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 manage the UK border control by implementing immigration and customs’ regulations and working with the wider Home Office on counter terrorism, tackling organised crime, modern slavery and trafficking.
We have an exciting opportunity to recruit two Higher Officers—one based in Southampton with a focus on International Trade, and the other in Inverness, supporting passenger and freight operations. As a Border Force Higher Officer at the frontline of our national security, you’ll play a vital role in protecting the UK border, facilitating the smooth clearance of passengers and goods, and leading operational teams.
Our Border Force Officers have varied experience and come from a wide range of professional backgrounds, but all bring the transferable skills and core strengths of leadership, decision-making, and collaboration. If you share those qualities, we encourage you to apply. A full UK driving licence is required. Please refer to the essential criteria listed below, for more information.
Border Force Higher Officer – International Trade ∙ Southampton
You’ll manage a team responsible for facilitating the movement of legitimate imported and exported goods and collecting any unpaid taxes. This will include physical examinations at ports, wharfs and temporary warehouses for prohibited or restricted items such as drugs, tobacco and endangered animals/plants.
Border Force Higher Officer – Inverness
In this role you will manage the busy day-to-day operation of border controls at Inverness Airport to ensure the smooth and efficient clearance of passengers and goods from all over the world. You will make important decisions regarding the admissibility of arriving passengers, as well as matters involving arrest, search, and detention.
Training
We are committed to ensuring you have all the training and support you need to excel in your role. Here’s what you can expect:
Thorough training: You will receive full training, starting with classroom sessions to build your foundational knowledge. We’ll teach you skills in personal safety and restraint to keep you, your colleagues, and the public safe.
On-the-job mentorship: Your training continues on the job with a dedicated mentor who will support you until you feel fully confident in your role.
Team support: Even after your training, you are never alone. You will work as part of a supportive team where there is always someone available for advice and assistance.
Meet the team
You can learn more about the important work of our Border Force teams at one of our online events. Sign up below to secure your place on Eventbrite.
Benefits
- Starting salary from £37,300
- A Civil Service pension with an employer pension contribution of 28.97%
- Excellent training and development starting in the classroom and then continuing on the job.
Find out more about some of the other benefits we offer.
Selection process
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths, Ability and Experience.
As part of the application process, you will first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.
You will then be invited to complete a Civil Service Management Judgement Test.
If you are successful at the online test stage, you will be invited to complete a full application, which will consist of a Personal Statement of up to 750 words.
If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be a blend of behaviour and strength-based questions. The interview will take place via MS teams. For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit careers.homeoffice.gov.uk/applying. You can also find useful resources on Civil Service Careers.
Border Force Higher Officer – International Trade ∙ Southampton
-
£37,300 – £39,911
-
Times of attendance are currently between 08:00–16:00, Monday to Friday to match the needs of the trade. There may be a future regular requirement for Saturday attendance.
We understand the importance of work-life balance and encourage applications from candidates who wish to work part-time or on a job-share basis. While such opportunities cannot be guaranteed in frontline roles due to the 24/7 operational nature of our business, we are committed to exploring flexible working arrangements wherever possible.
-
- Dynamic Leadership: Manage the busy day-to-day International Trade operation at a number of locations, prioritising and allocating resources swiftly to maintain border security. Collaborate with Higher Officer counterparts and the Duty Senior Officer as needed.
- Critical Decision-Making: Manage the selection and examination of goods, authorising the seizure of prohibited and restricted items.
- Expert Guidance: Take referrals from your teams and advise on the admissibility of arriving goods to determine if Customs offences have been committed.
- Live Case Management: Handle live operational cases, including, seizures, arrests and authority for searches of persons.
- Team Collaboration: Work independently or as part of a small team to run a busy operational International Trade shift, ensuring professional and efficient delivery of services to the trade and public.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Liaise with and manage enquiries from trade, agents, other government departments and port operators to support and facilitate a smooth border crossing, ensuring goods can be processed promptly.
- Leadership and Development: Lead a law enforcement team, undertaking line management responsibilities to ensure wellbeing, learning and development, performance, and discipline matters are addressed appropriately.
- Professional Integrity: Demonstrate the professional behaviours and personal integrity associated with a customer-focused law enforcement organisation. This includes acting ethically as a civil servant, making difficult decisions when needed, always doing the right thing, and being impartial and honest.
- Note: This is not an exclusive or exhaustive list, and the post holder will be required to perform any additional duties reasonably expected of them.
-
We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate the following qualities during the selection process:
- Leadership Aptitude: Show your ability to lead and manage effectively within a fast-paced, complex work area.
- Resource Management: Demonstrate awareness of resource management and allocation to ensure that work is completed effectively.
- Collaborative Skills: Experience of working together with others across various different work areas to meet objectives and deadlines.
- Communication Skills: Exhibit strong verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
- Adaptability: Able to adapt to change while keeping work on track and meeting deadlines.
- Decision-Making: Demonstrable decision-making skills, with the ability to draw conclusions from complex information and present them clearly to others.
- Driving Licence: Due to the nature of the work and/or the geographical area, driving is a key requirement for these roles. It is essential for applicants to hold a full valid UK manual or automatic driving licence.
-
Border Force Higher Officer – Inverness
-
£37,300 – £39,911
This role currently attracts an Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) of approximately 27.44% which equates to an additional £10,235 per annum based on salary minimum.
-
The current shift pattern for the role is either 07:30–16:30 or 14:00–23:00, including weekends.
We understand the importance of work-life balance and encourage applications from candidates who wish to work part-time or on a job-share basis. While such opportunities cannot be guaranteed in frontline roles due to the 24/7 operational nature of our business, we are committed to exploring flexible working arrangements wherever possible.
-
- Dynamic Leadership: Manage the busy day-to-day operation of border controls, prioritising and allocating resources swiftly to maintain border security. Collaborate with Higher Officer counterparts and the Duty Senior Officer as needed.
- Operational Excellence: Ensure operational mandates, border security, and arrivals hall management requirements are met at all times, without exception.
- Critical Decision-Making: Manage the selection and examination of passengers and freight arrivals, authorising the seizure of prohibited and restricted items.
- Expert Guidance: Take referrals from your teams on passenger casework and advise on the admissibility of arriving passengers.
- Live Case Management: Handle live operational cases, including arrests and authority for searches of persons.
- Team Collaboration: Work independently or as part of a small team to run a busy operational shift at one of the terminals, ensuring professional and efficient delivery of services to the public.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Liaise with various stakeholders, including the police, other enforcement agencies, and carriers to safeguard individuals and goods, and respond to any border security issues.
- Detainee Management: Ensure the effective management of detainees and casework, adhering to notification requirements for minors and adults at risk at all times.
- Leadership and Development: Lead a law enforcement team, undertaking line management responsibilities to ensure wellbeing, learning and development, performance, and discipline matters are addressed appropriately.
- Professional Integrity: Demonstrate the professional behaviours and personal integrity associated with a customer-focused law enforcement organisation. This includes acting ethically as a civil servant, making difficult decisions when needed, always doing the right thing, and being impartial and honest.
- Note: This is not an exclusive or exhaustive list, and the post holder will be required to perform any additional duties reasonably expected of them.
-
We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate the following qualities during the selection process:
- Leadership Aptitude: Show your ability to lead and manage effectively within a fast-paced, complex work area.
- Resource Management: Demonstrate awareness of resource management and allocation to ensure that work is completed effectively.
- Collaborative Skills: Experience of working together with others across various different work areas to meet objectives and deadlines.
- Communication Skills: Exhibit strong verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
- Adaptability: Able to adapt to change while keeping work on track and meeting deadlines.
- Decision-Making: Demonstrable decision-making skills, with the ability to draw conclusions from complex information and present them clearly to others.
- Driving Licence: Due to the nature of the work and/or the geographical area, driving is a key requirement for these roles. It is essential for applicants to hold a full valid UK manual or automatic driving licence.
-
