Position Type: Full Time
Contract Type: Permanent
Grade: Operational
Salary: £34,932 rising to £39,238 after 1 year (including a non-consolidated shift allowance of up to 15%, as appropriate based upon the working pattern)
Location: You could be based anywhere in the Greater London area, depending on business requirements.
This campaign is to recruit to a waitlist for permanent opportunities as they arise. We will be offering roles on an ongoing basis over the next year.
If you were unsuccessful in the previous Operations Officer campaign (039854) you will not be eligible to apply for this role. We reserve the right to close the advert should we receive a high number of applications.
About us
Transport for London (TfL) works to keep London moving, working and growing and make life in our city better. It's a great place to develop your career. We treat our staff with the same commitment we give our customers; their satisfaction is a measure of our success. The diverse nature of London is reflected in our teams, with our people coming from all walks of life.
We wish to reflect the diversity of London through the people we employ, so if you find this role interesting and something you could do, then we strongly encourage you to apply whatever your background. As women are currently underrepresented in this area, we will particularly welcome applications from them.
The Role
The Compliance, Policing, Operations and Security (CPOS) Directorate delivers integrated pan-TfL enforcement, compliance, policing, security and community safety functions in support of our transport priorities. We provide uniformed services across TfL, be it one of our circa 2,500 police officers or our own uniformed officers, we lead on workplace violence and aggression ensuring a pan modal approach to ensure our network is safe, and to support and look after our people who work in some of the most challenging environments.
As part of our focus to tackle fare evasion, reduce anti-social behaviour and meet our commitments in our Workplace Violence & Aggression Strategy we are recruiting Operations Officers within our CPOS directorate who will be part of a large, uniformed team working across our network.
As an Operations Officer you will be to supporting our staff across the TfL network, providing a reassuring visible presence, enforcing the rules and regulations of our services. The role is varied, you could be working on any of our modes. All Operations Officers will be trained to tackle anti-social behaviour and work-related violence & aggression on our network, in addition you may also carry out further specific enforcement, for example carrying out vehicle checks, issuing parking tickets or checking passengers' tickets on our bus network. You will be working on our buses, in our bus and train stations, on the underground and on the rail network, problem solving, enforcing our byelaws and regulations or ensuring compliance with licensing requirements within our regulated services.
You will be the sort of person who welcomes a challenge, shows strong resilience , and someone who can keep calm when those around you are not. You will be confident, firm, assertive, empathetic and polite when dealing with difficult individuals, proactive and not afraid to get involved to support our staff and passengers when situations have the potential to escalate. Most of all, you will be the sort of person who wants to make a real difference, supporting our staff to ensure our network is free from workplace violence and aggression, helping to make our network a safe environment for all our users.
CPOS work in diverse environments which may lead to employees having to problem solve and making key decisions using conflict resolution skills. A background in this area would be beneficial but full (paid) training will be given to successful candidates. Candidates should be prepared to undertake additional qualifications as required, to carry out specific enforcement activities where required.
If successful you will be appointed as an Operations Officer within the Compliance, Policing, Operations & Security directorate of TfL. You will be allocated to a functional team where your responsibilities may include protecting our revenue on the bus network (checking tickets), maintaining the safety of our regulated services, or focusing on dealing with poor behaviours across our services.
This role has a varied shift pattern which may include working a shift pattern covering weekends, nights, and bank holidays.
Accountabilities
- Providing high levels of customer service to members of the public and the users of TfL services
- Carrying out enforcement and compliance activity across specified modes of transport, i.e. London Buses, London Underground, Trams, Ferry Services and Taxi & Private Hire Routine patrol of the TfL Network and responding to incidents under the guidance and direction of the CPOS Resource & Deployment Centre
- Reporting safety concerns and breaches, ensuring positive action is taken to reduce and mitigate risks
- Identifying potential compliance and enforcement issues and submitting relevant intelligence reports
- Responsible use of delegated authority activities, such as Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) Railway Safety Accreditation Scheme (RSAS) and byelaw enforcement
- Attending court to provide evidence (when required and training provided)
Skills
- Good communication skills - verbal and written across all levels
- Ability to defuse potentially difficult situations
- Resilience with the ability to remain positive in difficult situations
- Willingness and desire to develop new skills and knowledge
- Ability to build effective working relationships at all levels internally and externally
- Ability to use initiative and sound judgment, make informed decisions or recommendations and work under pressure
- Competent in the use of mobile devices and computers.
Experience
- Working in an operational environment, preferably in on-network enforcement and compliance roles is desirable but not essential
- Experience of working in roles and dealing with difficult situations is desirable, for example police officers, PCSO’s, Prison Officers, Security etc. although this is not essential as full training will be given
TfL benefits
In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow. Rewards vary according to the business area but mostly include:
- Final salary pension scheme
- Free travel for you on the TfL network
- Reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a standard class Ticket for National Rail travel from home and interest free loan
- 30 days annual leave (Pro rata dependent on role) plus public and bank holidays.
- Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme
- Retail, health, leisure and travel offers
- Discounted Eurostar travel
To be eligible for this vacancy
- Be 18 years old and over and be eligible to work in the UK
- Need to have been resident in UK for at least 3 years prior to the date of application
- If you have a visa, then it should be valid for at least 12 months from your start date.
Further information
Due to the expected high response rate, we reserve the right to close this campaign earlier than the published closing date once we have a suitable pool of applicants.
Please note:
- Applicants who carry out the role of a Special Constable would be expected to resign from that position if successful due to the CSAS / RSAS accreditation.
- Applicants who hold a Taxi or Private Hire vehicle licence would be required to rescind the licence.
Application process
Once you apply you will be sent a link to an online test via our assessment provider Talogy. This will be sent on a weekly basis, on the Monday following the successful completion of your application. You will have 5 calendar days in which to complete from the date it was sent. The test will be sent out via Cubix Online. If you have not received the email by the Tuesday of that week, please check your junk/spam emails. No extensions will be granted, therefore If you are unable to complete your test within the 5 days, we would advise you to refrain from submitting your application at this time. If you do not complete the tests within 5 days of receiving the email, you will be automatically removed from the process.
The final stage will consist of a face to face interview in London.
Assessment Process
The recruitment process consists of 3 stages. You will need to pass each stage to progress onto the next:
Stage 1: Online Application form and screening questions
Stage 2: Online Situational Judgement Test
Stage 3: Assessment centre consisting of competency and scenario-based interview
Please note it will take 10-14 days after the final assessment event to hear the outcome.
Campaign Timetable
The campaign is running to a very specific delivery timescale as determined by the business and there will only be enough slots for the number of candidates invited. Dates for the Assessment Centre will be opened on an ongoing basis, therefore if there are no slots available, please check again the following day. You are therefore encouraged to schedule into an assessment event as early as possible. If you do not book an assessment, you will be withdrawn from the campaign.
Appointment to post
Candidates must successfully pass the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check, employment referencing, advanced medical screening, and a drug & alcohol test. Failure to pass any of these will result in the offer of employment being withdrawn at any stage.
Vetting
The role requires Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) & Railway Safety Accreditation Scheme (RSAS) authority. This means that all Operations Officers will be police vetted to Non-Police Personnel Vetting Level 2 with Counter Terrorism Check (NPPV2/Full) .
More information regarding vetting can be found here - https://www.college.police.uk/app/professional-standards/vetting
The vetting process will commence before you have started in the role. Due to the length of time vetting can take, anyone who is successful in being offered a position will be asked to sign a waiver letter acknowledging that . if you fail the vetting process after you have started, your employment will be terminated. If you fail the vetting process before you have started, the job offer will be withdrawn. If you would prefer to wait for your vetting clearance before starting, please advise your recruitment consultant on receipt of your conditional offer.
You will be required to maintain your vetting status throughout your employments, this includes renewals which presently take place on a 3 yearly cycle. If for any reason you are unable to maintain your vetting status, your employment will be terminated.
It is important to be aware that the vetting process includes detailed checks, including but not limited to checks related to:
- Financial history
- Family members’ criminal history (or other police intelligence about this matter)
- The criminal history (or other police intelligence about this matter) of everyone living at the same address as you
- Your own criminal history (or other police intelligence about this matter)
- Any civil convictions
- Any driving offences
- Counter Terrorism Check
You should also be aware that the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to police vetting, this means that any criminal history or civil conviction history will be considered by the MPS in reaching a decision.
Training
You will complete 4 weeks classroom training which will aim to give you all the knowledge and skills required to begin your career as an Operations Officer.
Following your initial training you will work a variety of shifts across our network, where you will work alongside experienced officers, this will help you put your training into practice and further develop your skills and knowledge.
During training you will:
- Be continually assessed against our values
- Study the rules and regulations of our diverse network to help equip you with the legal knowledge required to carry out enforcement
- Be required to pass several knowledge tests
- Undertake scenario-based exercises and pass these
- Learn how to use our systems and equipment
- Complete on-street assessments
- Pass all mandatory training such as personal safety training, first aid etc
Annual leave will not be granted during the training period.
Candidates who do not pass the training will have their offer of employment terminated. The probation period is 9 months.
Candidate Charter
You can download a copy of the Candidate Charter here.
This outlines our commitment to you as a candidate by providing insight into our recruitment process. It also outlines our expectations with regards to your engagement with us, to ensure that you receive the best recruitment experience possible, as we believe you should know the standards of service you can expect from us. You must read this document prior to submitting your application in order to understand every aspect of the process.
Reasonable Adjustment Process
If you require reasonable adjustments, you must notify the recruitment at least 48 hours (excluding weekends) prior to your scheduled assessment event to allow us to accommodate your requirements. You will then be sent a confirmation email which you will need to bring to your assessment. If you fail to bring this on the day your adjustments will not be granted, and you will be unable to re-book. We will consider that you are the expert regarding your own requirements, and we will consider all requests fairly within the context of the role.
Please note the SJT is not timed therefore there are no adjustments that can be made for this role.
Please take the time to read the Disability Charter here.
Notice of Cancellation
We require you to give a minimum of 48 hours notice of cancellation or re-schedule. Non-attendance at your Assessment Event may lead to your application being withdrawn.
Please note: There are only enough assessment slots for the number of candidates invited, therefore if you are unable to attend on your scheduled day, you will be placed on a waiting list in case a cancellation arises. We would therefore encourage you to check you can make an appointment before booking. Subsequent cancellation will lead to your application being withdrawn. If you do not follow the process outlined in the Candidate Charter, you risk being withdrawn from the campaign.
Feedback
Due to the volume of applications, we are unable to provide any feedback.
Contacting Us
If at any time you need to speak to anyone within the Recruitment Team, then please contact us on 0203 005 1680 (local rate charges from all phones including mobiles) or email HighVolumeCampaigns@tfl.gov.uk.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria.