** Operations Officer

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, 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. We also aim to disrupt the organised criminal groups that exploit the vulnerable for their personal gain. Learn more on our careers pages.

The Immigration Detention (ID) Compliance Team operates within Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) and plays a key role in monitoring supplier performance to ensure detained residents receive appropriate standards of care and service. The team supports the oversight of day-to-day operational activities, gathers evidence to assess compliance, escalates concerns where necessary, and works closely with colleagues to ensure contractual and operational requirements are met.

Job description

You will play a key role in ensuring that all aspects of the IRCs are run safely and securely, with full adherence to relevant policies, standards, and legislation. Working as part of a team, you will monitor the quality and consistency of service delivery, identifying areas of good practice as well as opportunities for improvement. This will involve maintaining a visible presence across the sites and building a comprehensive understanding of daily operations through direct observation and engagement.

The role also involves the collection and analysis of operational data to support performance monitoring and assurance activity. You will be responsible for producing timely and accurate reports, contributing to performance reviews, and providing insight to inform decision-making. In addition, you may support the planning and coordination of removals, ensuring that logistical arrangements are effectively managed where required.

You will have a responsibility to monitor incidents such as use of force, ensuring that appropriate oversight is maintained and that any concerns are identified and addressed promptly. Safeguarding is a key aspect of the role, and you will be expected to recognise, escalate, and support the resolution of any safeguarding issues involving detained individuals.

Alongside core operational duties, you will contribute to wider compliance activity, including participation in thematic reviews and targeted audits across different areas of IRC operations. You will also build and maintain effective working relationships with on-site partners and stakeholders, supporting a collaborative and transparent working environment that enables open communication and continuous improvement. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a fast-paced and varied role, requiring strong attention to detail, effective communication skills, and the ability to work professionally in a complex operational setting.

You may be required to undertake the same or a similar role within a different team or teams, where possible at your base location or within reasonable travel distance, depending on business priorities. With appropriate training and support, this will provide opportunities to broaden your experience and skill set.

Key Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Monitor contractual compliance and provide regular performance summaries, updates and feedback to the Home Office Compliance Manager.
• Oversee the IRC supplier’s compliance with contractual requirements, ensuring the site operates in a healthy, safe and secure manner in line with relevant legislation.
• Produce high-quality thematic reviews, dip sample reports and assurance summaries to assess contract delivery and adherence to policy.
• Ensure residents within the centre receive an effective service in line with Immigration Detention Performance Standards and Framework requirements.
• Carry out Immigration Enforcement’s statutory duties within the IRC, including authorising temporary confinement or removal from association where necessary.
• Collect, process and audit complaints in line with policy, working collaboratively with the complaints department to support effective resolution.
• Provide advice to managers on IRC policies and procedures, including supporting responses to parliamentary questions and other official correspondence.
• Manage the team’s shared inbox, responding to enquiries promptly and professionally.
• Represent the Home Office at a range of meetings, including difficult removals planning, daily operational meetings, resident consultative committees, Independent Monitoring Board meetings, security, healthcare and safer community forums.

Working Pattern

Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis. However, where business needs allow, compressed hours are available, once you have completed training.

Shift Working

You must be able to work all required shift patterns, including early starts, late finishes, overnight, rota-based and weekend shifts. Please note that some shifts may start or finish outside of public transport operating hours, and candidates should ensure they can travel to and from the workplace accordingly.

Training

You will receive comprehensive training and support to help you succeed in the role. You will be supported by experienced colleagues and mentors. While you will work as part of a wider team and have access to advice and support when needed, some shifts may be undertaken independently, particularly at weekends, during night shifts and on late shifts after 5pm. Further information on what the training involves can be found on our website.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support the timely delivery of objectives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly, accurately and professionally to a range of audiences.
• Good organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands and deliver a high-quality service.
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and SharePoint, to manage information and support effective ways of working.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working in a detention or prison environment, with understanding of the immigration system.
• Experience of contract monitoring/audit and assurance.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing

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.
• This role currently attracts Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) of 22.82% of salar