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

Home Office Intelligence has three Dedicated Source Units (DSUs) which are a standard feature for the lawful and effective management of Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS) in compliance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). The DSUs are supported by a central Source Development Unit (SDU) which supports the DSUs, provides a vital role in managing Source status drift for the department, and is currently transforming to take a more active role in CHIS recruitment.

The effective recruitment and management of CHIS generates high grade intelligence, maximises intervention opportunities and produces the strongest likelihood of meeting the department’s strategic objectives and fulfilling its intelligence requirement.

The Source Development Unit currently sits within Home Office Intelligence, a new directorate bringing together Border Force Intelligence, Border Force International and Immigration Intelligence, created to provide a single strategic and operational lead primarily for all Border Force and Immigration Enforcement intelligence requirements and functions.

The Source Development Unit [SDU] seeks to identify officers who can provide intelligence in support of the current Immigration Requirements (IRs) of the Home Office. The SDU also acts as the single point of contact and advisor for the Home Office on all matters relating to Human Intelligence Sources (HIS) and Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS), and is the statutory centre for Immigration Enforcement [IE] records of CHIS deployments and use.

Key functions of the CHIS Recruitment officer will include, but are not restricted to:

• Identification and development of potential CHIS for the Dedicated Source Units (DSUs).
• Initial contact with prospective CHIS, and recording/dissemination of intelligence product.
• Working with handlers across the DSU offices to recruit CHIS opportunity and provide handler resilience.
• Providing vital research support to the DSUs.
• Managing the Source Champion network and CHIS awareness among internal and external operational partners through appropriate Source training and liaison.
• Liaison with internal and external operational partners to identify CHIS opportunity.
• Conduct research and due diligence on prospective CHIS enabling comprehensive risk assessment.
• Recording and coordinating CHIS taskings from internal and external partners.

Current transformation of the SDU is looking to move towards proactive recruitment of CHIS, and it is intended that the successful candidate attends specialist relevant training to facilitate this, and becomes Source handler accredited to work with DSUs on CHIS recruitment meetings.

The expectation within the Home Office is that staff will normally remain in post for a minimum of two years following the successful completion of the Advanced Source Handlers Skills training programme. This is due to the staff development investment for this specialist training and also a period of in-role immersion and mentoring. During this time staff will not be eligible to apply for Home Office roles on level transfer.

This post is a specialist post and this is only available on a full-time basis. There is a likely requirement to work flexibly, including some unsociable hours (public holidays, nights and weekend) and being on call.

There will be opportunity to undertake some work from home in line with current flexible working arrangements in Home Office Intelligence, but officers will be expected to respond to on call requirements when operationally necessary.

Applicants should be aware that on-call requires the officer to reside within a reasonable travelling distance to the office they are posted to. Reasonable distance is deemed as 90 minutes travelling time for London-region based post.

Person specification

You will be responsible for:

• Demonstrating a good knowledge and understanding of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), CHIS Codes of Practice, Criminal Procedure and Investigation Act 1996 (CPIA), Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and the principles of General Data Protection Regulations.
• Ensuring that all meetings and contacts with sources are conducted using appropriate tradecraft.
• Ensuring the welfare, health and security issues of the source are properly considered and reported on.
• Directing, debriefing and tasking appropriate sources when required.
• Actively promoting awareness of source related capability in the Home Office by seeking out, engaging and educating both new and existing internal and external partners.
• Producing accurate and comprehensive recording of CHIS material including meeting reports, risk assessments, applications, intelligence reports and financial records.
• Promoting a safe working environment through effective risk assessment of every deployment and dynamic risk assessment of every situation.
• Promoting a professional working environment by maintaining the highest standards of behaviour and integrity.
• Actively contributing to the team effort improving performance, demonstrating innovation, working collaboratively and with respect.

Training

• You will be required to complete and pass the Advanced Source Handlers Skills training programme. This course is 3-4 weeks in duration, which may be residential.
• There is likely to be additional specialised CHIS training requirement in relation to this post, such as a Source recruitment course.
• Mandatory training for the Source Recruitment role may also be residential.
• You should be aware that this role requires an accredited training process which must be passed before a candidate is legally allowed to undertake the duties of the role. All aspects of this training and mentoring programme are tested and failure to pass will mean the officer will be unable to carry out this role and alternative posts will be looked at.

Once you have successfully completed your probation you will be managed within the Performance Management policy. Failure in any aspects of the training will trigger the use of the departmental Managing Poor Performance policy and this may lead to a decision to dismiss on the grounds of inefficiency.

Please Note: Travel is expected for the role, this may necessitate occasional overnight stays.

Essential Criteria

• Experience of working in a law enforcement operational environment, such as intelligence, criminal investigation or detection work.

Desirable Criteria

• Previous experience of the recruitment of individuals for progression to CHIS authority.
• Previous training in or experience of Source Management.
• Previous experience of the authorisation processes under RIPA 2000.
• Previous training in or experience of UK Immigration rules and legislation.

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 and Experience.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

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

• a CV detailing job history
• a statement of suitability (personal statement) (maximum 500 words)
• provide evidence of the behaviour - Communicating and Influencing (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 description.

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 behaviour Communicating and Influencing and the statement of suitability (personal statement). The CV will not be scored.

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

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 (Communicating and Influencing) 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.

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

Sift and Interview dates

Sift is expected to take place week commencing 22nd January 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 12th February 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change. 

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
• 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.

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

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

Annualised Hours Working (AHW) is an attendance system where staff work an agreed number of hours for the year rather than weekly conditioned hours.

You will be required to work flexibly on any day of the week, including weekends, nights, Public Holidays and the Privilege Day, and the hours may vary each week. Attendance may also be subject to change at short notice.

The rate payable under the AHW scheme is driven by business requirements and may vary depending on location.  Your initial rate will be confirmed when you have started in post and will be paid as a percentage of your basic salary.  If a member of staff has agreed an annualised hours arrangement, this does not become a permanent or guaranteed right.  Annualised hours working is subject to changes in operational needs and managers can adjust, cease or suspend it, for operational or performance reasons. Annualised hours agreements are reviewed at least annually. The annualised hours year runs from 1 April to 31 March.  If an individual begins working on an annualised hours basis part way through the year, they will receive a part-year agreement and the Annualised Hours Allowance will be pro-rated for the remainder of the year to reflect that agreement.

If you transfer to a non-AHW post the requirement to work in accordance with the terms of the AHW policy will also end and you will move to standard Home Office Terms and Conditions.

The initial rate payable is 24-26%.

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

Personal Safety Training (PST)

These roles can be physically demanding and if successful you will be required to complete and pass specialist training including Personal Safety Training (PST) which develops skills in personal safety, arrest and restraint techniques. This demands physical activity and physical contact with delegates on the course. You will be required to complete a PST health declaration and, if necessary, attend a medical examination.  A formal offer will be conditional upon you being physically fit to undertake and pass the training.

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).

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

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.