About the job

Job summary

The Home Office is here to make our country safer. As well as working to protect the most vulnerable, reduce crime and enforce the law, we also work to, and have a proud history of, providing refuge to those who have been displaced or are seeking asylum. Whether it is fighting crime, protecting our borders or combating slavery, the Home Office (HO) is at the cutting edge of public policy in this country and our work is some of the most challenging and rewarding in government.

The role of the Public Safety Group, which sits within the HO, is to keep the public safe by protecting the vulnerable, cutting crime, disrupting the highest harm criminals, and ensuring that our police, fire and rescue services are as trusted, efficient and effective as they can be in delivering front line public services. 

The people in our Group develop and implement policy, provide funding, and deliver legislation. We make the most of innovation, data, and partnerships to protect the vulnerable, prevent crime, and tackle the highest harm crimes. We work with our partners in law enforcement, establishing governance arrangements at a national, regional, and local level.

The Drugs and Firearms Licensing Unit (DFLU) is part of the Crime Reduction Directorate in the Public Safety Group of the Home Office. It is responsible for enabling the licit use of controlled drugs, whilst preventing their diversion to the illicit market.

We are recruiting to this exciting and varied post, offering an ideal development opportunity for existing operational managers (or those with experience of people and operational management) looking for a new challenge where you can make a real difference to a great many, and to diversify your skills in this outward-facing regulatory field, of Ministerial interest. This is a post with a significant technical casework element.

Job description

The unit is responsible for issuing licences for controlled drugs (import/export and domestic) and for prohibited firearms possessed by registered firearms dealers, freight companies, maritime armed guards, clubs and museums. The drug and firearms licensing regimes operate under separate legislative frameworks, but there are clear operational synergies.

The unit is also responsible for the operational policy which governs the licensing regimes and engages with a wide range of stakeholders such as pharmaceutical, care, health, research, wholesalers, airlines, the National Crime Agency, the police, shooting organisations, regulatory bodies and other government departments.

This is a reputationally important role, interacting with varied stakeholder groups, some of whom can be challenging. The UK has a strong regulatory reputation for Controlled Drug and Precursor Chemicals; this role is the public face of the ‘inspection regime’.

This role is available on a Full-Time basis. Job-sharing applications would also be considered but any job offer is conditional upon a viable job-sharing arrangement being available. Due to the nature of the role and business requirements, we are unable to consider a Part-Time working option.

This role requires significant domestic travel throughout the UK. This does include overnight stays in line with Home Office guidance and all costs associated with this travel will be met by the business area.

A typical working week will see you in the Croydon office Monday and Tuesday, an early start to Edinburgh on Wednesday with an overnight stay, Blackpool on Thursday travelling home that afternoon, working from home on Friday.

Public safety and excellent customer service are at the heart of what we do. The post holder will join one other Senior Compliance Officer and will manage a team of  HEO (Higher Executive Officer) Compliance Officers. This role will be reporting to the Head of Domestic Drugs Licensing; it is a challenging and diverse role focusing on the operational delivery of licensing decisions and is responsible for ensuring that the UK meets its international obligations; delivering an operational response to the drug strategy, including a licensing regime that enables the legitimate use of drugs and precursor chemicals, while preventing their diversion to the illicit market; operating a robust and proportionate drug and firearms licensing regime; and playing its part in ensuring unit maximises opportunities for full cost recovery and delivers operational efficiencies.

The post-holder will manage a team of up to seven people and will support the development of operational policy and play a key role in delivering it, manage the casework of others while undertaking complex casework, compliance checking the work of the team, and building and managing performance management.
With a growing customer base it is vital that the unit maintains its staffing capacity to drive through process improvements and show that we are offering value for money to the fee-paying public.

Successful candidates will be expected to complete the Bond Solon Advanced Professional Certificate in Investigatory Practice Qualification within their first 18 months of the role (DFLU will meet the cost of one cycle of assessments for each module).

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). 

Person specification

Some of the key responsibilities as a Senior Compliance Officer will be to:

• Manage and develop staff, providing direction and operational management to the compliance team, building capability, resilience and fostering a culture of high-performance ensuring robust efficient workflow and case management.

• Take responsibility for complex casework and development of legally sound operational responses to emerging casework issues.

• Develop flexible tasking and systems of work with the existing Senior Compliance officer.

• Support the development of policy through evidence-based decisions.

• Oversee the case management functions to ensure that: the team is customer-focused, with feedback sought from servicer users and complaints dealt with appropriately; information, training and standards are in place to enable staff to provide an excellent service.

• Oversee the delivery of the domestic licensing operation to ensure all applications are case-worked, approved and licenses issued in accordance with policy, legislation and process, and to quality and service standards.

• Deliver high-quality customer service ensuring correspondence, including that from licensees, Minister’s and trade bodies, via email, post or telephone and dealt with in a timely and professional manner.

• Establish and maintain good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders ensuring the team works collaboratively and flexibly and liaises and shares information, where appropriate, with OGDs, other Competent Authorities or Regulatory Bodies.

• Have a good understanding of all relevant legislation, and develop a good understanding of the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) 1971 and associated Misuse of Drugs Regulations (MDR) 2001, Precursor Chemical Regulations & International Conventions – including gaining an effective knowledge of licensees, their areas of business and working knowledge of licensing processes.

Essential Criteria

• Recent experience of operational delivery and management in a regulatory systems environment.

• Strong leadership skills with the capability and experience to overcome challenges in order to deliver quality business outcomes.

• Strong planning and organisational skills with capability and experience to overcome challenges in order to deliver quality business outcomes.

• Direct experience of working with legislation and policy matters in an operational environment.

• Direct experience of litigation work, in either a HR or casework context and

• On account of the significant travel requirements of the role - hold a Full UK (Car) Driving Licence Manual or Automatic and have no more than three penalty points.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working with statistical data.

• Knowledge and understanding of interrogating reports and basic chemistry and/or pharmacology.

• Knowledge of UK Drug Legislation and/or Medicines Legislation.

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, Ability 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.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete the 'Civil Service Management Judgement Test'. 

Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 28th May 2024. If you fail to complete the online test 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.

Candidates who pass the test will then have until 23:55 on 28th May 2024 to submit their full application where the sift will take place on the Statement of Suitability and the lead behaviour 'Making Effective Decisions'.

If your full application has not been submitted by 23:55 on 28th May 2024, it will not be considered. 

As part of the application, you will be asked to complete:

• A CV (job history / qualifications / skills)
• Statement of Suitability (Personal statement) (1000 words maximum)
• Evidence of the lead behaviour 'Making Effective Decisions' (250 words maximum).

The Statement of Suitability must be aligned to demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job advertisement.

Your CV should consist of your career history, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will not be scored, but instead will be used to provide further context on your personal statement, and support conversations at interview.

In an event where a high volume of applications are received, an initial sift will take place using the Statement of Suitability. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be either progressed to a full sift or straight to interview.

Successful candidates shortlisted for interview will be tested on a blended approach of Strength based questions (no preparation necessary) and both behaviours listed in the advert.

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.

Sift and Interview Dates

The sift will take place week commencing 3rd June 2024.

Interviews will take place week commencing 24th June 2024.

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.

Interviews will take place in-person at Croydon. Further details and instructions will be provided closer to the scheduled 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.

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 note: The successful candidates will be required to hold or be willing to secure Security Check (SC) clearance.

A reserve list of successful candidates may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made in merit order.

We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need for them to go through a further selection process.

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

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.