Job summary
The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, fire, 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. It also aims to disrupt the organised criminal groups that exploit the vulnerable for their personal gain. Learn more
What is an Immigration Removal Centre (IRC)?
An IRC is a secure building that holds detained individuals (residents) who are held prior to their removal from the United Kingdom or for nationality and identification purposes.
There are currently six IRCs in England and one in Scotland, with two more planned to open in England soon; Haslar IRC and Campsfield House IRC.
All IRCs are overseen by the Home Office�s Immigration Enforcement Detention Services and are contracted out to private companies who ensure all aspects of the IRC are run safely and securely, adhering to relevant policy, standards, and legislation.
Job description
The Detention Services Compliance Team operate within the IRCs, ensuring that our IRC Suppliers provide the required levels of service and care for the residents detained there, as well as oversight of all the operational activity.
This is an exciting opportunity to work in a fast paced and varied role. As an Operations Officer, you will be one of a team who monitor the standards within the IRCs and the performance of the IRC Supplier, ensuring effective delivery of contracted services. This is achieved by regularly walking throughout the IRC, interacting with IRC supplier staff and the detained residents.� You will be required to climb and descend stairs.�
The successful candidates will be expected to spend some time training and learning the role in other IRCs until Campsfield House is ready to open.
This role requires an element of working out of hours on a rota shared amongst the team.
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
Please note:�Personal Safety Training course of SPEAR must be completed and refreshed annually.� You must be physically capable of training and passing the SPEAR course.�
Working patterns
Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis. However, are available.
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.
Key Responsibilities
The successful candidates will be responsible for:
1. Monitoring contractual compliance, providing regular performance summaries and feedback to the Home Office Compliance Manager, as well as providing high-quality thematic reviews into contract delivery and dip sample reports on a range of areas enabling requisite assurance of contract delivery and adherence to policy.
2. Managing the team�s shared inbox, responding to enquiries in a timely fashion. This may include assisting in giving advice about the policies and procedures of the IRC to managers, including responses to parliamentary questions and other official correspondence.
3. Monitoring and reporting on the transfer of residents from the IRC onto their chartered removal flight.
4. Assisting the Senior Operations Officer with the production of monthly reports that provide essential data and statistics relating to the IRC.
5. Ensuring Residents within the centre are provided with an effective service in line with Detention Services Performance Standards & Framework. This includes collecting, processing, and auditing complaints in line with the policy, working collaboratively with the complaints department.
6. Monitoring the IRC Supplier�s compliance with the contract, ensuring that the site is run in a healthy, safe, and secure manner in accordance with relevant legislation.
7. Carrying out Immigration Enforcement�s statutory duties around the IRC, including authorising the use of temporary confinement or removal from association for residents as necessary.
8. Representing the Home Office at a range of meetings that include, planning in the difficult removals of residents, daily operational meetings, resident consultative committees, Independent Monitoring Board (IMB), security, healthcare, and safer community meetings. This will include occasional minute taking at some meetings (shared between the team on rotation).
Person specification
Essential criteria
9. Able to work collaboratively with both internal and external partners to deliver work in a timely manner.
10. Good written and verbal communication skills.
11. Good organisational and interpersonal skills to manage your time to deliver a quality service.
12. Able to effectively manage and progress own work and to work to targets independently.
Desirable criteria
13. Experience of working in a detention or prison environment.
14. Understanding of the Immigration system.
15. Experience of contract monitoring/audit and assurance.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
16. Communicating and Influencing
17. Changing and Improving
18. Making Effective Decisions
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
19. Communicating and Influencing
Benefits
20. A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of
21. In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
22. 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
23. Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
24. 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. Any working from home will need to be agreed in advance with your line manager.
25. This role currently attracts Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) between 20% and 25% of salary, which equates to an additional �5,150 to �6,437 per annum based on salary minimum. Further information can be found
26. See more of our benefits