Operations Manager
Home Office
Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 2nd December 2024
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About the job
Job summary
The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, fire, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.
Immigration Enforcement is responsible for enforcing the government’s immigration laws, tackling illegal migration, removing foreign national offenders and immigration offenders from the UK. It also aims to disrupt the organised criminal groups that exploit the vulnerable for their personal gain. Learn more on our careers pages.
What is an Immigration Removal Centre (IRC)?
An IRC is a secure building that holds detained individuals (residents) who are held prior to their removal from the United Kingdom or for nationality and identification purposes.
There are currently six IRCs in England and one in Scotland, with two more planned to open in England soon, Haslar IRC and Campsfield House IRC.
All IRCs are overseen by the Home Office’s Immigration Enforcement Detention Services and are contracted out to private companies who ensure all aspects of the IRC are run safely and securely, adhering to relevant policy, standards, and legislation.
Job description
The role of the Operations Manager is dynamic and exciting. You will manage a mix of reactive operational situations as well as planned compliance activity. You will run the Home Office Compliance team, comprising of Executive Officers (EOs), whom you will line manage, and who ensure effective service delivery by the IRC Supplier and provide assurance that the centre is operating appropriately in line with Home Office expectations, legislation and published standards and policies.
The Compliance Team are based onsite to ensure that detained people are treated humanely and with care whilst being held securely. The team monitor a broad range of activities, from checking the quality of cleaning and catering, to monitoring use of force and removal of residents from the IRC onto chartered flights.
Working within the Compliance Team is both interesting and challenging. The successful candidates will work on various workstreams encompassing changing priorities, making no two days the same. Maintaining high levels of co-operation with our service providers, stakeholders, and other interested parties, and communicating effectively and professionally is a key part of operating the compliance team.
Key Responsibilities
- Providing oversight of a robust monitoring schedule, testing the contractual compliance of the service provided by the IRC’s Supplier.
- Ensuring that the site is run properly and securely in accordance with Detention Centre Rules 2001, Operating Standards, Detention Service Orders and the contract with the private IRC Supplier.
- Providing effective management to a team of Operations Officers, ensuring work is evenly distributed and outputs monitored. Allowing team members to deliver high performance, whilst also developing a learning culture. Supporting the Operations Manager (SEO) and Service Delivery Manager (G7) in the completion and implementation of action plans from 3rd parties within agreed timescales.
- Carrying out Immigration Enforcement's statutory duties around the centre, including authorising the use of temporary confinement or removal from association and investigating complaints made against the contractor, when required.
- Providing an out of hours on-call service for Detention Operations – shared with the Operations Officers.
- Representing the Home Office at a range of internal meetings, including strategy meetings for difficult removals, daily operational meetings and resident consultative and other meetings as required.
- Chairing weekly contractual meetings, which reviews the contractor’s performances and challenges non-delivery.
- Providing briefing and advice about the policies and procedures of the centre to senior managers as and when required in response to parliamentary questions and other official correspondence. Producing monthly reports that provide essential data and statistics about contract delivery and the population in the centre.
- Production of monthly reports that provide essential data and statistics about contract delivery and the population in the centre.
- Providing oversight in the completion and implementation of action plans from 3rd parties within agreed timescales supporting the senior operations and Service Delivery Managers
- Management of information and data, such as litigation, freedom of information requests and subject access requests.
- Leading on areas of risk management, such as risk registers, data protection and trend analysis to ensure compliance from suppliers supporting the operational management of the establishment.
- Supplier audits and self-audits compliance and monitoring.
- Ownership of various annual reports, accuracy checks action plans and tracking.
Working Patterns
Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis.
Successful candidates will need to be able to attend for all shifts including early starts, late night finishes. These shifts may be outside of public transport operating hours.
Training
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 on our website. You must be physically fit as you will be required to complete of Personal Safety Training (PST) Level 2 that must be refreshed annually.
Travel
Facilitating and lead on official visits to the IRC when required. Occasional travel required for face-to-face meetings with managers from other IRCs.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate the following skills and experience:
- Excellent interpersonal skills with proven ability to develop good working relationships with a variety of internal and external partners.
- Excellent organisational skills with proven ability to plan, organise and manage own time to deliver the best quality and efficient service and work independently.
- Excellent management skills to manage a diverse team.
- Demonstrate an ability to work under pressure with a flexible and positive approach whilst paying attention to detail.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor their delivery to suit their audience. are also looking for someone who can display confidence in chairing meetings, leading on presentations to suppliers and senior managers.
Desirable Criteria
- Proven record of managing others (line management or peers).
- Experience of working in a detention or prison environment. Experience of contract monitoring/audit and assurance.
- Understanding of the Immigration system.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Leadership
- Managing a Quality Service
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Delivering at Pace
Benefits
In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
- In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
- 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
- Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
- Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 80% of their working time in an office.
- This role currently attracts Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) of approx. 13% of salary, which equates to an additional £4,849 per annum based on salary minimum. Further information can be found on our website.
- See more of our benefits on our careers website.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.
1. Application – by 02 December 2024
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
- Personal Statement (maximum 750 words).
- Evidence of the Lead Behaviour - Delivering at Pace (maximum of 250 words per Behaviour).
The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.
For guidance and information on how to construct your application (Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.
2. Sift – commencing 04 December 2024
The sift will be held on the Personal Statement and Lead Behaviour - Delivering at Pace.
The Personal Statement will be scored for all candidates. Those candidates who achieve the minimum pass score for the Personal Statement will progress to a further sift where the Lead Behaviour - Delivering at Pace will be scored. These candidates will receive a sift score for both elements. Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the Personal Statement will not have their Behaviour(s) scored and will only receive a sift score for the Personal Statement.
Should a high volume of applications be received, the sift will be conducted only on the Personal Statement.
3. Interview – week commencing 13 January 2025
If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be:
- Behaviours (as listed in the job advert) and Strength based questions.
The interview will take place Strathaven - Dungavel House.
Travel expenses will not be reimbursed.
For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.
Problems during the application process
If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.
Standards
All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.
Additional Security Checks
As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.
Further Information
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure Scotland on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct.
If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter
If you are invited to an interview, you will be required to bring documentation for the purposes of establishing your identity.
You will need to meet the nationality requirements for this role and obtain the necessary security clearance to take it up.
For meaningful security checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. Learn more on our website. Security Checks - Home Office Careers
Visa sponsorship
We do not sponsor individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas.
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 HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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
Nationality requirements
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Home Office Resourcing Centre
- Email : HORCCampaignTeamIE@homeoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance
HORecruitment.GRS@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.
