About the job

Job summary

Immigration Enforcement is responsible for enforcing the government’s immigration laws, tackling illegal migration, removing foreign national offenders and immigration offenders from the UK. It also aims to disrupt the organised criminal groups that exploit the vulnerable for their personal gain. 

Learn more on the Immigration Enforcement careers page.

Job description

What is an Immigration Removal Centre (IRC)

An IRC is a secure building that holds detained individuals (residents) who are held prior to their removal from the United Kingdom or for nationality and identification purposes.

There are currently 6 IRCs in England and 1 in Scotland, with 2 more IRCs planned to open in England in the near future.

All IRCs are overseen by the Home Office’s Immigration Enforcement directorate and are contracted out to private companies known as IRC Suppliers who ensure all aspects of the IRC are run safely and securely within rules and legislation. 

About the role

You will be part of the Contract Operations team whose role within Detention Services is to support the smooth transition of services and supplier from old contracts to new contracts across the IRC estate. 

You will work diligently to review IRC contract schedules which outline the supplier’s obligations and important aspects of the contract, supporting the risk and benefit, and lessons learned workshops as well as representing Detention Services Operations at various working groups and project boards.

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a fast paced and varied role.

Location

Applicants who are already based at a Detention Services location not listed will be able to remain at their base location. Those seeking applying to Haslar IRC should note that the centre will not open until late 2024 and should speak with the vacancy manager about bespoke arrangements for this location.

Please Note: There is no shift working requirement, and therefore no AHW allowance available for this post.

Due to business need, and the demands of the role, the position is not offered on a part time basis.

Person specification

You will be responsible for:

Contract Development

• Leading lessons learned workshops with stakeholders and present recommendations for improvements in future contracts.
• Leading engagement sessions with internal colleagues on contract operations to ensure all are aware of ongoing activity. 

Procurement Support

• Accountability for the effective change management process for operational requirements by accurate recording and progress monitoring ensuring approved changes are actions across other live contracts. 

Service Change

• Leading on specific areas on the service change process within mobilisation or demobilisation reporting risks to the Senior Contract Operations Manager.
• Working closely with Subject Matter Experts to ensure deliverables are completed and their progress captured. 

Management

• Using management information prepare factually correct briefing documents and able to tailor briefings to both senior and junior stakeholders both internally and externally.
• Overseeing the efficient management of the duty inbox and provide business support functions in meetings ranging from minute taking and logistical organisation.
• Supporting the SEO Senior Contract Operations Manager role.

Although there are currently no posts that require management reporting to this role, there is a possibility that you may be required to line manage a small number of Executive Officers as the team expands in the future.

Essential Criteria

• Stakeholder management capability and a proven record of working with external partners and/or suppliers.
• Ability to review and interpret complex information and be able to present in an accessible format.
• An understanding and awareness of the legal, political and public context within which the Home Office operates and associated constraints, pressures and challenges.
• Ability to work effectively to tight deadlines and contribute to demanding but competing priorities.
• Excellent IT skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office programmes, including Excel.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working in a custodial environment.
• Understanding of the Immigration system.
• Experience of contract monitoring/audit and assurance.
• Proven record of managing others (line management or peers).

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.

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 Statement of Suitability (personal statement) (maximum 750 words)
• Provide evidence of the Behaviour 'Managing a Quality Service' (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 Managing a Quality Service and the Statement of Suitability (personal statement). 

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. 

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 from 14th February 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 11th March 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.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role or similar role become available within that period you may be offered this position. 

When completing your application you will have the opportunity to select your preferred location(s). Please ensure you select all locations you are interested in. Candidates who are successful at Interview will be placed in order of merit per location and provisional job offers will be made in strict merit order per location preference. Provisional offers are made, as they are on condition that you successfully pass all pre-employment checks.

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.

If you are considering applying for part time hours, please contact HORCCampaignTeamIE@homeoffice.gov.uk to discuss your request as not all working patterns may be accommodated.

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 counter-terrorist 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

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.