Skylark Progression 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 (IE) 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 Skylark team works with key partners to identify, prioritise and manage foreign nationals who pose a risk to the public. Through strong collaboration and effective information sharing, the team supports operational responses that protect communities and strengthen public and border safety.

Job description

The Skylark team delivers two case progression workstreams. The Foreign National Offenders Hub is a joint Immigration Enforcement and policing function that focuses on identifying foreign national offenders who present a threat to the public, supporting the management and removal of individuals who cause harm within communities. The Non FNO Hub operates as a cross migration and Borders function that identifies foreign nationals arrested on suspicion of serious criminality in the UK, reviews action taken and drives learning to strengthen future operational responses.

The team works closely with stakeholders across the Home Office, Immigration Enforcement and, UK policing, to improve understanding of shared priorities and support a unified approach to managing high harm offenders. A key objective is to improve data sharing between policing and Immigration Enforcement to better identify and manage persistent criminal threats.

As a Skylark Progression Officer, you will be responsible for day-to-day case handling, information management and accurate system recording. You will manage the Skylark inbox, ensuring correspondence is actioned, responded to and correctly filed, and work with internal and external partners to support operational activity, identify safeguarding concerns and contribute to effective decision making.

Key Responsibilities

Will include but are not limited to:

• Working independently while proactively progressing cases, maintaining focus and sustaining momentum towards ambitious operational objectives.
• Engaging effectively with internal and external partners to manage risk and assess case blockers.
• Applying creative thinking and innovative approaches to problem‑solving, working collaboratively with partners to identify process gaps and strengthen operational responses.
• Supporting case progression activity with professionalism and sound judgement, ensuring risks are identified and flagged early.
• Gathering intelligence and information from a range of sources to build case profiles.

Working Pattern

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 20 hours per week over 4 days due to business requirements.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Proven experience in a fast-paced operation or case working environment, managing competing priorities and delivering work to deadlines while upholding policies and standards.
• Experience of progressing cases through defined processes, maintaining accurate and timely records across systems.
• Ability to review, verify and analyse information from multiple sources to assess risk, identify barriers to progression, and recommend proportionate next steps, including escalations where necessary.
• Experience of working collaboratively with internal and external partners to progress outcomes, demonstrating resilience, sound judgement and discretion when handling sensitive or complex matters.
• Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages, provide informed advice and influence others to support effective and timely decision making.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience in cross migration and borders systems interrogation.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

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.
• See more of our benefits on our careers website.

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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.

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 followingCivil Service Casework Skills test.

1. Online Test – by 8th April 2026

If you successfully pass thetest, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online test 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 is accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.

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

Please note: Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between midday - 1 p.m. and 4 p.m - midnight. on 29/03/2026. 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, you will then be asked to complete the full application form.

2.Application – by 8th April 2026

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

• CV
• Personal Statement (maximum 500 words)

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

3.Sift – week commencing 13th April 2026

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement and the CV.

4.Interview – week commencing 4th May 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 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 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.

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 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

2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)candidate_information_v16_January_2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 429kB)