We are looking for resilient and compassionate people who are confident communicators. You will be able to remain calm in challenging situations and deliver meaningful support that makes a real impact to people’s lives, whilst maintaining safe, lawful UK immigration controls.
We’re recruiting to fill 28 Detention Engagement Officer vacancies and are inviting candidates to apply to join our Immigration Enforcement Teams in our Bedford, Gatwick, Heathrow and Oxford locations. This is for the grade of Executive Officer (EO), and the closing date for applications is 25 March 2026.
You’ll receive a starting salary of £30,900 (national), £31,930 (Gatwick) or £35,020 (Heathrow) plus an Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) of between 18.04% and 19.69% depending on location. This could equate to an uplift of between £5,574.36 – £6,895.44 per annum based on the salary minimum.
You’ll also have access to a broad range of employee benefits including an employer pension contribution of 28.97%.
About the role
Immigration Enforcement is responsible for enforcing immigration laws, tackling illegal migration and 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
As a Detention Engagement Officer based at one of our Immigration Removal Centres (IRC), you will work directly with residents being held securely while their case is progressed. Your role will involve face-to-face engagement with residents about their return, ensuring they understand the process and steps required to bring their case to a conclusion. You will also be responsible for monitoring and supporting their welfare, raising concerns promptly, ensuring access to information and services, and contributing to a safe, professional and respectful environment within the centre.
You’ll help maintain strong links between residents, their caseworking teams, on-site healthcare and other service providers, ensuring communication is consistent.
You will need to build trust quickly and maintain professionalism and integrity, even in challenging situations.
The role and the environment can be demanding including physically as you’ll spend much of the day on the go. You’ll operate within a secure facility and may encounter emotionally charged moments and challenging behaviour, but you won’t face them alone. You’ll receive comprehensive training and have a supportive team to help you handle complex situations professionally and safely.
Annualised Hours Allowance
This role currently attracts Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) of between 18.04% and 19.69% depending on location. The rate payable is linked to the shift pattern you will be required to work. The higher the AHA, the more flexible you will be required to be. Further information can be found on our website.
The associated AHA percentage for each location and what this equates to, based on salary minimum, on top of the starting salary per annum is shown below:
| Bedford | 18.04% | £5,574.36 |
| Gatwick | 18.57% | £5,929.40 |
| Heathrow | 19.69% | £6,895.44 |
| Oxford | 18.54% | £5,728.86 |
Meet the team
Sign up to attend one of our online Detention Engagement Officer information events to hear more about the role and IRC environment. You can register on Eventbrite using the following links:
Tuesday 10th March 13:00 – 13:45
Saturday 14th March 10:00 – 10:45
Wednesday 18th March 18:00 – 18:45
This is your opportunity to hear what working in the IRC and team is really like. We’ll also share tips to help you write your application, and you can ask us questions.
Listen to Detention Engagement Officers sharing their account of what it’s like to work in an IRC in the audio linked below.
Helen’s resilience and empathy shapes lives in ways that matter. Curious about what this work is really like for Helen? Read Helen’s story on the careers website.
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. This includes our strategic partners Mitie/Serco who are responsible for the day-to-day running of the centres, including the safety and security of staff and residents. Once confident in the role there will be further opportunities for professional development.
Please note that you will need to complete the Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST) level 2 for this role. Further information on what the training involves can be found on our website.
Trauma-exposed roles involve working with sensitive and potentially distressing material and supporting vulnerable people. You will be provided with comprehensive support so you can make a real difference in a safe, compassionate environment. Learn more on our website.
Working pattern and arrangements
You will need to undertake your role entirely within the IRC; working from home is not possible.
This role is available on a full-time basis, and the option of compressed hours working will not be considered. However, this role is suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work three full shifts (22.2 hours) per week across the full range of shifts. Please note that full shifts will be required even if a part time contract is sought.
This role requires you to be flexible. Successful candidates must be available to attend for all scheduled early and late shifts and will not have the option to select specific shifts.
Weekdays: Early 08.00 to 15.24, Late 13.36 to 21.00.
Weekends: Early 09.00 to 16.24. Late 09.36 to 17.00.
Weekends (Heathrow): Early 08:36 – 16:24, Late 12:06 – 19:30
Weekend shifts include public holidays but exclude Christmas Day and New Years Day.
Benefits
- Civil Service Pension with employer contribution rates of 28.97%
- In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements
- Full training, along with access to development opportunities to help you grow in your career
- 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days
- Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day
- An environment with flexible working options and a culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
Find out more about some of the other benefits we offer.
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All IRCs house residents who are either foreign national criminals, immigration offenders, illegal small boats arrivals or failed asylum seekers.
Read more information about each location below:
Bedford
These roles are based at Yarl’s Wood IRC, which houses mainly adult men but also adult women. It has approximately 380 bed spaces. The centre is located near Milton Ernest, to the north of Bedford. There is no public transport servicing the site; however, car parking is available for staff.
Gatwick
These roles are based at Brook House and Tinsley House IRCs. Both are purpose-built modern facilities situated adjacent to the runway at Gatwick Airport, with over 450 beds combined. You will be required to work at both Centres. There is a free Serco minibus from the airport, but no public buses service the centre. Car parking is available for staff.
Heathrow
These roles are based at Colnbrook and Harmondsworth IRCs, located next to Heathrow Airport. The centres are purpose-built facilities with capacity between them to house around 900 adult men. Two of the seven residential units at Harmondsworth IRC are built to Category B (high security) prison specifications. The centres are located next to each other, and you will be expected to work at both. Whilst both have lifts, usage cannot be guaranteed so you will need to be comfortable using stairs. Both centres can be reached by bus from nearby train stations. Car parking for staff is limited.
Oxford
These roles are based at Campsfield IRC, which is a mix of recently refurbished and new-build accommodation for adult male residents. It has approximately 160 bed spaces. More information can be found here. The centre is located in Kidlington and is a multi-level building with no lift access. The centre is served by limited public transport. Car parking is available for staff.
To apply for a specific location, select the relevant link in the apply section below. 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
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- Conduct face-to-face engagement with residents: Manage interactions with a portfolio of residents, delivering inductions, serving official paperwork and providing clear explanations to help them understand the next steps in their case, which include returning to their country of origin and the consequences of non-compliance.
- Support vulnerable people: Work collaboratively with all stakeholders to support and signpost vulnerable people.
- Be the onsite link: Work collaboratively with caseworking teams, healthcare providers and the IRC supplier to resolve issues relating to case progression quickly and professionally.
- Undertake information gathering and record keeping: You will need to take an unbiased and methodical approach to information gathering. Daily interactions and case updates should be logged promptly and accurately, providing a clear audit trail on Home Office IT systems to support case progression and the smooth running of the team.
- Work safely and professionally: Act professionally and with integrity, following security, safeguarding and confidentiality requirements at all times.
- General administrative duties: This includes inbox management and answering phone calls.
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- Effective at building positive and trusting working relationships. This includes the ability to actively listen, show empathy and treat others with respect and dignity.
- Able to de-escalate situations with confidence and patience.
- Solid verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to read and relay out loud complex and often lengthy information both clearly and accurately.
- Able to assess situations, make balanced decisions and escalate concerns appropriately.
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Behaviours
We’ll assess you against this behaviour during the selection process:
Communicating and Influencing
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
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 Judgement Test.
Online test
If you successfully pass the Civil Service Judgement Test, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online test or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.
Guidance for the Civil Service test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The online tests are accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.
You cannot complete the tests on a mobile phone or tablet.
Following successful completion of your test, you will then be asked to complete the full application form.
Please note: There will be maintenance for online tests on Sunday 1st March between 4pm and midnight and again on Sunday 8th March between 4pm and 7pm. This means you will be unable to access the online tests between these times. Your progress will be saved, and you will be able to continue once the tests are available again. (Additional date: 29 March – midday to 1pm, and 4pm to midnight)
Application and sift
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
- Personal Statement (maximum 500 words).
The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria and desirable 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.
The sift will be held on the Personal Statement.
Interview
If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be Behaviours and Strength based questions. All behaviours listed in the selection process will be scored at the interview.
The Behaviour and Strengths have been ranked in order of importance to enable us to differentiate between candidates with tied interview scores.
For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.
The interview will take place Microsoft Teams.
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If you are interested in this role, please apply using the relevant location link below.
Bedford (Yarl’s Wood IRC): https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1988591
Gatwick (Brook House and Tinsley House IRCs):
https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1988592
Heathrow (Colnbrook and Harmondsworth IRCs):
https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1988587
Oxford (Campsfield IRC): https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1988590
