Asylum and Human Rights Operations - National Asylum Intake Unit - Immigration Officer Folkestone, England
Job description
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Things you need to know
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Location
About the job
Job summary
The Home Office is here to make the UK safer. It has a fundamental role in protecting the country from harm, ensuring the security and economic prosperity of the UK. Every member of the Home Office plays a part in making that happen. Our work is varied and rewarding, attracting people from all backgrounds and walks of life.
Asylum & Human Rights Operations is one of the key business areas within the Home Office. We are undergoing an exciting period of change. Alongside the other areas of the Home Office, the department is embarking upon a transformational programme. Operational Excellence is at the forefront of what we do.
Our strategic aims contribute to the Home Office strategic objectives: preventing terrorism and extremism; cutting crime and protecting the vulnerable; and reducing immigration and preventing abuse.
Asylum & Human Rights Operations play a vital role in supporting the economy and cultural life of the UK.
The National Asylum Intake Unit sits within Asylum & Human Rights Operations and has several locations across the UK including Croydon, Dover, Manston (near Ramsgate), and Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre (near Bedford).
The National Asylum Intake Unit is made up of over 800 officers and registers around 80% of asylum claims nationally, the remainder being registered through Immigration Enforcement and Border Force.
- Small boat arrivals
- Lorry drops and other clandestine arrivals
- In-country claimants
Job description
We are excited to offer these Executive Officer (Immigration Officer) vacancies within the Asylum & Human Rights Operation’s National Asylum Intake Unit.
The National Asylum Intake Unit’s various locations undertake the same basic functions of locking identity and registering asylum claims through a screening process. However, each team manages slightly different workstreams.
The roles we intend to fill through this campaign sit within the following National Asylum Intake Unit Teams:
Kent Intake Unit (Channel View Road, Dover & Frontier House, Folkestone)
The Kent Intake Unit is located in Dover and we will shortly be opening a new site at Frontier House, Folkestone. The Kent Intake Unit primarily deals with new arrivals detected either near the port, in the surrounding area in Kent, and small boat arrivals. The unit operates 24/7, 365 days of the year. Those arriving at the Kent Intake Unit will already be detained, so the Kent Intake Unit includes a holding room facility. The Kent Intake Unit has a particular focus around processing unaccompanied children, so the work of the unit involves the identification of those children and working closely with Kent Children’s Services to ensure they are processed and placed into appropriate care as quickly as possible.
Manston Initial Processing and Triage Centre (near Ramsgate)
Manston is a new Home Office location with a particular focus on small boat arrivals. It is based near Ramsgate and is an initial triaging and processing centre for those arriving via this method. The team operates 24/7, 365 days of the year. Those arriving at the Manston Initial Processing and Triage Centre will already be detained, so the site contains a number of holding room facilities. The operation is focussed around adults and families.
Please note those successful candidates posted to either team will be required to wear uniform during every shift.
Annualised Hours Working (AHW)
The National Asylum Intake Unit operates a shift working pattern, where Annualised Hours Working (AHW) is paid in accordance with the operational needs of the business. This allowance is paid in addition to the monthly salary to compensate for out of office hours working and flexibility.
A review of AHW takes place annually and there is an anticipation that the shift working pattern will encompass 24-hour rota coverage, meaning some night work will be expected.
Our teams are 24/7 operations with shift patterns including early starts, evening working, night shifts, weekends and public holidays. Shift lengths can vary and be up to 12 hours. Rosters are published in advance but shifts can change or extend according to business need.
Please see the Candidate Pack for more details.
Meet The Team
You can learn more about our recruitment process and ask questions, at our Immigration Officer live events.
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Thursday 9 March 6pm to 7pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/547774226457 -
Thursday 16 March 6pm to 7pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/547776232457 -
Tuesday 28 March 1pm to 2pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/547780645657
This is an opportunity to hear first-hand what it’s like on a day-to-day basis in these roles, plus hear hints and tips to help you with your application.
This campaign is for 100 posts with possibility of more at offer stage.
Person specification
We are looking for people who are:
- Motivated, disciplined and organised
- Show flexibility in dynamic situations within fast-paced operational environments
- Keen to learn and develop
- Have a strong sense of personal ethics and honesty
- Enjoy engaging with a variety of people from all backgrounds
- Can calmly handle difficult and challenging situations
- Are passionate about creating an inclusive environment for colleagues to thrive in
- Will be robust at enforcing UK immigration law whilst maintaining professionalism and sensitivity.
Essential Criteria:
Successful candidates must be professional and customer focused and be able to demonstrate:
- Sound interpersonal, communication (both written and verbal), and relationship building skills with a range of audiences
- Communicating clearly with enthusiasm, treating others with respect, compassion and valuing inclusion and diversity
- Ability to make effective and difficult decisions, often under pressure, applying legislation and policy guidance correctly to ensure compliance
- Willingness to undertake and successfully complete the Home Office Personal Safety Training to the required level, as appropriate to the role. This may be delivered at a training centre elsewhere in the UK. (This course is designed to provide theoretical and practical knowledge of personal safety, self-defence and security, incorporating physical techniques and voice commands to successfully de-escalate any incidents). See Candidate Pack for further information
- A full valid UK manual driving licence.
Licences
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a Personal Statement (Max Word Limit: 500).
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please note your personal statement should demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the essential criteria listed on the Job Specification.
Sift: Sift will be conducted against the personal statement.
Interview: Candidates successful at sift stage will be invited to an interview which will be a blended approach of Strength-based questions (no preparation necessary) and Behaviour based questions, Making Effective Decisions (Lead Behaviour) and Working Together.
When interviewed on your behaviour examples, it is helpful to use the STAR method to framework your answer:
1. The specific Situation you were in
2. The Task you had to complete
3. The Action you took and
4. The outcome/Result
Sift and Interview dates:
You will be invited to attend a video interview utilising Skype for business or Microsoft Teams where you will be required to have access to a suitable computer/laptop and somewhere private where you will not be disturbed.
This campaign will be assessed in 3 tranches . We aim to conduct the assessments as per the tranche information below:
Tranche 1
Sift week commencing 6th March 2023
Interviews week commencing 11th April 2023
Tranche 2
Sift week commencing 20th March 2023
Interviews week commencing 20th April 2023
Tranche 3
Sift week commencing 3rd April 2023
Interviews week commencing 9th May 2023
PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.
This means offers may be made on a rolling basis. These dates are subject to changed based on business needs.
Further Information
Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying of examples/answers from internet sources. If any is detected the application will be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving internal candidates. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants.
For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
A location based reserve list may be created for other similar roles for a period of 12 months. Selection will be in Merit Order and location to fill the same role or similar roles with closely matching essential criteria and Success Profile elements without further assessment.
Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.
We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.
Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.
Transfer Terms: Voluntary.
If you are invited to an interview you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.
Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.
Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.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 [email protected] 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 not be available after interview due to this being a large scale Recruitment campaign – only scores will be available.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team :
Further information
principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance
[email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.
