Job Description
Details Reference number 314122 Salary £28,000 - £29,400 Plus Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) of 50% of salary, which equates to an additional £14,000 per annum based on salary minimum. Job grade Executive Officer Border Force Officer Contract type Permanent Business area HO - Border Force Type of role Operational Delivery Working pattern Full-time, Part-time, Shift Working Number of jobs available 100 Contents Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information Location Ramsgate (Manston) About the job Job summary Please note - You must be over 18, entitled to UK citizenship and hold a full valid UK manual or automatic driving licence to apply for these roles. The Home Office works to build a safe, fair, and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counterterrorism, policing, fire, crime, nationality, and immigration policy. As part of the Home Office, Border Force is responsible for securing the UK border 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Around 10,000 people work for us, with the majority working in frontline roles in airports and seaports across the UK and overseas. This is a great opportunity to join a team that really makes a difference. You will receive comprehensive law enforcement training and depending on the location and team you join, will work at an airport or seaport in a frontline role processing passengers, searching baggage, people, and vehicles. The job is varied and rewarding and as part of the Home Office and wider Civil Service there are plenty of opportunities to develop your career with us. You can find out more about Home Office careers here. For further information about the role and how to apply, please visit the Home Office Campaign microsite: https://www.homeofficejobs-sscl.co.uk/bf-vacancies.html Job description Border Force check all passengers and freight arriving in the UK by air and sea and conduct intelligence-led searches for prohibited, counterfeit or restricted goods such as drugs, firearms, weapons, cash, tobacco, and alcohol. We also support the department’s wider agenda in high-profile areas such as counter terrorism, tackling organised crime, modern slavery, and human trafficking. This is some of the most important and challenging work in Government and its impact can be felt in communities across the UK. As a Landside Officer in the Small Boats Operational Command (SBOC), your main responsibility will be the initial processing of people arriving in small boats. This is a crucial element of our border security and the ‘Saving of Lives at Sea’ operation. The role can be demanding, and it requires candidates to have both personal resilience and integrity. Your role will involve: Identifying vulnerable adults and children, prioritising their safety and welfare, seeking medical attention where needed and referring to appropriate agencies. Operating immigration and customs controls to check passenger permissions and documentation (Small Boats Operating Command site specific). Interviewing people arriving on small boats and undertaking investigations. Conducting casework and dealing with associated queries, ensuring arrangements are made to issue documentation following a decision to detain, refuse entry or remove an individual. Undertaking high visibility detection patrols, engagement and visibility visits to other maritime and high-risk locations. Arresting offenders, preserving evidence, managing detention and liaising with other stakeholders and law enforcement partners. Undertaking physical searches of freight. Contributing to the collection of information to inform the development of intelligence products. Please be aware that you may be deployed at short notice on shifts that will vary in length and time according to operational need. On occasion this may involve overnight stays. Successful candidates will need to be able to attend for all shifts including early starts (from 0500 hours), late night finishes and overnight shifts. These shifts may be outside of public transport operating hours. The primary workplace for these roles is Ramsgate (Manston) although you could be based in other Kent locations. Official vehicles will be available to enable travel if required. When not required for small boat operations, the teams are likely to be deployed on priority work at other ports. For more information about working for Border Force and to hear from some of our colleagues, please visit our careers website. Working for the Home Office There’s no one type of person working at the Home Office. Just like in wider society, everyone here is different. We believe that different backgrounds, perspectives, and voices add up to richer, fuller thinking that helps us deliver fairer, better outcomes. We’re committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people can bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. We are particularly keen to welcome applications from women and those from an ethnic minority background who are currently underrepresented in Border Force. Appointments will be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Person specification Essential Criteria Due to the work we do and where we do it, Border Force teams can operate in sometimes difficult and dynamic environments. These are public facing law enforcement roles where the work is often fast-paced and changeable - our officers need to respond to challenges in a calm and professional manner. You will receive full role-specific and personal safety training and you will have the support of a team (see below for further information). Successful candidates will need to have: A valid full UK manual or automatic driving licence. The professional behaviours and personal integrity associated with a law enforcement organisation. This means acting ethically and with integrity, being able to take difficult decisions when they are needed, always doing the right thing, being impartial and honest. Demonstrable interpersonal, communication and relationship building skills and you enjoy working as part of a team. A genuine interest in people, an inquisitive, open mind and empathetic manner. The ability to be flexible, adaptable, and creative in solving problems and dealing with changing situations. The ability to confidently manage potentially difficult and challenging situations. Leadership potential or demonstrated leadership ability – this means role modelling professional behaviours, maintaining standards, making well-judged decisions, being motivated, adaptable to change and clear in their communication. An objective and analytical approach. Being able to gather information from lots of sources, make a reasoned assessment and justify their recommendation. Eligibility You must be at least 18 years of age by 22 September 2023. You will be required to work between 22.00 and 06.00, so this is a legal requirement. For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/night-working-hours. Home Office applicants with a live attendance management warning are not eligible to apply for vacancies during the initial 3-month improvement (live warning) period; however, they can apply for posts during the following 9 month sustained improvement period. Licences For these roles it is essential to have a full valid manual or automatic UK driving licence (not provisional). You must be able to present it to demonstrate your eligibility. Failure to do so will result in your application being rejected. Benefits As well as offering the opportunity to make a real difference to people's lives, a career with the Home Office comes with a range of amazing benefits, including: A career salary average, defined benefit pension scheme with an average employer contribution of 27%. Annualised Hours Allowance of 50% of salary which equates to an additional £14,000 per annum based on salary minimum, depending on location, to compensate for working shift patterns including night shifts, early morning starts, late night finishes, weekends, and public holidays. Please note that this allowance is subject to review. See the Candidate Information Pack for a full list of the AHA rates per location. For more information on our wide range of benefits, please see the Candidate Information pack and the Benefits page of our website. Training and Development You will receive full training and support to do the job. Training takes place initially in the ‘classroom’ and then continues ‘on the job’ with a mentor who supports you until you are fully confident in the role. Even then you are never alone: you work as part of a team where there is always someone around for advice and support. Further information on what the training involves can be found in the Candidate Pack. Things you need to know Selection process details Your application will be assessed using the Civil Service Success Profiles recruitment framework. A summary of the process is below. Full details can be found in the Candidate Pack. Stage 1: Application form that captures some basic personal information. This is split into two sections. The first section can be completed in 5 minutes and the second usually takes around 15-20 minutes. You will not be able to progress to the next stage until both parts are completed. Stage 2: Online Behavioural Based Assessment (BBA) consisting of a series of game-based assessments that look at your natural, work-relevant behaviour in action. As an example, you may be asked to quickly sort tickets according to the number or shape displayed. This assessment will evaluate your potential fit against the most crucial behaviours required to be a successful Border Force Officer. It will need to be completed within 48 hours of completing your full application and should take around 45 minutes. Stage 3: Online Written Test that will assess your ability to communicate effectively in written English. The test will take around 50 minutes (made up of 20-25 minutes reading time and 20-25 minutes to provide your test answer) and will need to be completed on a laptop/desktop computer. Stage 4: Live Online Assessment Centre consisting of a live strength-based interview. This will take around 20-25 minutes to complete. Interview Dates A draft timeline for this campaign can be found in the Candidate Information Pack. Further Information Nationality Requirements This role is open to UK nationals only. This includes UK nationals who hold dual nationality. Please see the Candidate Pack for details of what documentation you will be required to provide to evidence this. Additional Security Check: As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting (UKSV) clearance to SC level and passing right to work and pre-employment screening, anyone who applies to work for Border Force is also subject to an additional Border Force specific security check to determine their suitability to work for the organisation. Please see the Candidate Pack for further information. Disclosure and Barring Service Check Small Boats Operations Officers will be required to undertake safeguarding duties for all small boat arrivals, ensuring that appropriate actions are taken to provide suitable care. As a result of this, enhanced DBS is required for all candidates before they can take up post. UK residency requirements For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period to provide the required level of assurance. Please see the Candidate Pack for further information. Reserve lists If you are successful but there are not enough vacancies to offer you a role, you will remain on a reserve list for up to 12 months. Reserve lists will be held for each location advertised and candidates will be appointed in merit order by location. Further information can be found in the attached Candidate Pack. Public servants and NDPB’s Please note: If you are currently an agency member of staff working within the Home Office, a contractor or member of the Border Force Seasonal Workforce you can only apply for roles that are advertised externally, i.e., outside the civil service. Other worker types operating within the public sector (e.g., Public Servants (such as council workers, police, military, NHS) are also recruited as external hires. If you are one of the above worker types, you are required to select yourself as an external applicant and not internal or OGD (other Government Departments) when submitting your application on Civil Service jobs. This will prevent any delays in pre-employment checks should you be made an offer of employment after the interview stage. Employees of Non-Departmental Public Bodies Please check if you are a Civil Servant or Accredited NDPB Public Servant. Public servants will be recruited as external hires rather than civil servant transfers. Also see section on NDPBs within the Candidate Information Notes. Appearance These are uniformed posts and as such require the highest standards. For those candidates who have tattoos, please refer to the Candidate Pack. Part time working All our roles are available for part time working and we encourage applications from those who wish to do so. However, we encourage you to contact the Vacancy Holder at the earliest opportunity to discuss your preferred working pattern because part-time opportunities cannot be guaranteed due to the 24/7 operational nature of the business. New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band. 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. 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 here. For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application. 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, please see the Candidate Pack for further instructions on how to proceed. Feedback Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window). See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Nationality requirements Open to UK nationals only. Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. 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). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy. Apply and further information This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Contact point for applicants Job contact : Name : HO-Recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com or visit the microsite for a live chat option on https://www.homeofficejobs-sscl.co.uk/bf-vacancies.html Email : HO-Recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Recruitment team Email : HO-Recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com
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