Customer Contact Centre Agent

Job summary

The Customer Services Group is an important operational arm of the Home Office, responsible for delivering a wide range of public services that support the UK’s economy and cultural life. Our work spans the administration of passports, citizenship, civil registration, and visas, as well as managing asylum applications, support and accommodation, along with resettlement and returns.

The Customer Service Management Team (CSMT) are responsible for all customer enquiries for His Majesty’s Passport office. Enquiries are received via multiple routes (telephone, email or post) from customers both within the UK and overseas. CSMT processes over 600 thousand customer contacts per year.

HM Passport Office is undergoing a period of transformation with an aspiration of further improving our customer service by becoming a modern digital business. It is an exciting time to work in a part of government that touches the lives of the vast majority of citizens.

Further information about HM Passport Office is available on GOV.UK.

Job description

As a Customer Contact Officer, you will be responsible for delivering a variety of customer focused activities within a customer service environment, to support the wider HM Passport Office operational network.

The Customer Service Management Team is located in Southport and our opening hours are between 8:00 – 18:00, Monday – Friday.

Key Responsibilities

As part of a supportive and welcoming team, you will provide excellent customer service in a telephony environment:

As part of your daily responsibilities, you will:

• Make outbound calls and send emails in a contact centre environment, handling queries professionally, fairly and effectively seeking to improve the customer experience through continuous improvement.
• Address customer telephony/email enquiries and complete follow-up tasks, escalating cases where necessary.
• Manage sensitive and challenging calls with a positive and professional approach.
• Deliver accurate, timely, and easy-to-understand information to ensure high-quality customer service.
• Provide advice on complex nationality, eligibility, and procedural enquiries in line with HMPO standards.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, policies, procedures, and security guidelines.
• Take responsibility for personal attendance, performance, and continuous development.
• Work flexibly, supporting colleagues and promoting HMPO values while adhering to policies and procedures.

Note: An employee may be required to carry out other duties within the scope of the grade and within the limits of their skill, competence and training.

Working Pattern

The full-time working week in CSMT is 37 hours with a 36-minute daily lunch break. Full-time shifts are therefore 8 hours including lunch break. Your shift will be confirmed upon offer of post.

This role is available on a full-time basis. This role is also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work [4 days / 30 hours] per week due to business requirements.

Training

During the initial 5 weeks of your employment, you are required to participate in, 100% office-based, full-time training. Afterwards, upon review of your performance and quality, the opportunity to undertake hybrid working may begin.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

We are looking for candidates who:

• Have experience in providing excellent customer service, with a focus on resolving queries first time through effective use of appropriate communication channels.
• Can gain a clear understanding of customers’ needs and expectations by listening and asking questions to deliver a high-quality service.
• Can place the customer at the centre of operations and work to resolve customer queries at the first point of contact.
• Have excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Can confidently manage potentially difficult and challenging situations.
• Are flexible in their approach to work and successfully perform a range of multi-skilled duties.
• Are digitally competent; able to navigate multiple IT systems.

Desirable Criteria

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office packages.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

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.

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 2 February 2026

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

• Personal Statement (maximum 500 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 and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

2. Sift – week commencing 9 February 2026

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement only

3. Interview – week commencing 2 March 2026

The interview will take place via MS Teams

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.

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

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.

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.

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. The level of Criminal Record Check required for this role is CTC.

Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.

Further Information

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.

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 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
• 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

Home Office Candidate_Information_v15_DECEMBER_2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 429kB)2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)