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

The Operational Capabilities Command (OCC) is a directorate within Enforcement, Compliance & Crime (ECC). Our mission is to ensure that operational colleagues have the skills, capabilities, tools and infrastructure which are modern, environmentally sustainable, fit for purpose and allows staff to maximise their operational effectiveness.

Our aim is to work across people and strategic workforce planning, change, digital, performance, engagement, risk, law enforcement engagement and our vulnerability and fair treatment teams collaboratively as one team. We will act as agents of change, to provide the innovation, service and thought leadership that is needed so that Enforcement, Compliance & Crime (ECC) runs well as a command now and transforms further to meet the demands and opportunities of the future.

The Training and Skills Unit (TSAU) works with law enforcement and cross-government partners to tackle serious and organised immigration crime with a focus on bringing to justice those who exploit the vulnerable, for example cases of modern slavery and human trafficking.

This is a professional learning team made up of subject matter experts (SME) and professional trainers who have the knowledge and the networks to enable partnership working within and outside of Enforcement, Compliance and Crime (ECC) extending to external stakeholders including the College of Policing. Our focus is on enabling leaders and managers to improve the experience for colleagues, building the capabilities required to create resilient, competent and confident IE officers of the future.  We aim to do this through being values driven, insight led, outcome focused, agile and expert.

The team is licensed by the College of Policing to deliver training under the auspices of the Professionalising Investigation Programme (PIP).

In addition to training across the different levels of PIP the team develop and deliver Continuing Professional Development (CPD) interventions which support and enhance deployment capability of Immigration Enforcement Officers.

The post holder will have responsibility for the delivery, and evaluation of all learning across PIP 1 and PIP 2. This includes Disclosure Officer, Digital & Internet Investigations, Public Protection, Cash Seizure, Advanced Interviewing, Digital Media Investigation, Investigative Supervisors and Managers Programme, PACE and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA)/ Investigatory Powers Act (IPA).  You will also contribute your SME experience to the design of programmes.

All our trainers should either hold or be willing to work towards a Level 4 Learning and Development qualification within 12 months in post.

TASU delivers learning events at locations throughout the United Kingdom, and occasionally overseas. These courses can be between 1-3 days or upward to 4-6 weeks. If successful, you will need to be aware that this post involves travel and periods away from home, although part time and flexible working patterns are possible.

As an Operational Officer, you will be expected and directed to return to the business for periods at a time by your line manager. This will ensure your skills remain current with operational practices, complete continuous professional development (CPD) and any other agreed function. 

This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to develop and embed a wide range of 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.

Person specification

Key responsibilities will include (but are not limited to):

•  Working to one of His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) and take responsibility for leading assured learning and development products.

•  Delivering learning interventions utilising blended methodology.

•  Designing, delivering and evaluating of learning content, including undertaking design research and where necessary working with internal and external experts.

•  Contributing SME knowledge and experience to full design cycles, providing advice and guidance to partners and end users, whilst coaching and mentoring others.

•  Leading on specific projects whilst keeping learning materials updated in line with current guidance and policy.

•  Undertaking frequent travel nationally to attend meetings and deliver training which will involve overnight stays.

•  Embracing partnership working by engaging closely and collaboratively with other colleagues across TASU, IE, Operational Assurance, Policy, the wider Home Office learning community and other stakeholders to develop and improve our delivery, assessment and quality assure learning across IE.

•  Working flexibly and support other areas within TASU. Responsibilities are liable to change within the learning profession umbrella subject to business need and transformation, so it’s important that you are adaptable.

•  Undertaking continuous professional development (CPD) activities for your role.

Essential Criteria

Successful candidates will need to demonstrate the following skills & experience:

• A minimum professional qualification of Professionalising Investigations Programme Level 1 (PIP1) and for this accreditation to be valid and current at the time of application (see qualification section).

• A high standard of demonstrable verbal and written communication skills.

• Flexibility and organisational skills, and able to deliver under pressure and at pace, particularly when unexpected changes to priorities and procedures occur.

• Demonstrable competence in Microsoft suite (including OneDrive, Share Point, Teams and Excel).

Desirable Criteria

• A Level 4 qualification in Learning and Development or be willing to work towards this within 12 months in post.

• Hold the professional qualification of Professionalising Investigations Programme Level 2 (PIP2) and for this accreditation to be valid and current at the time of application.

• Have a detailed awareness and understanding of the College of Policing PEQF and PIP Frameworks.

• Assessor accreditation, such as Training, Assessing and Quality Assurance (TAQA).

• A strong knowledge of the processes, legislation and policy relating to the work of IE.

• Experience of delivering training to different size groups, using a variety of learning methods.

• Experience of designing and implementing digital and e-learning solutions.

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 CV detailing Job History, Skills and Qualifications
• statement of suitability (personal statement) (maximum 1000 words)
• Provide evidence of the lead behaviour - Communicating and Influencing (250 words maximum) 

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

Please note your personal statement 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

Please note: An initial check prior to sift will be made on candidates holding PIP1 accreditation. Candidates who are confirmed as not being accredited will automatically have their application rejected.

The sift will be held on the lead behaviour - Communicating and Influencing and the statement of suitability (personal statement). CV will not be scored. 

The statement of suitability (personal statement) will be scored first for all candidates. Those who achieve the minimum pass score for the statement of suitability (personal statement), will progress to a full sift where the lead behaviour 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 (personal statement) will not have their behaviour scored and will therefore only receive a sift score for 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. You will also be required to prepare a 10 minute presentation to present at interview, further details around what the presentation will entail will be provided before the interview.

Problems during the application process

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application (e.g. you have ticked the incorrect eligibility box), please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk at least two working days before the vacancy closes. After this, we may not be able to reopen your application.

Please note, we cannot make amendments to any part of the application.

Please use the following in the subject line in your email if you need to get in contact with us about your initial application “Please re-open my application – Vacancy Ref: 348690 CLOSING DATE: 25th April 2024.

For reasonable adjustments queries or requests, please see details with reasonable adjustments section.

Tie break decisions

The strengths and behaviours being assessed will be ranked in order of importance to enable us to differentiate between candidates with tied interview scores. Please note that the order in which behaviours are listed in the advert does not necessarily reflect the order of importance.

Sift and Interview dates

Sift is expected to take place week commencing 29th April 2024. 

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 20th May 2024.

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.

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

Selecting your locations

Please note only list locations where you are prepared to work and can travel to (as you could be offered any of your noted preferences).

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 on the understanding that you can be posted to any location that you put in your preferences. If you would only like to be posted to one location, please confirm one location only. If you are posted to a location that you have requested and you do not accept that location, you may not be offered another role. Please note, only advertised locations can be offered.

Reserve List

Where a campaign identifies more appointable candidates than there are available vacancies, a reserve list may be held for up to 12 months.

Reserve lists will be managed by locational merit lists, appointing in merit order per location. You may be offered a post at any of your preferred locations.

Whilst on a reserve list we may offer you an alternative similar role in the Home Office. Should you reject an alternative role, you will remain on the reserve list for the role you applied for. If you accept an alternative role, you will be withdrawn from the reserve list.

Please note there are no guarantees that further vacancies will arise in the locations you originally applied for before your time on the reserve list expires.

Candidates Please Note: 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

We operate 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. This role currently attracts Annualised Hours Allowance of approximately 23.19%. This is to compensate for working shift patterns including night shifts, early morning starts, late night finishes, weekends, and public holidays.  Shifts can vary in length and can be up to 12 hours.

Shifts can be changed or extended according to business need. The rate payable is dependent on location and role and is indicative of the shift pattern you will be required to work.

The higher the AHA, the more flexible you will be required to be. Please note that the allowance is subject to regular review and can go down as well as up. 

Age: These are shift working roles and so you must be at least 18 years or over to apply for this role. You will be required to work between 22.00 and 06.00, so this is a legal requirement. For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/night-working-hours and Child employment: Restrictions on child employment - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Part-time Working

The minimum requirement for this role would be 25.5 hours per week.

We encourage applications from candidates who wish to work part-time however, unless specified in the advert, part-time opportunities cannot be guaranteed in frontline roles due to the 24/7 operational nature of the business. Those wishing to work part-time should notify the vacancy holder as soon as a provisional offer of employment is made to explore whether this can be accommodated [at your selected location]. Please note that full shifts (of up to 12 hours) will be required even if a part time contract is sought.

Please note that not all work patterns can be supported within this role, successful candidates should discuss work patterns with the vacancy holder ahead of accepting any offer.

Training and Development

If not already an Immigration Officer/ Chief immigration Officer, in order to be designated as one, you will be required to attend an induction course and Officer Safety Training (OST) /Personal Safety Training (PST) course. This is comprised of a 2-week induction training package and 2 weeks OST/PST course. This is all classroom-based training at a CFI training location. It is highly likely you will be required to stay away from home when attending these courses. 

Public and Personal Safety Training [PPST] – Level 3

These roles can be physically demanding and if successful you will be required to complete and pass specialist training including Personal Safety Training [PPST] 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 PPST 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.

You must be prepared to undertake regular refreshers of this.

Flexible Working Arrangement

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.