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Information Technology
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About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
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Location
About the job
Job summary
It’s an exciting time in Home Office Digital Data and Technology; we have a number of initiatives coming together which are laying the basis for our future operating model – reshaping how we deliver and manage our delivery.
You could be designing and building solutions to help people prove their identity or apply for visas or working on the critical IT systems that support policing and counter terrorism and help protect UK borders. Our success in this role depends on our ability to exploit the latest technologies to create leading-edge, world class solutions whilst ensuring they are secure and resilient.
Our work is guided by these fundamental principles:
- Put user needs first
- Delivery and outcomes over process
- Make the most of openness: open standards, open source and open data
It’s important that we build a diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve and provide an inclusive environment for all. We value everyone's skills and provide a creative and supportive workplace to help you do your best work and develop your career.
Here is a link to our digital careers guide - Click here to visit site
https://careers.homeoffice.gov.uk/role/digital-data-and-technology
And for those that prefer, here is a link to our guide on YouTube - Click here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_q_RYC3y4c
Job description
We’re passionate about building software that solves problems. We’re home to some of the most important public services in the United Kingdom and are transforming how we use data and technology to improve these. Our software has been used to stop terrorist attacks, ensure applications and delivery of passports is efficient and developing and supporting a wide variety of GOV.UK services such as getting married or forming a civil partnership or applying for a visa.
We develop over 500 services which have millions of users worldwide.
Areas of the work which you may need to get involved with (from a software engineering perspective) include:
- Building and maintaining wide variety of gov.uk services you may be familiar with, including getting married or forming a civil partnership or applying for a visa
- Ensuring that the application and delivery of passports is efficient - completing the build of our award-winning digital application system
- Re-developing core policing data systems to ensure they are effective and provide a solid basis for innovation
- Updating tools to ensure that our borders are efficient for both passengers and border officials
- Ensuring that we have a world-class immigration systems which is usable by all
If these types of projects excite you, we'd love for you to join us.
What we offer
We know that great software requires great coding practices. Here are some key practices which we insist upon across our teams that allow us to release with speed and quality:
- Agile principles
- Test-driven development with a focus on automation
- Continuous integration and continuous delivery
- Review code via pull requests
- Pairing smartly
- Infrastructure as code
We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same competencies and essential skills.
Our pay is based on capability, we offer up to an additional £8,300 Recruitment & Retention Allowance is available for exceptional candidates. This allowance is subject to annual review and could be reduced or withdrawn at any time.
Person specification
This is a real greenfield development opportunity, you’ll be working on triaging ‘new stuff’, as well as leading the implementation of new systems in several critical areas. This work will be delivered in an agile manner, working with multi-disciplinary teams and across a variety of business areas.
As a Developer you’ll ensure high quality code is delivered in line with project goals and delivery cycles. You’ll thrive using agile methods and enjoy working openly, collaboratively and as part of a multidisciplinary team focused on one or more projects.
Your key areas of impact will be
- Building RESTful web services to serve a variety of citizen and government needs, taking responsibility for the quality of code you produce
- Implementing toolkits and APIs for purposes such as integration, performance optimisation, security and scalability
- Delivering secure, reliable and scalable software in your team; undertaking a breadth of development tasks
- Designing new software using appropriate tools and in line with standards, proving designs through prototyping
- Reporting on system performance and support test activities; keep documentation up to date.
- Supporting services you deliver through regular maintenance activities, balancing your work with your leadership
- Working with other engineers to deliver new capability, for instance improved CI/CD pipelines or test approaches
Essential Criteria
We’re looking for developers who are curious at heart and when confronted with a difficult or strange problem want to act like a detective and crack the mystery.
You’ll be a team player and take ownership over the products, features and services your team looks after and above all you’ll want to support our mission to transform the critical systems we look after.
You’ll be joining a growing software engineering community and you’ll be passionate about growing your own career within that community with an enthusiasm to research and learn new programming tools and techniques.
You’ll have experience developing applications and familiarity with:
- Backend or full-stack development, with detailed knowledge of at least one modern web programming language and their respective ecosystem such as; Java or C# or Python, PHP or JavaScript, NodeJS for example
- Agile environments and version control
- Working practices such as test driven development (focusing on automation), continuous integration and continuous delivery
- Cloud based approaches and the use of orchestration tools (AWS, Azure, Docker and Kubernetes)
- The full software delivery cycle
The skills listed below are reflective of the Home Office DDaT Profession Skills and Competency Model (based on the industry standard SFIA framework), please review the attached ‘Role Description’ which highlights the expected technical skills and required levels for this role.
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Technical Strategy and Planning - Data Management (DATM) Level 4
- Systems Development - Software Design (SWDN) Level 4
- Systems Development - Programming/Software Development (PROG) Level 4
- Systems Development - Testing (TEST) Level 4
- Installation and Integration - Systems Integration and Build (SINT) Level 4
- Service Operation - Application Support (ASUP) Level 4
Benefits
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
- 25 days annual leave on appointment, plus 8 days public holidays and 1 day for the King’s Birthday, rising further with service
- Flexible working options to enable you to achieve the work life balance that right for you including part-time, flexi time and job sharing
- Training and development opportunities tailored to your role
- An in-year bonus scheme
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
You will also have access to benefits such as:
- Season ticket loans and rental deposit loans
- Cycle to work and payroll giving
- Employee discounts - including a huge number of retailers (via the Edenred platform), Microsoft Home Use programme and gym membership
- A variety of staff recognition schemes including thank you vouchers
- Health and wellbeing initiatives including monthly mindfulness sessions
- Staff support networks
- Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks full pay followed by 13 weeks of statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid
- Maternity and adoption support leave (paternity leave) of 2 weeks full pay
- Up to 5 days paid leave for volunteering
- Study leave and support for studying for a qualification or other accredited development relevant to your role
This link is to a short guide on YouTube to employee benefits - Click here for the video
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please note your CV should include all relevant experience that relates to our essential criteria listed in the advert and role description.
Remove information that identifies you (for example your name, age or place of education) so that you’ll be judged on merit alone and not your background, circumstances, race or gender.
(Do NOT include e-mail addresses or links to online profiles, resumés, or prior work, either personal or business. Active links or e-mail addresses may result in your application being rejected)
Application tips
- It’s crucial that your application demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria set out in the job advert. Don't just do a list of languages/platforms - do provide context
- You should include enough information and examples that demonstrate your skills and experience.
- You should give yourself plenty of time. You can start an application and come back to complete it before the job advert closes.
More guidance can be found here – completing you application
Sift Stage & Technical Exercise
The sift will be held on the CV. Please read the essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirement.
Candidates who pass the sift will be provided with a programming exercise / coding exercise to complete, details will be provided prior to the interview.
This coding test will assess your ability to effectively perform in the advertised role. You will be sent detailed instructions along with an invitation to take the test. Please make us aware if you require any reasonable adjustments in order to participate in the test.
A technical test is a great opportunity for you to show us your technical capability in a structured and transparent way. We have an assortment of tests to assess different skills depending on the role.
Interview Stage
Candidates reaching the required standard will then be invited to attend a final interview. The interview will assess your Technical Skills (SFIA Framework) and experience using technical and experience-based questions.
Regrettably, candidates who fail to complete the test and those candidates not reaching the required standard should note that their applications will not be progressed further.
Sift and interview dates
Sift will be conducted week commencing 20th February 2023.
Interviews will be held week commencing 13th March 2023. (Subject to panels operational requirements/priorities)
Interviews will be conducted remotely via MS Teams / Skype.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
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.
- Higher Security Clearance - This post requires the successful candidate to hold security clearance at minimum SC level (normally requiring a five year UK footprint). Job offers to this post are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.
- Visa Sponsorship Statement - Please take note that the Home Office DDaT does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License and are unable to sponsor any individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visa.
This post is eligible for a DDaT Recruitment Retention Allowance this allowance is subject to an initial review within six months of taking up the post and thereafter an annual review in line with the departmental priorities and could be reduced or withdrawn at any time.
We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same competencies and essential skills.
Please read the essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirement.
If you have previously made an unsuccessful application for a role with the same essential skills and are not able to demonstrate how you have developed these skills since your last application please reconsider applying as your application is unlikely to be successful.
A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.
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 :