Incident Oversight Officer

Incident Oversight Officer – Home Office

The Home Office is recruiting an Incident Oversight Officer to join its Immigration Enforcement team within Detention Services. This is an opportunity to work in a fast-paced operational environment, supporting incident management, contingency planning, data analysis and oversight across Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs).

The successful candidate will receive full training and ongoing support.

Job Overview

• Employer: Home Office
• Job Title: Incident Oversight Officer
• Salary: £34,415 – £38,991 per year
• Cardiff Salary: £34,415 – £34,931
• London Salary (Feltham and Heathrow): £38,415 – £38,991
• Locations: Cardiff, Feltham and Heathrow
• Grade: Executive Officer (EO)
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Working Pattern: Full-time, compressed hours available
• Number of Vacancies: 1
• Reference Number: 488169
• Closing Date: 10 November 2026
• Visa Sponsorship: Not stated in the job advert. Applicants requiring sponsorship should confirm eligibility with the employer before applying.

About the Role

The successful candidate will join the Incident and Counter Corruption Hub (ICCH) within Detention Operations, part of Home Office Detention Services.

The team oversees incidents across Immigration Removal Centres, helping ensure that incidents are appropriately prepared for, reported and managed in line with Home Office expectations, contractual obligations and published policies.

You will support pre-incident preparation, post-incident management, incident reporting and trend analysis while helping maintain the safety of individuals and staff across the detention estate.

The position involves regular communication with senior managers, other Home Office teams and contracted service providers.

Key Responsibilities

Your duties will include:

• Managing the Incident Oversight Inbox and maintaining accurate records of incidents across Immigration Removal Centres.
• Keeping senior managers informed about incident trends, developments and emerging issues.
• Supporting contingency planning and coordinating scheduled reviews in line with relevant Detention Service Orders.
• Working with local compliance teams to collect, maintain and organise up-to-date contingency plans.
• Informing service providers when contingency plan reviews are due.
• Participating in contingency plan exercises and helping develop exercises to test existing arrangements.
• Analysing incident data, identifying trends and preparing reports for senior management.
• Creating and managing Excel dashboards to support oversight and decision-making.
• Preparing information for incident debriefs, drafting agendas, taking minutes and producing reports.
• Supporting the OK9 Wellbeing Support Dog pilot scheme.
• Undertaking additional duties as required by the team.

Essential Requirements

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to collect, interpret and present data accurately, with excellent attention to detail.
• The ability to develop effective working relationships with colleagues, senior managers and external stakeholders.
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment and managing competing priorities and deadlines.
• Experience in incident management, contingency planning and/or testing.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel.
• The ability to assess complex or sensitive information and make sound operational decisions and recommendations.
• The ability to determine when issues should be escalated in line with established policies and procedures.

Desirable Experience

The following would be advantageous:

• Experience working in a detention centre or prison environment.
• Experience in data analysis and using information to improve reporting and services.

Physical Fitness and Training

Applicants must be physically fit because the role requires completion of Personal Safety Training, which must be refreshed annually.

Full training and support will be provided. Initial training takes place in a classroom, followed by on-the-job training with an assigned mentor.

Regular travel to other Home Office locations will also be required.

Working Pattern

The position is available on a full-time basis due to business requirements. Compressed working hours are available.

Although some Home Office roles may offer hybrid working, employees are generally expected to spend at least 60% of their working time in the office where business needs allow.

Behaviours Assessed

Candidates will be assessed against the following Civil Service behaviours:

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

The application form requires evidence of Delivering at Pace.

Salary and Employee Benefits

The Home Office offers a range of employment benefits, including:

• Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service.
• Eight public holidays and an additional privilege day.
• Learning and development opportunities.
• In-year reward schemes for exceptional individual or team achievements.
• Opportunities to develop skills and progress within the Civil Service.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online through the official Civil Service Jobs website.

Applicants will be required to provide:

• CV: Include your career history, relevant skills, experience and key achievements.
• Personal Statement: Maximum 750 words, demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria.
• Behaviour Statement: Maximum 250 words providing evidence of Delivering at Pace.

The recruitment process will assess candidates using the Civil Service Success Profiles framework.

Sift: Expected to begin from 12 November 2026. Applications will be assessed using the CV, Personal Statement and Delivering at Pace behaviour. An initial sift may focus on the Personal Statement if application numbers are high.

Interview: Expected from 3 December 2026. Successful candidates will attend an online interview via Microsoft Teams, involving behaviour-based and strengths-based questions.

Important Information

• Applicants can select up to three preferred locations in order of preference.
• Candidates must be prepared to travel to their selected locations.
• A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months.
• Successful candidates must pass the required security checks, including Counter Terrorist Check (CTC), an enhanced criminal record check and an additional Immigration Enforcement Integrity Check.
• Applicants must meet the Civil Service nationality and right-to-work requirements.

How to Apply

Interested and eligible candidates should submit their applications before the closing date.

Closing Date: 10 November 2026 at 11:55 pm.

For further information, applicants can contact the Home Office Resourcing Centre at HORCCampaignTeamIE@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Please review the official vacancy advert carefully to confirm all eligibility, location and application requirements before applying.