** Undercover Online (UCOL) Operative

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

IE tackles the criminality behind organised immigration crime. We employ talented people who challenge and guide each other. In Criminal and Financial Investigation (CFI) you will work within a highly capable team who will support you to develop your skills, knowledge, and experience.

The Covert Projects Unit (CPU) is a specialist nationally Accredited Undercover Unit that provides the management and support of all covert undercover activity on behalf of the Home Office throughout the United Kingdom. The CPU maintains a cadre of fully trained and accredited Undercover Operatives and Cover Officers.

Job description

Our CFI teams are committed to disrupting and dismantling the organised crime groups facilitating immigration abuse; utilising its financial investigations capability to remove the proceeds of crime and strip criminals of their assets.

IE has a fundamental role to play in tackling Immigration crime, as part of a multi-layered UK law enforcement approach. Through working closely with partners in the National Crime Agency (NCA), territorial policing and many other agencies and departments, our CFI Teams take vigorous action against those criminals that seek to benefit from illegal migration.

Immigration Officers that work within the CPU must be a nationally trained, accredited Undercover Online (UCOL) Operative. You will operate covertly in real-time via online web based applications and social media engaging with online subjects and by way of telephone to help identify and collect and prepare evidence against individuals and groups that use the online environment to commit offences, enabling the successful prosecution of offenders.

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:

• Conduct and support the deployment of undercover online operations, including contributing to their planning, coordination, and ongoing management.
• Manage all aspects of authorisations in compliance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000 and the Criminal Conduct Act 2021, including application, review, renewal, amendment, and cancellation processes.
• Undertake comprehensive risk assessments and implement effective risk management strategies to ensure the safe and lawful delivery of undercover operations.
• Manage evidential disclosure in accordance with the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act (CPIA), ensuring accuracy, integrity, and compliance with legal obligations.
• Actively contribute to team objectives and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational performance and efficiency.
• Provide clear, accurate, and professional evidence in court proceedings when required.
• Plan and deliver operational briefings and debriefings to ensure clarity of objectives, learning, and continuous development.
• Develop and maintain effective stakeholder relationships, contributing to strong partnership working across internal and external organisations.

Working pattern

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

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.

This role currently attracts Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) of 33%, which equates to an additional £10,596 per annum based on salary minimum. Further information can be found on our website.

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.

Travel

Due to the nature of the work and the geographical area, some travel by official vehicle will be inevitable.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Must hold A5 Undercover Operative (Online) College of Policing Qualification.
• Sound knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Human Rights Act, RIPA 2000, Criminal Conduct Act 2021, Data Protection Act, and CPIA, with the ability to apply these appropriately in an operational context.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to adapt style and approach to effectively engage a diverse range of individuals in sensitive situations.
• Ability to adopt and maintain credible online personas, sustaining meaningful engagement to support investigative objectives.
• Proficiency in using social media and web-based platforms for research, engagement, and operational activity.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess risk, make informed decisions, and respond effectively under pressure.
• Good IT proficiency, including Microsoft 365 applications (e.g. SharePoint, OneDrive, MS Teams), with a focus on secure information handling.

Desirable criteria:

• Applicants with written and oral foreign language skills would be particularly welcomed.
• Foundation UC Trained.

Licences

Due to the nature of the work and/or the geographical area, driving is an essential requirement for this role. You will be required to drive on official business. You must have a full valid UK manual driving licence.

Qualifications

The A5 College of Policing Qualification is a requirement for this role and must already be held.
The A5 course is a College of Policing and National Undercover course is the training for an undercover online operative. It includes all legislation and operational matters including the administration and procedural governance. The requirement for good technical computer skills and the use of web-based applications is vital and a particularly testing aspect of the course.

The A5 course is a unique qualification which must have ongoing Continuing Professional Development (CPD). There is no equivalent course. This forms part of the accreditation. It is a pass or fail course which is rigorously assessed.

You must have this qualification to work within a nationally accredited unit. This is bespoken to undercover policing entirely. This forms part of the Authorised Professional Practice (APP) for undercover Policing.

If you require more information please contact the College of Policing: contactus@college.police.uk and the link on their site -https://www.college.police.uk/ and the document attached to the advert: Undercover policing - Authorised Professional Practice.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

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:

• 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 60% of their working time in an office.
• This role currently attracts Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) of 33%, which equates to an additional £10,596 per annum based on salary minimum. Further information can be found on our website.
• 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.

1. Application – by 13th July 2026

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

• Personal Statement (maximum 1000 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 (Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

2. Sift –from 15th July 2026

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement and lead behaviour Communicating and Influencing.

3. Interview –from 10th 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 via video using 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 can select up to three locations in order of preference. Please ensure that these are locations you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at one of your preferred location(s) 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. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location.

Breaking Tied Scores

The behaviours, strengths have been ranked in order of importance to enable us to differentiate between candidates with tied interview scores.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is part of the UK. As stated in the Belfast Agreement, also known as the Good Friday Agreement, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland recognise the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose, and accordingly confirm that their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship is accepted by both Governments and would not be affected by any future change in the status of Northern Ireland.

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.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland/Access NI 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

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.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 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

APP-UC-Public-facing-February 2021 v2 Opens in new window (pdf, 380kB)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)