We’re advertising for 75 Executive Officers to work in our Customer Services Group in Sheffield.
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. We’re advertising 75 jobs in our Customer Services Group. You can learn more about these roles, including how to apply, below.
You can also view a version of this video with audio description
Customer Services Group brings together Asylum & Human Rights, His Majesty’s Passport Office and UK Visas & Immigration. As a major operational arm of the Home Office, we play a vital role in supporting the economy and cultural life of the UK.
Our vision is for everyone, no matter their role, to be able to make decisions that will help place our customers’ needs at the centre of what we do. Our priorities are to ensure that customers’ voices are heard and that we strive to improve.
We deal with UK citizens applying for passports, as well as foreign nationals wishing to come to or stay in the country for visits, work, study or to be with family. We also manage claims from people seeking refuge as asylum seekers.
Our roles are challenging and complex, as we seek to safeguard the vulnerable and their host communities whilst ensuring our borders are safe and controlled.
About the role
We are recruiting Executive Officers to work primarily in Decision Maker roles for Visas, Status and Information Services. There may also be opportunities to work in various related Executive Officer roles in Customer Services Group.
As a Decision Maker, you will be checking online applications and assess documentation supporting applications, for example from individuals wanting to visit or study in the United Kingdom. Full training will be provided.
You must be flexible and adaptable as there may be a requirement to work across other areas, depending on the business need. If you are successful you are expected to work to daily targets and performance will be monitored against quantity produced, as well as the quality and accuracy of decisions.
You could be placed in any of the following areas:
- Visits, work, study, marriage and family casework
- Cross-cutting Operations which can include supporting the business in planning and performance activity, supporting Directors’ offices, and working within Supplier Relationship, Customer and External Relations teams
Please note, candidates may be offered alternative Executive Officer roles outside Visas, Status and Information Services, but still within the Customer Services Group
Benefits
We offer competitive starting salaries, along with a Civil Service Pension with employer contribution rates of at least 26.6%, and a range of other brilliant benefits including 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service.
You will also have access to learning and development tailored to your role, an environment with flexible working options and a culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
Find out more about some of the other benefits we offer.
Hybrid working
The roles available will vary between a requirement to be fully office-based and hybrid working. Where hybrid working is available, it enables employees to work partly in their workplace(s) and partly at home. To be aware that, whilst some hybrid roles may be available, this is not guaranteed and all successful candidates should be willing, from the outset, to attend the office 100 per cent of their time if their role requires this.
The roles which successful candidates will be posted to will depend on the business need and priority at the time they gain full clearance. Candidates will not be given the option to choose between hybrid or office-based roles.
More about the roles
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Sheffield
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£25,750 – £27,650
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Key duties can include:
- Using complex guidance and policy to consider and make well-judged decisions on customer applications, considering a range of options
- Having responsibility for effective personal and team delivery
- Delivering against timeliness and quality targets, providing excellent customer service
- Developing and maintaining good working relationships with customers and both internal/external stakeholders to deliver what is required
- Managing team inboxes and drafting responses to correspondence and complaints
- Articulating complex decisions in a concise, clear manner verbally and in writing
- Effective management of a complex caseload
- Supporting colleagues to deliver performance of a high standard
If posted to a line management role you may also be required to:
- Lead teams to provide the best possible service to our customers and stakeholders
- Supporting staff in the development of their knowledge and skills
- Manage individuals in line with Home Office policies linked to Attendance, Conduct and Performance
- Manage the workflow of an operational team
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- Use of Microsoft Packages, for example Word, Excel, and Outlook
- Can work both independently and as part of the team
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines
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We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
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This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
You will submit your application through the online civil service recruitment portal: Civil Service Jobs.
- Statement of suitability
You will be asked to complete a personal statement of no more than 500 words explaining concisely how you meet the key responsibilities and essential criteria outlined in this advert.
The sift will be completed on the personal statement.
- The Interview
If you are successful at sift stage you will be invited to an interview which will be a blended approach of strength-based questions (no preparation necessary) and behaviour-based questions (preparation required) for all behaviours as stated on the job advert.
When interviewed on your behaviour examples please ensure you cover the following:
- the specific situation you were in
- the task you had to complete
- the action you took and
- the outcome/result
Strengths will be tested at interview. We assess your strengths because, by ensuring that the role is the right fit for you, you are more likely to enjoy it and perform well. It is important to remember that there are no right or wrong answers to strength-based questions. Do not rehearse your answers because we are looking for your initial response.
Please note: This is a rolling recruitment which means we will be sifting, interviewing and making offers to candidates who pass the required benchmark whilst the advert remains live. There is therefore a benefit to submitting your application earlier in the advertisement window.
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The closing date for applications is 23:55 on 21st February 2023.
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If you are interested in one of these roles, please apply using the button below.