Border Force Officer
Home Office
Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 12th 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.
Border Force is a law enforcement arm of the Home Office. We are responsible for handling the UK border control by implementing immigration and customs regulations and working with the wider Home Office on counter terrorism, organised crime, modern slavery and trafficking. Learn more on the Border Force careers page.
This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a team that both protects and enhances the UK economy. Our work is varied and rewarding, attracting people from all backgrounds and walks of life.
As a Border Force Officer at the frontline of our operation, your contributions will have a direct impact in delivering what the public expect from us. Your role at port will facilitate the clearance of passengers and goods from all over the world, representing the UK, while directly maintaining national Border Security in your role.
Job description
The role our Officers perform is dynamic, fast -paced and always evolving. You can expect to join a team where together we make a real difference to everyday life. Our work can be difficult and challenging but there will always be your team to support you throughout your career, not just the start. The part you play will be a fundamental aspect in how we maintain the security of the UK Border.
Our work is high profile within public interest as we deliver the Home Office’s wider policy agenda to keep our country safe and prosperous.
Border Security includes a wide range of systems that function in tandem to facilitate a world class border the public expects. Our intention is to enable the flow of passengers and goods quickly and effectively through the Primary Control entry points, while refusing entry to the UK when appropriate and required. This includes checking passengers to ensure travel and trade is optimal whilst ensuring our legal duties towards Customs, Freight, Immigration, Safeguarding are always upheld.
Our operational activity is intelligence-driven with searches for prohibited, counterfeit or restricted goods (such as drugs, firearms, weapons, cash, tobacco, and alcohol) as well as people of interest.
As a Border Force Officer, you may be involved in the following types of activity:
- Operating immigration and customs controls at points of entry to the UK, checking passengers have the correct permissions and documentation to enter.
- Identifying vulnerable adults and children, prioritising their safety and welfare and referring to the appropriate agencies.
- Interviewing passengers, undertaking investigations, and making decisions on whether they qualify for entry to the UK or fall to be refused under the immigration rules.
- Identifying and searching people, goods, and vehicles to establish if a customs offence has been committed.
- Using law enforcement powers to arrest people involved in border offences, preserving evidence, managing the detention of individuals, and liaising with other law enforcement partners.
- If involved in International Trade, you will be responsible for the movement and clearance of imported and exported goods across a range of International Trade/Customs regimes and undertake post-detection action in respect of any irregularities identified.
For more information about working for Border Force and to hear from some of our colleagues, please visit our careers website at Border Force - Home Office Careers.
Border Force North Region
Border Force North Region covers a large geographical area; it spans four countries, encompasses 78 ports and has responsibility for the land boundary between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and the UK’s busiest Common Travel Area route between Dublin and Holyhead. In the region there are 17 major airports, including the third largest in the UK in Manchester, eight large maritime ports, and the most dispersed general maritime and general aviation sites in the UK.
Working Pattern
We encourage applications from candidates who wish to work part-time; however, part-time opportunities cannot be guaranteed and are subject to the requirements of the role and business. Candidates wishing to work part-time should notify the vacancy holder as soon as a provisional offer of employment is made, to explore whether this can be accommodated at your selected location.
You must be at least 18 years of age at the time of submitting your application. 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
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.
Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST)
Depending on the location and the operational environment you will be required to work within, you will be required to undertake PPST either at a Level 2 (defensive and de-escalation techniques) or PPST Level 3 (which includes restraint & arrest techniques). This will teach you skills in personal safety and restraint techniques to keep you and your team colleagues safe. Both sets of training involve physical activity and physical contact with the other delegates.
Meet the team
If you want to learn more about these roles you can join one of our free online live events, during which you will hear from current Border Force staff about what the job is like, what opportunities and career prospects you will have and why the job matters. We will also talk about the recruitment and security vetting processes, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions from our friendly and experienced team members.
Register by clicking on the date and time you want to attend. There’s no requirement to attend in order to apply.
Wed, 4 Dec 2024 19:00 – Border Force Officer and Assistant Officer roles
Thu, 5 Dec 2024, 12:00 – Border Force Officer and Assistant Officer roles
Sat, 7 Dec 2024, 12:00 – for candidates applying under the Disability Confident Scheme
Person specification
Essential Criteria
Candidates will need to have:
- 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 your communication.
- An objective and analytical approach. Able to gather information from multiple sources, make a reasoned assessment and justify the resulting recommendation.
Licences
Benefits
- 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.
- This role currently attracts Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) of approximately 35.14% of salary, which equates to an additional £10,542 per annum based on salary minimum. Please note, these rates are subject to change and can go down as well as up. Further information can be found on our website.
- The total expected remuneration for this role, including AHA, is approximately £40,542.
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.
As part of the application process, you will first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.
After submission of this first stage, you will be invited to complete the following Civil Service Verbal Test, Numerical Test and Customer Service Test.
1. Online Tests – by 12th December 2024
If you successfully pass the Verbal, Numerical and Customer Service tests, you will be invited to the next stage. Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online tests your application will be withdrawn.
Guidance for the Civil Service tests, will be available when you are invited to take the tests. The tests are administered online and accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.
You cannot complete the tests on a mobile phone or tablet.
2. Interview at Online Assessment Centre – commencing from w/c 16th December 2024
If you are successful at the online test stage, you will be invited to attend a Strength-based only interview.
Strengths are the things that we do regularly, do well and that motivate us. When we assess your strengths, we are considering if the job role would be a good fit to your skills and interests. Your interview will only feature Strength questions. Questions cannot be provided beforehand, as we are looking for a natural, unrehearsed response.
The interview will be a pre-recorded video interview via VidCruiter. You will have until Monday 6th January 2025 to complete this.
If you fail to submit an interview your application will be withdrawn.
Strengths have been ranked in their order of importance to enable us to differentiate between candidates who have tied scores.
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 borderforcehorecruitment.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.
Location Preferences
You will only be able to select a single location preference so please ensure this is a location that you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at your preferred location and you decline, your application will be withdrawn.
Successful candidates will need to be able to attend for all shifts including early starts, late night finishes, and overnight shifts. These shifts may be outside of public transport operating hours.
Linked Campaigns
This role is being advertised at different locations via multiple linked adverts. Should you wish to apply for the role but at locations listed on different adverts, the first application you make will be treated as your ‘lead’ application and assessment scores from this will be automatically carried over to any subsequent applications.
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.
Appearance
This is a uniformed post and as such requires the highest standards. Further information on this and policies regarding tattoos 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, you will also be subject to additional Border Force-specific security checks as part of the pre-employment process, to determine your suitability to work for the organisation. For further information on what this involves, please visit our website.
Further information
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service 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.
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 : HORCCampaignTeamBorderForce@homeoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : borderforcehorecruitment.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.
