** Operations Officer

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 Enforcement is responsible for enforcing the government’s immigration laws, tackling illegal migration, removing foreign national offenders and immigration offenders from the UK. We also aim to disrupt the organised criminal groups that exploit the vulnerable for their personal gain. Learn more on our careers pages.

As an Operations Officer (EO) in the Immigration Detention (ID) Compliance Team, you’ll be the backbone of operational integrity in a challenging and ever-changing environment. Working within an Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) means no two days are the same. You will be hands on, incident reviews, assurance activity, and supporting decision-making that directly impacts the lives of individuals in detention.

This role offers real purpose. It’s ideal for someone who’s detail driven, calm under pressure, and passionate about fairness. You’ll be part of a team of staff that values resilience and problem solving. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a fast paced and varied role.

Job description

The Immigration Detention Compliance Team operate within the IRCs, ensuring that our IRC Suppliers provide the required levels of service and care for the residents detained there, as well as oversight of various operational activities.

You will assist in ensuring all aspects of the IRC are run safely and securely, adhering to relevant policies, standards, and legislation.

As an Operations Officer, you will be one of a team who monitor the standards within the IRCs and the performance of the IRC Supplier, ensuring effective delivery of contracted services. This is achieved by regularly walking throughout the IRC, interacting with IRC supplier staff and the detained residents. Duties relating to this will also include compiling data reports and planning removals where required.

Your role will also involve collecting and analysing operational data, preparing timely and accurate reports, and feeding into performance reviews. You may support planning and logistics for removals, monitor use of force incidents, ensure safeguarding concerns are identified and actioned, and contribute to the resolution of operational issues as they arise.

Additionally, you will support compliance activity across a range of areas and may take part in thematic reviews or focused audits. You will also be expected to build effective working relationships with on-site partners and stakeholders, contributing to a collaborative and transparent working environment.

You may be required to undertake the same or a similar role within a different team or teams (where possible, at your base location or within reasonable travel distance), depending on business priorities. With appropriate training and support, this will provide opportunities to broaden both your experience and skill set.

Key responsibilities

May include (but not limited to):

• Monitoring contractual compliance, providing regular performance summaries and feedback to the Home Office Compliance Manager. Managing the team’s shared inbox, responding to enquiries in a timely fashion.
• Assisting in giving advice about the policies and procedures of the IRC to managers, including responses to parliamentary questions and other official correspondence.
• Ensuring Residents within the centre are provided with an effective service in line with Immigration Detention Performance Standards & Framework.
• Monitoring the IRC Supplier’s compliance with the contract, ensuring that the site is run in a healthy, safe, and secure manner in accordance with relevant legislation.
• Providing high-quality thematic reviews into contract delivery and dip sample reports on a range of areas enabling requisite assurance of contract delivery and adherence to policy.
• Carrying out Immigration Enforcement’s statutory duties around the IRC, including authorising the use of temporary confinement or removal from association for residents as necessary.
• Collecting, processing, and auditing complaints in line with the policy, working collaboratively with the complaints department.
• Representing the Home Office at a range of meetings that include; planning in the difficult removals of residents, daily operational meetings.

Working pattern

Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis. However, compressed hours are available.

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.

Due to the nature of the role, candidates will be expected to spend a minimum of 80% of their working time in an office.

Training

You will receive full training and support to do the job. Training takes place initially in the classroom and then continues on the job with a mentor who supports you until you are fully confident in the role. Even then you are never alone; you work as part of a team where there is always someone around for advice and support. Further information on what the training involves can be found on our website.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate the following skills and experience:

• Able to work collaboratively with both internal and external partners to deliver work in a timely manner.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Good organisational and time management skills in order to deliver a quality service.
• Experience using the full Microsoft suite (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel, SharePoint)

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of working in a detention or prison environment, with understanding of the Immigration system.
• Experience of contract monitoring/audit and assurance.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

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

• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

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

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• 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 80% of their working time in an office.
• This role currently attracts Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) of 23.2% of salary, which equates to an additional £7,449.52 per annum based on salary minimum. Further information can be found on our website.
• 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.

Selection process

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 20th July 2026

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

• Personal Statement (maximum 500 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviour Making Effective Decisions (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.

2. Sift – from 22nd July 2026

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement, and lead Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions, as listed in the advert.

Should a high volume of applications be received, the sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement only.

3. Interview – from 12th August 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.

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 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.

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.

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 : 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 recruitment
principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance
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_v17_April_2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 207kB)2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)