Chief Immigration Officer

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 our careers pages.

The National Command and Control Unit (NCCU) is the Immigration Enforcement (IE) first point of contact for all UK Police Forces and other law enforcement partners. As a 24/7 unit, NCCU act as the out of hours point of contact for IE. We support the IE wider priorities by identifying immigration offenders encountered by the Police, either roadside, or in custody and referring them to Immigration Compliance and Criminal and Financial Investigations teams for further action. We act as the first point of contact for all Clandestine events as well as being the IE Communications Hub. NCCU identifies incidents of a serious and high-profile nature and provides expert coordination and support to the management of these incidents. NCCU is strategically evolving and expanding its workstreams to support IE’s wider organisational priorities.

Job description

We are looking for confident and inspiring leader who is proactive and can work under pressure to efficiently manage a team of Immigration Officers, in a fast-paced operational environment.

Key responsibilities:

• Providing effective empowering leadership to Immigration Officers, ensuring all telephone enquiries are handled efficiently, accurately, and in line with policy.
• Monitoring NCCU’s telephony systems to ensure all service level agreements are consistently met.
• Offering expert advice on individual cases and authorise appropriate actions, including the service of illegal entry and detention papers where required.
• Fostering a high‑performance culture by monitoring team output, addressing issues promptly, and building strong, high-performing teams.
• Championing a person-first approach, identifying safeguarding concerns and ensuring appropriate referrals or signposting to protect vulnerable individuals.
• Producing timely, accurate, and high‑quality written communications for distribution across IE and other departments.
• Supporting both local and national critical incident coordination, providing subject-matter expertise and reassurance to senior leaders in the handling of high-profile cases and incidents.
• Managing the Business Continuity Plan when needed to ensure uninterrupted delivery of core services.
• Building and maintaining productive working relationships with customers, key stakeholders, and wider teams across IE and Borders and Migration.
• Reporting to a His Majesty’s Inspector and support the senior management team in delivering a portfolio of local and national workstreams and responsibilities.
• Acting as a visible role model, promoting best practice, championing people-focused initiatives, and demonstrating the values and behaviours expected within the Civil Service Code.
• Managing talent, drive team engagement, and provide strong, supportive leadership, including the direct line management of Immigration Officers.

Working Pattern

This role is full-time, suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work 30 hours per week.

Successful candidates will need to be able to attend for all shifts including early starts, late night finishes, and overnight shifts. These shifts may be outside of public transport operating hours.

Training

You will receive full training and support, starting with IO Core Skills followed by an NCCU‑specific course. Training begins in the classroom and is supported by structured mentoring. Further details are available on our website.

All successful candidates must complete a pass‑or‑fail Pathway Programme before starting the role. This course typically lasts 5–7 weeks and may include weekends. If training takes place away from your base location, travel and accommodation will be covered.

After completing the Pathway Programme, you will undertake two weeks of NCCU training, followed by mentoring with your allocated team. Mentoring will take place fully or partly in Manchester and usually lasts around two months, though it can be longer.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Experience of working within a fast-paced environment, with an ability to multitask and change focus whilst ensuring unit productivity remains consistent.
• An ability to lead and motivate a team. Demonstrate the confidence to conduct challenging conversations when appropriate.
• Strong communication, interpersonal and written skills to engage and build credibility with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Thrive as part of a large team, build good team relationships, and show focus and enthusiasm for people activities.
• Be flexible, adaptive, and creative in solving problems, embedding continuous improvement, and managing change.
• Demonstrate the ability to manage potentially difficult and challenging situations.
• Make fast paced decisions within tight deadlines.

Desirable criteria

• A track record of high-level performance within operational delivery in the Migration & Borders system.

Behaviours

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

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

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service

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.
• This role currently attracts Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) of 35.2% of salary per annum. Further information can be found on our 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.

1. Application – by 3rd April 2026

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

• CV
• Personal Statement (maximum 1000 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviour Managing a Quality Service (maximum of 250 words).

Your CV should consist of your career history and skills, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be scored against the experience required for the role as noted within the essential criteria.

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 (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

2. Sift – week commencing 6th April 2026

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement, CV and BehaviourManaging a Quality Service

Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement and CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift that will consist of all the remaining elements submitted Behaviour. Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the initial sift will not have their remaining submitted elements scored and will only receive a sift score for that assessed at the initial sift.

3. Interview – week commencing 27th April 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.

The interview will take place in person at either Dover or Manchester. Further details will be provided in due course.

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.

Locations

You will only be able to select a single location preference so please ensure this is a location that you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at your preferred location and you decline, your application will be withdrawn.

Further Information

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.

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 and profession. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location and profession.

Appearance

This is a uniformed post and as such requires the highest standards. Further information on this and policies regarding tattoos can be found on our website.

Standards

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

Integrity Check

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, you will also be subject to an additional Integrity Check, as part of the pre-employment process, to determine your suitability to work for Border Force or Immigration Enforcement. For further information on what this involves, please visit our website.

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 undergo a criminal record check.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.

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
• Email : HORCCampaignTeamIE@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_v16_January_2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 429kB)2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)