As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
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A statement of suitability (personal statement) (maximum 750 words)
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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 your statement of suitability should be aligned to demonstrate your skills and experience for the role and how you meet the Essential criteria as detailed in the job advertisement.
For guidance on how to construct your personal statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links – Statement
For guidance on how to construct your behaviour examples, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links –Behaviours
Sift will be completed on the Statement of Suitability (personal statement). Which will be marked first. Candidates who meet the minimum pass score for the suitability of statement, will then go on to have their behaviour scored.
Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the suitability of statement will not have their behaviour scored.
However, if a large number of applications are received, the sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability only.
Candidates who are shortlisted will be invited to an interview which is a blended approach of strength-based questions and behaviour based questions.
Sift and Interview dates
Sift is expected to take place week commencing 8th May 2023.
Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 29th May 2023.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change.
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.
Interviews will be carried out via video. Candidates will be required to have access to:
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A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
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Good internet connection
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Skype for Business/Microsoft Teams
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.
When completing your application you will have the opportunity to select your preferred location(s). Please ensure you select the location you are interested in. Candidates who are successful at Interview will be placed in order of merit per location and provisional job offers will be made in strict merit order per location preference. Provisional offers are made, as they are on condition that you successfully pass all pre-employment checks.
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.
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.
Are these Reserved Posts for UK Nationals only?
UK nationals who hold dual nationality are able to apply for this reserved post. If a UK passport is not being presented, then candidates will need to provide alternative evidence of UK nationality in line with the Civil Service Nationality Rules.
If you are considering applying for part time hours, please contact HORCCampaignTeamBorderForce@homeoffice.gov.uk to discuss your request as not all working patterns may be accommodated.
Leadership and Management Higher Officer Apprenticeship
As part of our commitment to your development, following successful recruitment and onboarding, you will be offered the chance to enrol onto our Leadership and Management apprenticeship programme.
This apprenticeship offers you a fantastic opportunity to learn and develop your leadership and management skills while operating in a frontline Border Force environment. Following successful completion of the programme you will gain a nationally recognised qualification.
The Leadership and Management Team Leader Level 3 programme provides practical learning on different leadership styles, organisational cultures, team management models and the importance of personal development.
As part of the apprenticeship enrolment process you will undertake an enhanced eligibility assessment with the programme provider. If following this assessment, it emerges you do not meet eligibility, you will receive comparable Leadership and Management training through an in-house offer.
This Leadership training will enable ultimate recognition of excellence in this area and will be a pre-requisite of being able to compete effectively for higher level roles in Border Force and the Home Office.
About the Apprenticeship
You must have GCSE, or equivalent, Grade C or above in Maths and English or are willing to complete level 2 Maths and English functional skills by the end of the apprenticeship.
The Leadership and Management Apprenticeship programme takes approximately 12 - 18 months to complete.
This is a Level 3 apprenticeship – equivalent to an A Level qualification.
You will spend approximately 20% of your time undertaking off-the-job learning activities, including face-to-face workshops, digital courses, mentoring and job shadowing.
You will undertake an End-Point Assessment (EPA) at the end of the scheme, which you will need to pass in order to complete your apprenticeship.
Appearance
As part of this role you will be required to wear a uniform (which will be provided). Staff must ensure that their uniform is worn correctly, in line with these uniform standards, is kept clean and is well presented. To support this requirement, adequate uniform supplies will be available and issued. Uniformed staff represent their organisation at all times and should ensure that their dress and personal appearance reflects this responsibility.
Tattoos, including henna
A non-offensive visible tattoo is permissible, as long as it is not on the face or on the front or side of the neck (above the collar line). Tattoos behind the ear lobe on the back of the neck are also acceptable within these policy guidelines. You will be required to cover tattoos, when it is seen as appropriate for certain official events, e.g. State Funerals, Opening of Parliament, Remembrance Parades and other Ceremonial events. Under no circumstances should tattoos which could be considered offensive be visible. Examples of these include discriminatory; offensive; undermine political neutrality i.e. rude, lewd, crude, racist, sexist, sectarian, homophobic or violent tattoos.
Personal Safety Training (PST)
These roles can be physically demanding and if successful you will be required to complete and pass specialist training including Personal Safety Training (PST) which develops skills in personal safety, arrest and restraint techniques. This demands physical activity and physical contact with delegates on the course. You will be required to complete a PST health declaration and, if necessary, attend a medical examination. A formal offer will be conditional upon you being physically fit to undertake and pass the training.
Hybrid working is an option:
Hybrid working enables employees to work partly in their workplace(s) and partly at home. A hybrid working pattern may be available, where business needs allow. Applicants can discuss what this means with the vacancy holder if they have specific questions.
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
Additional Security Checks
Additional Security Checks: As well as successfully obtaining UKSV clearance and passing the right to work and pre-employment screening, anyone who applies to work for Border Force will also be subject to additional Border Force specific security checks, as part of the pre-employment process, to determine their suitability to work for the organisation.
Please see the Home Office Recruitment Privacy Information Notice (PIN) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recruitment-privacy-information-notice for more information on how your details may be shared for the purpose of additional security checks.
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:
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Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
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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.