** Training Assurance 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.

The DCO Training Oversight Team (DTOT) sits within the Vetting and Certification Assurance Team in Immigration Detention. The team is responsible for overseeing and standardising training delivered to Detainee Custody Officers (DCOs) working across Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs). DTOT ensures that DCOs receive the knowledge, skills and capabilities required to perform their role effectively and safely.

The DCO Training Oversight Team (DTOT) is a geographically dispersed team comprising EO Training Assurance Officers and a HEO Training Assurance Manager. The team conducts regular assurance visits across the immigration removal estate and other training locations to monitor compliance with certification requirements and promote consistency in training delivery.

The team provides quality assurance of training delivered by contracted service providers, driving continuous improvement and ensuring compliance with certification and contractual requirements. Through robust oversight and stakeholder engagement, DTOT helps maintain high training standards that support the safeguarding and welfare of individuals within IRCs.

Job description

The successful candidate will play a key role in reviewing and assessing training materials to ensure they meet contractual and Detention Services Order (DSO) requirements. Working both collaboratively as part of the team and independently during assurance visits, they will contribute to maintaining high standards of training across the detention estate.

A significant aspect of the role involves observing training delivered by Contracted Service Providers (CSPs), ensuring that only approved training materials are used and that delivery remains compliant with contractual and DSO requirements. The post holder will provide detailed feedback to training teams, identify areas for improvement, and produce comprehensive reports outlining their observations and recommendations.

The successful candidate will build and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels. They will represent DTOT at stakeholder meetings and act as a key point of contact for assigned Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) training teams, providing advice, guidance and assurance to support the delivery of high-quality training programmes.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop and embed a broad range of training assurance, quality management and stakeholder engagement skills within a dedicated and supportive team. The work of DTOT directly contributes to ensuring that DCOs are appropriately trained and equipped to carry out their vital role in maintaining safe and secure immigration detention environments.

Please note: Northgate-based colleagues will be relocated to an alternative site in early 2027 as part of the broader Home Office estates restructure.

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

The successful candidate will be responsible for (but not limited to):

• Act as the DTOT Single Point of Contact (SPoC) for assigned Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs), maintaining regular engagement with Contracted Service Provider (CSP) Training Managers and local Home Office Compliance Teams.
• Conduct assurance reviews of Detainee Custody Officer (DCO) training materials to ensure compliance with contractual requirements and Detention Services Orders (DSOs).
• Undertake regular visits to IRCs and designated training centres to assess training delivery and verify compliance with approved course content.
• Produce high-quality assurance reports, documenting findings, identifying areas for improvement, and providing clear, constructive feedback.
• Take accurate meeting minutes and deputise for the HEO Training Assurance Manager at meetings relating to DCO training oversight and assurance, when required.
• Support the HEO Training Assurance Manager in delivering training assurance and continuous improvement initiatives across the immigration detention estate.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with Training Managers, local Compliance Teams, Home Office Subject Matter Experts and external partners to support training quality and compliance.
• Maintain robust governance processes, ensuring accurate records, documentation and audit trails are kept in line with organisational requirements.

Working Pattern

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

Travel

This role includes frequent UK wide travel which will include oversight stays. Some locations are not easily accessible by public transport.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise workloads effectively and adapt to changing demands and priorities.
• Confident communicator with the ability to build positive working relationships and engage effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Adaptable and resilient, with experience of supporting and responding positively to change.
• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to identify issues, assess risks and recommend practical solutions.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams and SharePoint.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a geographically dispersed team, managing competing priorities to meet deadlines.

Desirable Criteria

• Previous experience in an operational training or assurance role within an immigration detention or a custodial setting.
• Experience of managing external stakeholder relationships.

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/automatic driving licence at the time of application.

Your licence will be checked at interview stage and you must confirm you hold one when you apply.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture

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

• 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.

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.

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 and the Civil Service Work Strength Test.

1. Online Test – by 17 September 2026.

If you successfully pass theCivil Service Judgement Test and the Civil Service Work Strength Test, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online tests or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.

Guidance for the Civil Service tests will be available when you are invited to take the tests. 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 tests, you will then be asked to complete the full application form.

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 between 12:00 and 13:00pm on 13/09/2026. 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.

2. Application – by 17 September 2026.

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

• Personal Statement (maximum 750 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviour - Communicating and Influencing (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 (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

3. Sift – commencing 21 September 2026.

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement and Behaviour - Communicating and Influencing.

Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift that will consist of all the remaining elements submitted Behaviour - Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the initial sift will not have their remaining submitted elements scored and will only receive a sift score for that assessed at the initial sift.

4. Interview – commencing 12 October 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 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.

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 /Disclosure Scotland 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.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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 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 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)