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Location
About the job
Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join a business critical Home Office technical team supporting front-line operations. The Immigration Fingerprint Bureau (IFB), based in Croydon is a specialist unit within UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) providing an essential biometric checking service to UKVI, Border Force, and Immigration Enforcement and on occasions UK law enforcement. Its core responsibility is to:
- Fix an identity to an individual at the earliest opportunity;
- Identify those who are attempting to deceive and facilitate the legitimate travel of others.
IFB comprises a small team of highly motivated Fingerprint Experts and Technicians. It is the only non-criminal fingerprint bureau in the UK and is accredited to ISO 9001:2015 standard.
As a Higher Scientific Officer and qualified Fingerprint Expert, you will undertake the duties required to ensure an efficient, effective biometric checking and enquiry service for operational teams, carrying out both fingerprint verification and validation activities and supervising Fingerprint Technicians as part of this process.
The primary system used in IFB is the Immigration & Asylum Biometric System (IABS) and you will receive training in its full functionality. This will include basic facial matching training to enable you to process face comparisons on IABS. You will use your technical skills to ensure biometric products are issued to genuine applicants. For individuals who are encountered by UK Border Force, you will be responsible for confirming identity, so they can be dealt with under the Asylum application process.
You will work with the Quality Manager and Team leader to review existing operating procedures, and the introduction of new procedures to refine working practices, in order to meet the national ISO 9001:2015 accreditation standard. There may be opportunities to expand your role within this area.
The post attracts an Annualised Hours payment which will be confirmed once the successful applicant is selected.
The Bureau operates between the hours of 06:00 – 21:00 hours Monday – Friday, and 09:00hrs - 17:00hrs weekends and Bank Holidays. You may be asked to work a shift between the hours of 06:00hrs - 23:00hrs on any day, should the business need arise.
Job description
- Carrying out ten-print comparison using IABS, comprising of first, second and third verifications;
Searching and identifying latent marks on IABS;
Completing facial matching checks on IABS (subject to training);
Investigating any biometric queries. You will be given training to interrogate Home Office databases to enable you to arrive at a conclusion, using both biometric evidence and case history;
Assessing and prioritizing the workflow coming into the Bureau, allocating resources accordingly, taking responsibility for meeting service level agreements;
Preparing witness statements and presenting fingerprint evidence at Immigration Tribunals;
When required, to perform the role of Office Manager;
Any other duties as reasonably necessary for the fulfilment of your role;
There will be scope for you to undertake training to develop your skills in management, to enable you to line manage and mentor junior colleagues.
Person specification
The successful candidate will need to demonstrate:
- Qualified to Fingerprint Expert status;
- Able to demonstrate ability as a Fingerprint Expert in a recognized UK fingerprint bureau;
- Either, if currently practicing in a bureau with ISO accreditation, demonstrable competence under your current quality system;
- Or, if not currently practicing, previously have listed on the National Register of Fingerprint Experts.
Essential Criteria
The successful candidate will need to demonstrate:
- Qualified to Fingerprint Expert level.
- Strong organisational skills, and ability to work flexibly.
- Able to prioritise own workload and that of a team, to ensure key tasks are completed, have good attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team to achieve a shared goal.
- Experience and confidence in interacting with both internal/external stakeholders.
Desirable Criteria
- Previous experience of the supervision or management of others;
- Working in an environment accredited to a National Standard
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Making Effective Decisions
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:
- Statement of Suitability (Personal Statement) (maximum 500 words)
- Provide evidence of the behaviour "Making Effective Decisions" (250 words maximum)
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please note that your Personal Statement should demonstrate how you meet the Key Responsibilities as set out in the Job Description and “Essential Criteria”.
Sift will be completed initially on the Personal Statement.
The Personal Statement will be marked first for all candidates. Candidates who meet the minimum pass score for the Personal Statement will then go on to have their Lead Behaviour "Making Effective Decisions" scored and will therefore receive sift scores for both of these elements.
Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the Personal Statement will not have their Lead Behaviour scored and will therefore only receive a sift score for their Personal Statement.
Candidates successful at sift stage will be invited to an interview which will be on behaviour-based questions, on all the behaviours listed in the application (preparation recommended.)
Sift and Interview Dates
Sift will take place week commencing 24th April 2023
Interviews will take place week commencing 15th May 2023.
This may change subject to business needs.
Interviews are being carried out via Skype for Business or Microsoft TEAMS, however please note that this may change to face to face interviews.
- A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
- Good Internet access
- Skype for business or MS Teams
It is advisable to access your interview from a windows operating system laptop, desktop, phone or tablet as there is no guarantee that Microsoft Teams will work without issue on an Apple laptop, tablet or desktop.
Please note: If you are currently an agency member of staff working within the Home Office, a contractor or contingent worker you can only apply for roles that are advertised externally, i.e. outside the civil service.
If you are eligible to apply for a role, you are required to select yourself as an external applicant and not internal when submitting your application on Civil Service jobs. This will prevent any delays in pre-employment checks should you become successful in being made an offer of employment after the Interview stage.
Further information
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 reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.
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.
Please ensure your profile on the CS Jobs portal is up to date and reflects your current status as a Civil Servant or External Candidate. Inaccurate or out of date details will impact the onboarding process and may delay your start date if you’re successful.
If you are an external candidate and not a Civil Servant, please note that you will start on the minimum pay that is being advertised.
If you are already a Civil Servant and your current salary is higher than advertised, please contact Government Recruitment Services on [email protected] who will assist you in undertaking a pay calculation in advance, so you can make an informed decision before accepting the post.
For more information about working for the Home Office, please visit Home Office Careers website.
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 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
[email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.