** Detention Engagement Officer - Derwentside

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.

Immigration Removal Services Command (IRSC) plays a key role in supporting the Home Office's immigration system by managing immigration detention and facilitating lawful returns. As part of the Detention Engagement Team at Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre, you will work directly with detained individuals, providing information about their case progression, supporting their welfare and contributing to a safe, secure and professional environment while helping to maintain effective immigration controls.

This is a rewarding and varied role where no two days are the same. You will engage with people from diverse backgrounds, make a meaningful difference during a challenging period in their lives and develop valuable communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills within a supportive team environment.

As a Detention Engagement Officer, you will work directly with detained residents, helping them understand their immigration case, the processes affecting them and the steps required to progress their case towards conclusion. You will build professional and constructive relationships with residents, providing clear, accurate and timely information whilst ensuring their welfare needs are identified and appropriately addressed.

Working closely with caseworking teams, on-site healthcare providers, detention services staff and other partners, you will help ensure effective communication and coordination of support. You will monitor welfare concerns, raise issues when necessary and contribute to maintaining a safe, respectful and professional environment within a secure setting.

The role requires you to communicate confidently and sensitively with individuals who may be experiencing uncertainty, frustration or distress. You will use sound judgement to assess situations, respond appropriately to challenging circumstances and ensure that information is recorded accurately and handled professionally. The environment can be demanding and fast-paced, requiring resilience, adaptability and the ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining high standards of service and professionalism.

You must be available to attend the centre for all scheduled shifts.

Key Responsibilities

You will be responsible for (but not limited to):

• 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.

Working Pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis. This role is also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work three full shifts (22.2 hours) per week due to business requirements. Please note that full shifts will be required even if a part-time contract is sought.

You will need to be able to attend all scheduled shifts, including early starts and late finishes. On weekdays, early shifts are 09:00 to 16:24 and late shifts are 12:06 to 19:30. On weekends and public holidays (excluding Christmas Day and New Year's Day), early shifts are 09:00 to 17:00.

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. Further information on what the training involves can be found on our website.

Travel

This is a fully site-based role. You will be required to undertake all duties within Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre and attend the centre for all scheduled shifts.

Information Sessions

To learn more about this role and how to apply, register for one of our free, optional live events by clicking the date and time that suits you below.

We encourage you to attend a live event before submitting your application, as this will provide valuable insight into the role and the recruitment process.

During the event, you will hear from current staff about what the job involves, the opportunities and career prospects available, and why the role is so important. We will also explain the recruitment and security vetting processes, and you will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to our friendly and experienced team members.

Monday 05 October 2026, 13.00-14.00

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/detention-engagement-team-roles-explained-live-qa-with-recruiters-tickets-2002225737078?aff=oddtdtcreator

Saturday 10 October 2026, 10:00-11:00

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/detention-engagement-team-roles-explained-live-qa-with-recruiters-tickets-2002226079101?aff=oddtdtcreator

Tuesday 13 October 2026, 16:00-17:00

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/detention-engagement-team-roles-explained-live-qa-with-recruiters-tickets-2002226376992?aff=oddtdtcreator

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours 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.

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

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 Customer Service Skills test.

1. Online Test – by 15 October 2026.

If you successfully pass the Customer Service Skills 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 test 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.

2. Application – by 15 October 2026.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• Personal Statement (maximum 1000 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviour – Communicating and Influencing (maximum of 250 words per Behaviour).

Your Personal Statement should provide details of your three most recent roles, along with any other relevant experience, including voluntary, community, or charitable work.

Please briefly describe your key responsibilities and achievements and explain how these experiences have prepared you for the role of Detention Engagement Officer.

You should also outline, in your own words, your motivation for applying for this role and demonstrate how your skills, knowledge, and experience meet the essential criteria outlined in the advert.

We are keen to understand your career aspirations, what attracts you to this opportunity, and why you believe you have the potential to succeed in the role.

The Personal Statement provides an opportunity for you to showcase your suitability for the position by evidencing your relevant experience, skills, and ambitions.

Please ensure your statement is tailored to the role and supported by clear, relevant examples that demonstrate your capability and potential. We would strongly recommend that you make full use of the available 1000 words to complete your personal statement.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

3. Sift – commencing 19 October 2026.

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement and Behaviour – Communicating and Influencing.

Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the Behaviour – Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift that will consist of all the remaining elements submitted, Personal Statement. Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the initial sift will not have their remaining submitted elements scored and will only receive a sift score for that assessed at the initial sift.

4. Interview – commencing 23 November 2026.

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be Behaviours (as listed in the job advert) and Experience questions. All behaviours listed in the selection process will be scored at the interview.

The interview will take place on at Derwentside IRC, Consett.

Travel expenses will not be reimbursed.

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

Problems during the application process

If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.

Do not create or attempt to submit another application, online test or use a different Civil Service Jobs account to proceed as this would be in violation of the candidate declaration.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.

Breaking Tied Scores

The behaviours and experience have been ranked in order of importance to enable us to differentiate between candidates with tied interview scores.

Standards

All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Integrity Check

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, you will also be subject to an additional Integrity Check, as part of the pre-employment process, to determine your suitability to work for Border Force or Immigration Enforcement. For further information on what this involves, please visit our website.

Criminal Record Check

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct.

If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOcandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.