Location: Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre
Type: Full-Time (hrs), Perm (see advert below for more details)
Salary: £, per annum
Working with Serco as a Detention Custody Officer (DCO) is more than just a job, it’s the chance to be a part of something great; join a work family where you are valued and the work you do makes a difference every day. In addition to immense job satisfaction in a rewarding career, we also offer:
1. Base Salary of £,, rising to £, upon 2 years of service
2. Full training provided, you’ll complete a in depth 7-week paid training course with the opportunity to shadow experienced staff, giving you a real taste of life on the job;
3. Free onsite parking; free meals; full uniform provided.
4. Serco benefits including pension, life assurance and an annual leave package that allows you to relax and recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance
5. Perks including Blue Light card, paid volunteering days; Long Service Awards; other benefits, including retail discounts and the Serco People Fund, which provides providing financial support to staff and their families. Further employee discounts across hundreds of high street shops for fashion, hospitality, attractions, holidays, electronics, and gaming supplies and much more
6. Access to career long learning and development opportunities
7. The chance to make a positive difference in a company passionate about diversity and inclusion
At Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre we offer both job stability & job security, as well as career development pathways for you to transition into operational management roles. The centre is open /7 and you’ll cover various shift patterns, but we do operate on a rota basis that allows you the flexibility to enjoy meaningful time off to do the things you love.
The DCO role is varied, and you’ll be at the forefront of ensuring that the arrival process for detainees is as worry-free as possible and ensure they access the support they need throughout their detention. This will include a range of on-site services that you’ll help to supervise and promote, including healthcare, welfare, faith and cultural provisions, education and recreation activities. Central to this is how you communicate with detainees; you’ll form supportive and appropriate relationships with detainees throughout their detention.
Detainees come from all walks of life, and we treat them all with fairness and respect. You may experience some challenging situations or unwanted behaviour, but you’ll be fully equipped to handle this through the training provided prior to starting your new role.
What do you need to do the role?
Our current DCO’s come to us with different work & life experiences, from retail to healthcare, to call centres and taxi drivers; others are ex-military, police, and security services personnel! What you’ve done before doesn’t matter, what matters is that you’re committed to making a difference to the lives of others – the rest you will learn during your 7-week paid training course and experienced colleagues.
You’ll need be reasonably fit and have a good educational level of English and Maths, as report writing & numerical abilities are a key part of the role.
Our recruitment process:
8. Completion of online application & CV submission
9. A 1-hour virtual interview, you’ll be assessed against our criteria (competency-based questions, role play & written exercise) it will also be an opportunity for you to ask questions to get a clear understanding of the role
10. If successful, you will be required to complete a mandatory 7-week paid training course, no annual leave can be taken during this period.
What else do I need to know?
11. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 4, all offers of employment are subject to security clearance checks and approval by the Home Office.
12. You will be required to obtain Home Office CTC & Enhanced DBS with Adult and Child Barring Vetting Clearances (which requires 5 years of checkable history)