About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting role for a motivated individual within the newly created Illegal Migrations Operations Command (IMOC) working under Director General Stuart Skeates, Strategic Operations for Irregular Migration.  
 
The IMOC will work across the Migration and Borders system and the Home Office to implement and then operate the processes within the new Illegal Migration Act.

This role is within the new end to end case working function called Illegal Migration, Relocation & Returns Service which is currently being established.  
 
The Illegal Migration Relocation & Returns Service (IMRRS) casework command will be responsible for managing the cases of individuals who fall under the duty to remove, from point of claim to their relocation to a safe third country, the country of which they are a national, or one for which they hold a passport / identity document. It involves ensuring that we have the most effective systems to progress both cases in detention and those released into the community awaiting relocation or removal; removing legal barriers; that we continue to evolve our response to ensure it is digitised, efficient and continue to drive innovation.

This is an exciting time to join the unit which will be operational in line with the anticipated commencement of the Act.

Job description

We need EO Removals Desk Officers to support planning and arranging the return/relocation of individuals in the UK who fall under the Duty to Remove within the new Illegal Migration Act. You will be working collaboratively across Home Office teams such as Detained Casework, Returns Logistics, Detention Services, PACT, Non-Detained Casework as well as external teams to relocate individuals to a safe third country, the country of which they are a national, or one for which they hold a passport/identity document.

These are exciting, dynamic, and fast paced environments with new challenges being faced daily. By working in the newly created Illegal Migrations Operations Command (IMOC), you will develop and maintain knowledge on a wide range of immigration matters which will be invaluable for those looking for a career across the breadth of the immigration system.

Both rewarding and challenging, these roles will provide you with the opportunity to:

• Work at the heart of Government and be in a position to positively affect some of the challenges facing our country today
• Use and develop skills and talents to build a rewarding career
• Be in a flexible, skilled, professional, and diverse environment that values and promotes a healthy work/life balance

Some of the key responsibilities in these roles include (but are not limited to):

• Collating correct and appropriate information about individuals to assist with travel documentation applications and agreements for their removal or relocation
• Complying with strict third country data share requirements to a high-quality standard
• Reporting accurate and timely information in relation to planned and completed flights, removals and relocations
• Supporting data quality compliance within the team
• Removals Desk Inbox Management which will involve the prioritising, triaging and allocating of time critical activities in line with team and business objectives
• Referring representations and applications to the correct teams for timely and proper consideration
• Identifying individuals who are potentially vulnerable and taking necessary steps and decisions to safeguard vulnerability in the handling of their case
• There may be an opportunity for line management which will involve participating actively in the development of staff, conducting regular meetings and performance reviews and supporting staff to develop their capabilities and career pathways
• Keeping up to date with changes in case working/removal/data processes, policy, guidance, and legislation
• Developing effective relationships with other teams and external and internal stakeholders
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a strong emphasis on accuracy
• Be aware of and escalate risk and high-profile matters to senior managers without delay
• Role model exemplary leadership behaviours – getting the best out of those who work with you

The above is indicative, not exhaustive. To meet the needs of this evolving team you will be expected to work flexibly across the unit’s priorities to deliver high-quality and timely outcomes and you will be required to keep immigration knowledge up to date.

Successful candidates will be required to attend an in-person training programme. This may require travel to a different location to your usual office location. 

Please note a minimum of 22 hours is required for part time working.

Person specification

We are looking for individuals who can successfully deliver operational outcomes to challenging objectives. You will need to;

• Be organised, flexible and adaptable
• Have a strong delivery focus and work under pressure
• Learn and understand policies, processes and procedures
• Think in an objective and analytical manner – be able to see the big picture as well as the finer details
• To effectively organise, plan and manage workloads to meet deadlines and balance conflicting priorities – able to react and adapt to changing circumstances
• Have strong communication skills – effective written and verbal communication skills, showing attention to detail and accuracy
• Be confident with IT – able to learn how to use different software platforms/packages
• Able to demonstrate sound, positive interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Enjoy working collaboratively with other teams and external and internal stakeholders – dealing with people in a professional manner

Essential criteria

• Effective organisational, time management and prioritisation skills whilst maintaining good attention to detail
• An ability to work at pace and under pressure with a flexible and positive approach
• Able to work independently and as part of a team
• Able to build good team and stakeholder relations
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Effective IT skills with ability to quickly learn to use new/different IT platforms
• Experience of working within a fast-paced environment

Desirable criteria

• Experience/Knowledge of the Immigration System

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;

• Statement of Suitability (max 500 words)
• Provide evidence of the behaviour ‘Delivering at Pace’ (max 250 words).

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

Your Statement of Suitability (Personal Statement) should explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for this role, with close reference to the criteria in the person specification.

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

Sift

The sift will be held on the Statement of Suitability (personal statement) and the behaviour 'Delivering at Pace'.

The Statement of Suitability (Personal Statement) will be marked first for all candidates. Candidates who meet the minimum pass score for the suitability of statement, will then go on to have their lead behaviour 'Delivering at Pace' scored and will therefore receive sift scores for both of these elements. Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the Suitability of Statement will not have their lead behaviour scored and will therefore only receive a sift score for their Statement of Suitability.

Interview

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview which will be on all the behaviours outlined in the job advertisement, strength based questions & experience questions.

Please note experience questions will be assessed against the essential criteria. To find out more about experience based questions click here.

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 15th April 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 6th May 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however these may change due to business needs. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

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

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

It is advisable to access your interview from a windows operating system laptop, desktop, phone or tablet as there is no guarantee that Microsoft Teams will work without issue on an Apple laptop, tablet or desktop.

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.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

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

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 and generating of examples/answers from internet sources including Artificial Intelligence. If any is detected the application may be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving civil servants. 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.

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 created for other similar roles for a period of 12 months. Selection will be in Merit Order to fill the same role or similar roles with closely matching “Essential Criteria” and Success Profile elements without further assessment.

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.

If you are an external candidate and not a Civil Servant, please note that you will start on the minimum pay that is being advertised.

For more information about working for the Home Office, please visit Home Office Careers website.

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.

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.