** Operations Manager

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.

These posts are for Operations Manager within Work and Study Services. The service lines deal with all applications from customers relating to immigration applications to Work and Study in the UK. Both areas oversee the sponsorship system for UK employers and educational institutions who wish to sponsor international workers and students alongside monitoring their compliance with the required duties. The service lines deal with hundreds of thousands of applications across multiple immigration routes each year; from customers located across the globe.

Job description

As an Operations Manager, you will play a key role in leading and developing people, driving service delivery, and supporting continuous improvement. You will be responsible for creating a high-performing, inclusive team environment that delivers excellent outcomes for customers while operating efficiently, and to challenging timelines, within a fast changing operational landscape.

This is a people-focused role requiring strong leadership, coaching and performance management skills, alongside the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders to deliver agreed priorities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and motivate the team by example, providing clear direction and day‑to‑day support to maintain high performance and engagement.
• An ability to clearly interpret published policy and draft comprehensive technical advice or responses to a high standard.
• Plan, implement and review operational and continuous improvements, using creativity and practical solutions to increase efficiency, quality and consistency of service delivery.
• Carry out reviews of complex or sensitive casework decisions, providing assurance, constructive feedback and support to caseworkers to promote consistency, quality and sound decision‑making.
• Take ownership and manage team workloads, resources and priorities effectively to deliver agreed objectives and meet service demands within published timescales. Adapt plans and resources in response to changing priorities, operating confidently within a fast‑paced operational environment.
• Create a positive, empowering working environment where colleagues are supported to deliver high‑quality services and strong customer outcomes.
• Develop individual and team capability through coaching, mentoring and effective use of learning and development opportunities.
• Take responsibility for people management, including attendance, wellbeing, performance conversations and addressing issues promptly and constructively, while promoting inclusive behaviours.

Working Pattern:

This role is available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours working. 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.

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.

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

Travel: Occasional travel to other Home Office locations may be required.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of leading, managing or supervising a team, providing clear direction, support and constructive feedback, demonstrating commitment to inclusive leadership, promoting a positive team culture where colleagues feel valued and supported.
• Ability to work under pressure and to challenging timescales with competing priorities, adapting to changing priorities and manage resources effectively within a fast-paced operational environment.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to influence, coach and support others at different levels, including drafting of technical advice and responses to external stakeholders clearly and accurately with a proven ability to interpret published policy to a high level of understanding.
• Proven ability to manage performance, workloads, attendance, including holding regular one to one discussion, addressing performance concerns, whilst demonstrating strong communication skills.
• Experience of identifying and delivering service improvements or change to improve efficiency, quality and/or customer outcomes, working collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders to deliver agreed priorities and shared objectives.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of immigration casework
• Experience of managing a large operational team

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

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

• Leadership

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 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, 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.

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.

After submission of this first stage, you will be invited to complete the following Civil Service Verbal Test.

1. Online Test – by 8th June 2026.

If you successfully pass the Civil Service test, you will be invited to complete the full application form.

Please complete the online test(s) as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended).

If you fail to complete the online test or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.

Guidance for the Civil Service test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The online tests are accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.

You cannot complete the tests on a mobile phone or tablet.

Following successful completion of your test, you will then be asked to complete the full application form.

2. Application – by 8th June 2026.

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

• Personal Statement (maximum 750 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviour *Leadership* (maximum of 250 words per Behaviour).

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.

3. Sift – 15th June 2026.

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement and Behaviour “Leadership”, as listed in the advert.

4. Interview – 13th July 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 take place online via MS Teams.

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 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.

Breaking Tied Scores:

The behaviours, experience 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. The level of Criminal Record Check required for this role is Basic.

Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.

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.

Criminal record Check

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.

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 : HORCCampaignTeamHMPOandUKVI@homeoffice.gov.uk
• 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

2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)Candidate_Information_v17_April_2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 207kB)