**Risk and Assurance Officer

Immigration Enforcement is responsible for enforcing the government’s immigration laws, tackling illegal migration, removing foreign national offenders and immigration offenders from the UK.

The Detention Services Security Team provides second line assurance to local Detention Services (DS) Compliance teams, who work with Contracted Service Providers (CSPs) responsible for running Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) in line with Home Office policies, contracts and standards.

Join the Detention Services Security Team and support important work to keep the immigration detention estate safe, secure and compliant.

Job description

The role supports a range of work across intelligence, security, use of force, health and safety and violence reduction. You will help support assurance activity, respond to operational queries and work with local teams and wider stakeholders on issues affecting safety and security across the detention estate.

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 both your experience and skill set.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertaking security reviews of IRCs to test physical and procedural security and monitor compliance with contractual and legislative standards.
• Supporting security and intelligence processes, including handling referrals, maintaining registers and ensuring effective use of intelligence systems.
• Collating, reviewing and analysing operational intelligence, identifying trends and producing regular reports to inform decision-making and senior management.
• Conducting impartial assessments of use of force (UoF) incidents, providing clear, evidence-based feedback to support learning and compliance with policy.
• Maintaining knowledge of current UoF techniques through annual training and required upskilling, and delivering training and awareness sessions.
• Using Microsoft Office and other relevant IT systems effectively, with strong organisational, administrative and problem-solving skills to deliver high-quality work under pressure and to deadlines.
• Communicating effectively verbally and in writing, including report writing, building professional relationships and engaging confidently with stakeholders at all levels.
• Working independently, using initiative and adapting to changing priorities while contributing effectively as part of a team, demonstrating integrity and a commitment to continuous improvement and high standards.

Working pattern

Due to the operational needs of the role, including shift working, on-call duties and regular travel to IRCs, the post is only available on a full-time basis.

Shift working

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.

The role includes shift working and on-call duties, acting as a point of contact for other teams on matters relating to intelligence, security and use of force.

Hybrid working

The current candidate information confirms that, where business needs allow, some roles may combine office and home-based working, with employees expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office. However, this post is not suitable for home workers as regular deployment to IRCs is required.

Travel

Regular travel to IRCs will be required. This will mainly involve regional or national travel within the UK detention estate.

Overnight stays may occasionally be required, but these are expected to be limited and planned in advance where possible.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience of using Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint, and other relevant IT systems.
• Ability to organise and prioritise work, meet deadlines and maintain accuracy when working under pressure.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and working effectively with a range of stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, using initiative and adapting to changing priorities.
• Ability to analyse information and data, identify trends and use findings to support high-quality work and improvements.

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.
• 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 60% of their working time in an office.
• This role currently attracts Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) of up to 9% annum based on salary minimum.