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

Please Note: This is a 12 month Fixed Term Appointment (see candidate notes for more information on Temporary Posts). To help with a temporary increase in work.

This is a busy role in a high profile and fast paced work area which supports a key piece of operational activity within International & Returns Services Command (IRSC), part of Returns & Detention Operations in Immigration Enforcement (IE).

IRSC was formed in 2023 bringing together Returns Logistics Operations, Escorting Services and Detention Progression and Returns. These teams are at the heart of Immigration Enforcement’s operational activity to deliver the return of Foreign National Offenders and those with no leave to be in the United Kingdom. Returns Logistics Operations (RLO) is at the heart of Immigration Enforcement’s operational activity to coordinate the return of Foreign National Offenders and those with no leave to be in the United Kingdom.

Teams across RLO are responsible for international engagement, procuring travel documentation, managing, and developing returns arrangements with receiving countries, coordinating returns charter flight operations, managing the ticketing contract for all returns on commercial flights, engaging with returns partners across the world and operational teams at key airports to engage with airlines and facilitate the final stage of the returns process.

The Airline Ticketing Team is responsible for managing spend on public expense removals (including charter flights). We are also responsible for managing the relationship with our external service provider who provides flight tickets and charter aircraft used in the return of those who have no basis of stay in the United Kingdom. The role offers the successful candidate the opportunity to manage a large and high profile budget whilst developing their stakeholder engagement and communication skills.

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

Due to the nature of this role the candidate will be offered a Fixed Term Appointment of up to 12 months with possible options to extend should business needs require.

Temporary Posts

Permanent employees applying for a post on Detached Duty (internal to Home Office) or Loan (from another government department) should ensure they have the Head of Unit’s support to return to the parent unit/department at the end of the detached duty/loan period.  Note: Existing Civil Servants applying externally for a fixed term appointment (FTA) will normally take up post on a detached duty/loan basis.

Permanent employees who successfully secure a detached duty or loan on promotion (including where a fixed term appointment is offered on promotion), must seek written confirmation from their parent unit/department that the promotion will be recognised and made substantive upon their return to their parent unit/department at the end of the detached duty/loan period.

Detached duty - where the home unit is unable to recognise promotion gained through a detached duty, the line manager (new/home unit as applicable) will place the successful candidate on temporary cover allowance (TCA), which will attract an allowance of 10% of base salary or the difference between base salary and the minimum of the next grade, whichever is higher, until the end of the detached duty.

Loan - where the parent department is unable to recognise promotion gained through a loan and the successful candidate is moving to the Home Office payroll, the Home Office line manager will place the successful candidate on temporary cover allowance (TCA), which will attract an allowance of 10% allowance of base salary or the difference between base salary and the minimum of the next grade, whichever is higher, until the end of the loan.

Person specification

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

• Carry out extensive data processing to assist in the production of statistics and performance reports within the team, so that in depth and flexible data can be provided business wide on all aspects of scheduled flight spend.
• Assist the finance side of the team with the production of monthly reports.
• Assist in the production of ad-hoc stats to support Senior Managers in Returns Logistics and across Immigration Enforcement. 
• Assist in the drafting of Freedom of Information request responses that fall under Airline Ticketing’s jurisdiction.
• On a rota, attend the monthly Operational Service Meetings held with the external ticketing partner, where you may be required to take the meeting’s minutes.
• Occasionally travel to external locations to meet internal and external partners. 
• Support the HEO and SEO on all other aspects of the team as required.
• Oversee the collection of service failures for the Travel Service contract and having investigated them recommend any actions to take.
• Process security clearance applications and maintain the relevant clearance levels for our external partners.
• Manage access to the Book Returns and Movements (BRM) ticketing system.
• Support the HEO in the administration surrounding the Detained Voluntary Departure Reimbursement Programme.
• Maintain control of the team’s email in-boxes, ensuring backlogs are avoided and all issues addressed swiftly.
• Line management responsibility.

Essential criteria

• Management and experience of performance statistics.
• A strong knowledge of excel is required (e.g. use of SUMPRODUCT, VLOOKUP, INDEX, COUNTIF etc. in formulas).
• Experience of presenting complex data in a user friendly way.
• Ability to take notes at meetings that will involve external stakeholders.
• Manage relationships with external delivery partners.

Desirable criteria

• Previous line management experience.
• Familiarity with Metis finance processes would be beneficial.

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 - Seeing the Big Picture (maximum 250 words)

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 - Seeing the Big Picture and the statement of suitability (personal statement). 

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 (Seeing the Big Picture) 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 all listed 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 8th January 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 29th January 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
• Skype for Business/Microsoft Teams

Further Information

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

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.

Part Time Working

If you are considering applying for part time hours, please contact horcbandenational@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

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.