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Location
About the job
Job summary
Job description
Immigration Prison Teams (IPT) is the operational arm of Foreign National Offenders Removals Command (FNORC) and comprises of 15 teams based in a variety of locations across the country.
This includes embedded teams in prisons and mobile teams nationwide.
You will be working in the operational arm of the Home Office's Foreign National Offender Returns Command, Immigration Prison Team.
The role of Administrative Officer for the Immigration Prisons Team will provide the opportunity to work in a fast paced and unique working environment, you will be based within a prison. You will be providing administrative support to the operational officers by ensuring urgent cases are flagged and the required paperwork is available for service from case working colleagues. This may include you being confident and managing potentially difficult and challenging situations.
The role will require updating and managing a number of Internal spreadsheets so Management Information can be extracted for Senior Managers therefore a good knowledge of Excel and Sharepoint is required.
The successful candidate will need to be open and adaptive to changing priorities and working in a pressurised operational environment where sometimes cases have to be progressed very quickly. This will involve being organised and ensuring inboxes and phone calls are monitored and flagged to Immigration Officers or Chief Immigration Officers when required.
The role will also require engagement with multiple Internal and External stakeholders, so you will need to build and maintain relationships in order to assist the command on delivering again Key Performance Indicators.
The post holder will also require a professional approach to service delivery across a number of competing deliverables, with an ability to balance competing priorities and business requirements.
The role is both challenging and rewarding and provides scope for career progression.
The role is key to the success of the team, contributing to the removal of Foreign National Offenders who meet the criteria for deportation, or the structured re-integration of Foreign National Offenders into communities where deportation is not appropriate.
Person specification
The successful candidate will be responsible for (but not limited to):
- Responding to enquiries received by e-mail and letter where appropriate. Respond to queries by telephone where possible, referring to an Immigration Officer (IO) or Chief Immigration Officer (CIO) as required
- Creating Induction sheets for the IOs from Reception lists to ensure all receptions are inducted
- Maintaining excel spreadsheet ensure data quality and accuracy at all times
- Reviewing the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) List on a daily basis and ensure foreign nationals on the list are highlighted to the team
- Supporting the IOs in their role, ensuring they have all the information they need to conduct efficient and effective Immigration Surgeries and service of paperwork
- Conducting DVA checks for potential British Nationals and provide copies of potential matches to IOs to check the match is for the FN held in custody
The post holder will also require a professional approach to service delivery across a number of competing deliverables, with an ability to balance competing priorities and business requirements.
Essential Criteria
- Written and verbal communication skills
- Confidence and experience in working in partnership with external partners, engaging and building trust with stakeholders to generate commitment to goals
- IT skills including Word, Excel and Power point
- Strong attention to detail and well organised in order to prioritise workload.
Desirable Criteria
- Knowledge of immigration processes - on job training will be provided
Licences
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Working Together
- Communicating and Influencing
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Working Together
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 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 500 words)
- Provide evidence of the Lead behaviour Working Together (250 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
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 Lead behaviour Working Together and 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).
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 Working Together 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 Working Together scored and will therefore only receive a sift score for the statement of suitability.
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.
Please Note:
Strengths are the things that you do regularly, do well and that motivate you. To find out more about strength based questions click here.
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 344071 CLOSING DATE 28th March 2024.
For reasonable adjustments queries or requests, please see details with reasonable adjustments section.
Tie break decisions
The strengths and/or 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 1st April 2024.
Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 22nd April 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
- Microsoft Teams
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
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct.
If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Reserve List
Where a competition identifies more appointable candidates than there are available vacancies, a reserve list may be held for up to 12 months.
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.
Part Time Working
The minimum requirement for this role would be 29 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. 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.
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.
Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST) – Level 2
These roles can be physically demanding and if successful you will be required to complete and pass specialist training including Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST) Level 2 which develops skills in personal safety such as tactical body positioning, breakaway, blocking and parry.
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 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.
Travel expectation
Some roles may require candidates to travel around the country. This applies particularly if the role could be based anywhere, or if there is a requirement to travel to other official sites, which may include overnight stays. For this role, travel may occasionally be necessary to cover gaps at other sites.
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
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
