour Making Effective Decisions and the statement of suitability (personal statement).

The CV will not be scored.

The statement of suitability will be scored first for all candidates. Those candidates who achieve the minimum pass score for the statement of suitability, will progress to a further sift where the lead behaviour (Making Effective Decisions) will be scored. These candidates will therefore receive a sift score for both elements.

Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the statement of suitability will not have their lead behaviour scored and will therefore only receive a sift score for the statement of suitability.

However, if a large number of applications are received, the sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability (personal statement) only. 

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview which will be a blended approach of strength-based questions and behaviour-based questions on the behaviours listed within the advert. 

Strengths are the things that you do regularly, do well and that motivate you. To find out more about strength based questions click here

Sift and Interview dates

Sift is expected to take place week commencing the 1st January 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing the 29th January 2024.

Interviews will be carried out via video. Candidates will be required to have access to:

• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Skype for Business/Microsoft Teams

Further Information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Note for Candidates

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying of examples/answers from internet sources. If any is detected the application will be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving internal candidates. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants. 

If you are currently an agency member of staff working within the Home Office, a contractor or contingent worker you can only apply for roles that are advertised externally, i.e. outside the civil service. If you are eligible to apply for a role, you are required to select yourself as an external applicant and not internal when submitting your application on Civil Service jobs. This will prevent any delays in pre-employment checks should you become successful in being made an offer of employment after the Interview stage.

Are these Reserved Posts for UK Nationals only?

UK nationals who hold dual nationality are able to apply for this reserved post. If a UK passport is not being presented, then candidates will need to provide alternative evidence of UK nationality in line with the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Annual Hours Working Allowance

We operate 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year and you would be required to work flexibly and operate over a 24/7 shift rota, this can include: Night shifts; Early morning starts, sometimes before 6am; Late night finishes, sometimes after midnight; Weekend and Public Holidays; Shifts can vary in length and can be up to 12 hours; Shifts that change or extend according to business need.

These posts include shift allowances which varies by flexibility, shifts, location; however, the average allowance is 28%. You would be deployed to a range of different duties, shifts and locations and should expect to have a variance in the AHW dependent on the varying duties and shifts. The actual % of AHW paid will be for each region/port to decide, as these will be different depending in which port you may work.

Age: These are shift working roles and so you must be 18 years or over.

Flexible working

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.  This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estates capacity, by Spring 2024.  Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details).

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to  bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Additional Security Checks: As well as successfully obtaining UKSV clearance and passing the right to work and pre-employment screening, anyone who applies to work for Border Force will also be subject to additional Border Force specific security checks, as part of the pre-employment process, to determine their suitability to work for the organisation.

Please see the Home Office Recruitment Privacy Information Notice (PIN) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recruitment-privacy-information-notice for more information on how your details may be shared for the purpose of additional security checks.

Please see the Border Force Privacy Information Notice (PIN) on Border Force privacy information notice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for more information on how your details may be shared.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.