Administrative Officers

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

Immigration and Citizenship Service (ICS) manages the UK’s immigration and identity systems. It oversees visa applications for visitors, workers, students, and those seeking to settle in the UK, as well as citizenship processes and resettlement services.
ICS also issues British passports and maintains vital civil records, including births, marriages, and deaths. Through secure and efficient services, it protects the UK’s borders, supports lawful migration, provides safe and legal routes for refugees, and ensures trusted identity and travel documentation for citizens and applicants.

The Asylum Group (AG) is driving the government’s commitment to operate a fair, efficient and transparent asylum system. The key priorities include, operational excellence, ending the use of hotels to house asylum seekers and reducing the number of people supported by the asylum system. The group brings together analytical, data science, policy and operational teams responsible for transforming the asylum system, efficient decision making, operating new and existing accommodation models, asylum support, and excellent Management Information and data modelling.

Please note: We are looking to establish a reserve list for future opportunities. If you're interested in joining our team but the timing isn’t quite right, we still encourage you to apply. Candidates who meet the required criteria will be placed on a reserve list for up to 12 months.

We will actively draw from this list throughout the year as vacancies arise. Reserve lists will be maintained by location, and appointments will be made in merit order within each location.

The reserve list will allow the rapid backfill of those posts as they become vacant throughout the year.

We’re committed to attracting a broad and diverse pool of candidates and want to ensure everyone feels welcome to express interest.

Job description

Due to the scale of the campaign, we are unable to ask your preference regarding the type of role we offer you. However, as this is a generic campaign, the majority of roles on offer are similar.
The roles which you will be posted to will depend on the business needs at the time of onboarding. Candidates will not be given the option to choose between roles.

This role requires you to be flexible, adaptive, and creative in solving problems and dealing with change. Individuals must have an ability to effectively organise and plan, whilst being professional and customer-focused. You must be able to demonstrate a strong sense of personal ethics and honesty and enjoy dealing with members of the public and external and internal stakeholders. You will demonstrate sound interpersonal, communication and relationship-building skills and thrive working as part of a team.

You must be committed to meeting the high standards of conduct and behaviour that is expected of a civil servant.

Key Responsibilities will include but not limited to the following:

• Making well informed decisions for our customers.
• Providing support by undertaking a range of administrative tasks such as: file movement and tracking, logging correspondence, monitoring electronic inboxes, issuing letters and dealing with customer queries.
• Scanning and digitising of customer supporting evidence and updating relevant databases/files.
• Ensuring case files are decision ready for casework, appeals or removal processes.
• Telephone call handling / booking appointments.
• Escorting customers, conducting face to face identity interviews and facilitating language analysis interviews.
• Able to demonstrate sound interpersonal, communication and relationship-building skills and thrive working as part of a team.

Working Pattern:

This role is available on a full-time basis.

We encourage applications from candidates who wish to work part-time; however, part-time opportunities cannot be guaranteed and are subject to the requirements of the role and business. Candidates 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.

Where part‑time opportunities cannot be accommodated, the offer will be withdrawn, and candidates will be placed back on the
reserve list.

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.

Different roles will require varying levels of office attendance, some roles offer a minimum of 60% office attendance whilst others require 100% office attendance.

Training:

You will receive full training and support to do the job.

Please note: Should part time hours be agreed, you may be expected to attend the office full time when completing training.

Information Session

To learn more about this role and how to apply, register for one of our free, optional live events. Click the date and time that suits you below.

28th October – 18:00: Administrative Officer (AO) Live Event Tickets, Wednesday, October 28 • 6 PM - 7 PM GMT , Eventbrite

5th November – 13:00: Administrative Officer (AO) Live Event (2) Tickets, Thursday, November 5 • 1 PM - 2 PM GMT , Eventbrite

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Excellent written communication skills
• Confident verbal communication skills
• Evidence of using IT and digital systems

Desirable Criteria:

The below criteria is desirable only and separate to the essential criteria in the Personal Statement. It will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process but will only be used in the event of tied interview scores, as such, you will not receive a score for this. Please use the skills and experience section to provide evidence/examples of how you meet the desirable criteria:

• Ability to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines
• Flexible and adaptable to changing ways of working

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• 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.
• See more of our benefits on our careers website.

Sign-up on our website to receive emails with information about careers at the Home Office.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

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.

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

As part of the application process, you will first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.

1. Application – by 09 November 2026

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

• Personal Statement (maximum 250 words).
• Desirable Criteria Statement (if applicable) (maximum 250 words)

The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (Personal Statement), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

2. Sift – 10 November 2026

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement, as listed in the advert.

3. Interview – 14 December 2026

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be Behaviours (as listed in the job advert) and Strength based questions. All Behaviours listed in the selection process will be scored at the interview.

The interview will be via a pre-recorded interview using VidCruiter (virtual interview).

Please note:

• A full explanation of how the VidCruiter interview will take place will be provided to you. If you are invited for interview, you will be required to have access to a laptop (personal) with a working webcam and good Internet access
• You will be required to show and upload photo identification (e.g. current passport/driving licence) at the end of your virtual interview recording, so please have this ready

You will receive a link to complete a video interview and we will be asking you to video record your responses to pre-recorded questions.

You will have 7 days to complete your interview once you receive the invite. If you fail to submit a recording your application will be withdrawn.

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

Problems during the application process

If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.

Do not create or attempt to submit another application, online test or use a different Civil Service Jobs account to proceed as this would be in violation of the candidate declaration.

Location Preference

You can select up to twolocations in order of preference. Please ensure that these are locations you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at one of your preferred location(s) and you decline, your application will be withdrawn.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.

Reserve lists will be held for each location. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location.

Breaking Tied Scores

The behaviours and strengths have been ranked in order of importance to enable us to differentiate between candidates with tied interview scores.

Standards

All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Additional Security Checks

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.

Criminal Record Check

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Serviceon 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.

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

Due to the size of the campaign, it will not be possible to provide candidates with feedback at either the application or Interview stage.

Please disregard the statement below concerning feedback.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Home Office Resourcing Centre (HORC)
• Email : HORCCampaignTeamHMPOandUKVI@homeoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles. and you wish to make a complaint, then contact the Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

candidate_information_v18_July_2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 8MB)2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)