About the job

Job summary

Immigration Enforcement (IE) 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 does the job involve?

This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to develop and embed a wide range people and engagement skills within a high performing team, delivering what is required to continue to make the team a great place to work and to support staff and senior managers in delivery.

We are looking to recruit Immigration Officers to join our frontline Immigration Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) team based in Portishead, Bristol. This office covers the police force areas of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Avon and Somerset.

There is a potential opportunity to set up a sister team in Swindon that will consist of a smaller number of officers and a Chief Immigration Officer (CIO). This team will be an integral part of the wider team at Portishead but be based at a location in the Swindon area and is currently being considered by us and our Police partners as part of our wider expansion. 

This team form part of a wider ICE that includes offices in Cardiff and Swansea that cover South Wales. The role will involve regular travel to areas covered by these offices. The Immigration Compliance and Enforcement Teams operates 365 days a year, so the successful candidate will be required to work shifts, including unsociable hours (including some night shifts) weekends and bank holidays.

You will become part of a team where the opportunity to learn and develop is a continuous process. You will develop a strong team ethic that will allow you to support your colleagues and achieve the overall objectives of the department.

You will be working as part of a team of officers looking to detect and apprehend persons unlawfully present in the UK in line with relevant legislation.

The successful candidates must be prepared to undergo Aviation Custodial Training.

Training and development

You will receive full training combining both classroom (online) and practical, on the job training. You will also be required to complete online mandatory training and requirements on our E-learning platform.

We offer an initial 1-day induction followed by a minimum 7-week classroom based course, please note you will likely be away from your home office Monday to Friday, followed by a mentoring period with continuous progression assessments.

We have a continuous learning culture in IE, and you will be encouraged to undertake training activities in line with your skills and career aspirations.

Please note: due to the nature of this role and the shift working, it is only available to full-time members of staff.

Online Events

An On-line event will be held on Thursday 18th January at 19:00 and Saturday 20th January at 11:00. This will provide candidates the opportunity to hear more about the role, tips and hints about the application process. Candidates are encouraged to attend the event by registering here:

Thursday 18th January at 19:00 - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/immigration-officer-recruitment-event-1

Saturday 20th January at 11:00 - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/immigration-officer-recruitment-event-2

Person specification

We are looking for candidates who can:

• Work in a fast-paced demand driven environment. You will have a strong team ethic that will allow you to support your colleagues and achieve our overall aims. This is a key element in being able to undertake the role, some of the work that we do may be traumatic and upsetting.
• The ability to work in a demanding and pressurised working environment.
• The ability to prioritise demands and be able to effectively deal with conflicting priorities.
• Demonstrate strong communication skills with an ability to work quickly and build rapport with colleagues and partners.
• Ability to work a range of shifts including early and late starts, nightshifts and weekends. Additionally, to work a proportion of public holidays.
• Flexibility required to undertake short notice shift changes.
• Is committed to continuous improvement and the delivery of best practice.
• Is flexible, adaptive and creative in solving problems and dealing with change.
• Is committed to making Immigration Enforcement a great place to work.
• Physically fit, which will be confirmed by a medical assessment.
• Willing to become PST 3 arrest trained and willing to be refreshed annually within official timescales.
• Willing to undertake mandatory Aviation Custodial Training as an integral part of the role. 

If Professionalising Investigations Programme (PIP) trained; you may form part of the team that looks to take on, develop and lead PIP Level 1 criminal investigations, alongside standard Immigration Enforcement duties. These include:

• Entry in breach of deportation orders.
• Identity document offences.
• Assaulting an Immigration Officer.
• Failure to comply with documentation process.
• Illegal working offences.

If not already PIP (L1) trained, there may be future opportunities to gain this qualification, alongside the core Immigration Enforcement role.

You will be responsible for:

• Arresting and detaining immigration offenders.
• Protecting and safeguarding of the vulnerable.
• Searching property and persons including collecting, preserving and recording evidence.
• Attending police stations to deal with suspected immigration offenders.
• Gathering intelligence.
• Engaging with communities and partner agencies across government.
• Completing risk assessments.
• Preparing operational orders.
• Directing officers whilst on an enforcement visit.
• Conducting thorough briefings and de-briefings for enforcement visits.
• Driving official vehicles - UK Driving Licence will be required.
• Attending police stations to detain people reporting and transport to immigration removal centres.
• Serving enforcement papers on immigration offenders.
• Writing reports and input data onto internal systems and handheld devices.
• Obtaining and executing warrants.
• Seizing proceeds of crime.
• Serving civil penalties.
• If PIP trained, leading on criminal prosecutions which includes, investigating/gathering evidence, arresting, interviewing, file building and attending Court.

Essential Criteria

You will have the following proven skills and experience:

• Committed to continuous improvement, in an environment where performance matters.
• Flexible, adaptive and creative in solving problems and dealing with change.
• Have a strong sense of personal and team working ethics.
• Confidentially engage with the public, internal and external stakeholders.
• Can effectively organise and plan proactively.
• Thinks in an objective and analytical manner.
• Can demonstrate sound interpersonal, communication and relationship building skills and thrives working as part of a team.
• Full valid UK manual driving licence

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working in a fast-paced, dynamic enforcement environment.
• PIP 1 trained.
• Forgery trained.
• PST (Personal Safety Trained) Level 3 either currently in ticket or willing to be refreshed within official timescales.

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 first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information. 

After submission of this first stage, you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Work Strengths Test. If you successfully pass this test, you will then be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the test and full application form is 23:55 on 12th February 2024. If you fail to complete the online test or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.  

Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website. 

You CANNOT complete the Tests on a mobile phone or tablet.

Following successful completion of the test, you will then be asked to complete:

• a CV detailing job history/skills
• A Statement of Suitability (personal statement) (500 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

The sift will be held on the Statement of Suitability (personal statement) only. The CV will not be scored.

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 you will also be required to prepare a short 5-minute presentation (no slides or handouts required) focused on the lead Behaviour – Making Effective Decisions. This presentation can be based around anything, it doesn’t have be work related.

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

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 12th February 2024. 

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 4th March 2024. 

Interviews will be face to face at Conference House, Portishead, Bristol, BS20 7LZ. Further details will be provided ahead of interview.

Please note: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

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.

Please note: 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.

Reserve List

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. 

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 up to 34.36% - which works out at £9,620 for the salary minimum and £10,101 for the salary maximum.

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

Appearance

As part of this role you will be required to wear a uniform (which will be provided). Staff must ensure that their uniform is worn correctly, in line with these uniform standards, is kept clean and is well presented. To support this requirement, adequate uniform supplies will be available and issued. Uniformed staff represent their organisation at all times and should ensure that their dress and personal appearance reflects this responsibility.

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 is not an option

This role is not suitable for a combination of office and home-based working due to the requirements of the role. Successful candidates will be required to attend the office/other work location as specified in the advert at all times to carry out this role.

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.