**Risk and Assurance 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. We also aim to disrupt the organised criminal groups that exploit the vulnerable for their personal gain. Learn more on our careers pages.

The Detention Services Security Team provides second line assurance to local Detention Services (DS) Compliance teams, who work with Contracted Service Providers (CSPs) responsible for running Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) in line with Home Office policies, contracts and standards.

Join the Detention Services Security Team and support important work to keep the immigration detention estate safe, secure and compliant.

Job description

The role supports a range of work across intelligence, security, use of force, health and safety and violence reduction. You will help support assurance activity, respond to operational queries and work with local teams and wider stakeholders on issues affecting safety and security across the detention estate.

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

• Undertaking security reviews of IRCs to test physical and procedural security and monitor compliance with contractual and legislative standards.
• Supporting security and intelligence processes, including handling referrals, maintaining registers and ensuring effective use of intelligence systems.
• Collating, reviewing and analysing operational intelligence, identifying trends and producing regular reports to inform decision-making and senior management.
• Conducting impartial assessments of use of force (UoF) incidents, providing clear, evidence-based feedback to support learning and compliance with policy.
• Maintaining knowledge of current UoF techniques through annual training and required upskilling, and delivering training and awareness sessions.
• Using Microsoft Office and other relevant IT systems effectively, with strong organisational, administrative and problem-solving skills to deliver high-quality work under pressure and to deadlines.
• Communicating effectively verbally and in writing, including report writing, building professional relationships and engaging confidently with stakeholders at all levels.
• Working independently, using initiative and adapting to changing priorities while contributing effectively as part of a team, demonstrating integrity and a commitment to continuous improvement and high standards.

Working pattern

Due to the operational needs of the role, including shift working, on-call duties and regular travel to IRCs, the post is only available on a full-time basis.

Shift working

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.

The role includes shift working and on-call duties, acting as a point of contact for other teams on matters relating to intelligence, security and use of force.

Hybrid working

The current candidate information confirms that, where business needs allow, some roles may combine office and home-based working, with employees expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office. However, this post is not suitable for home workers as regular deployment to IRCs is required.

Travel

Regular travel to IRCs will be required. This will mainly involve regional or national travel within the UK detention estate.

Overnight stays may occasionally be required, but these are expected to be limited and planned in advance where possible.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience of using Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint, and other relevant IT systems.
• Ability to organise and prioritise work, meet deadlines and maintain accuracy when working under pressure.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and working effectively with a range of stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, using initiative and adapting to changing priorities.
• Ability to analyse information and data, identify trends and use findings to support high-quality work and improvements.

Licences

Due to the nature of the work and/or the geographical area, driving is a key requirement for this role. It is essential you hold a full valid UK manual or automatic driving licence at the time of application.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving

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

• Working Together

Benefits

• 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 up to 9% annum based on salary minimum. Further information can be found on our 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 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.

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

1. Online Test – by 12th November 2026

If you successfully pass the Civil Service Judgement 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(s) or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.

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

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

You will be directed to the Talogy - True Talent – Scheduled Maintenance Window Webpage for online tests during an outage.

Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance on Sunday 1st November 2026 between 4pm and midnight. On some occasions, there may also be system maintenance taking place on: Wednesdays (3am - 4am), Sundays (1pm - 2pm) and Mondays (3am - 4am). You will be unable to access tests during this period.

If you are in the middle of a test when the maintenance begins, your progress will be paused. You will be able to resume your test from where you left off via your application centre once the downtime has ended. Please note that you will not be able to launch any new tests while the system is offline.

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

1. Application – by 12th November 2026

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

• CV
• Personal Statement (maximum 500 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviour - Working Together (maximum of 250 words per Behaviour).

Your CV should consist of your career history, and skills/experience, 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.

1. Sift – from 16th November 2026

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement, CV and Lead Behaviour Working Together.

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 element submitted (Lead Behaviour – Working Together). Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the initial sift will not have their remaining submitted element scored and will only receive a sift score for that assessed at the initial sift.

1. Interview – from 7th 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 take place on 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 Preferences

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.

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

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.

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, Border Security Command or Immigration Enforcement. For further information on what this involves, please visit our website.

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.

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 basic (or equivalent) 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

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 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_v18_July_2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 4250kB)