Detention Custody Officer

Location: Gatwick Immigration Centre

Type: Full-Time (40hrs), Perm (see advert below for more details)

Salary: up to £31,153 (upon successful completion of your 6-month probationary period)

Working at Gatwick Immigration Centre as a Detention Custody Officer (DCO) for Serco is more than just a job, it’s the chance to be a part of something great; join a work family where you are valued and the work you do makes a difference every day.    In addition to immense job satisfaction in a rewarding career, we also offer:

• Starting salary £28,063, rising to £31,153 (upon successful completion of your 6-month probationary period)
• Full training provided, you’ll complete a in depth 7-week training course with the opportunity to shadow experienced staff, giving you a real taste of life on the job;
• Free onsite parking; paid breaks when on night shifts; subsidised meals; full uniform provided.
• Serco benefits including pension match up to 6%, 28 days leave (inclusive of bank holidays)
• Perks including Blue Light cards and further employee discounts across hundreds of high street shops for fashion, hospitality, attractions, holidays, electronics and gaming supplies and much more
• Access to career long learning and development opportunities
• The chance to make a positive difference in a company passionate about diversity and inclusion

At Gatwick Immigration Centre we offer both job stability & job security, as well as career development pathways for you to transition into operational management roles.    The centre is open 24/7 and you’ll cover various shift patterns, but we do operate on a rota basis that allows you the flexibility to enjoy meaningful time off to do the things you love (we typically work on average 12-hour shifts, 4 days per week on a rota basis).

Please note that this position is based at Gatwick Immigration Removal Centre, which has very limited public transport options. Due to the nature of our shift patterns, we strongly encourage applicants to consider their commute time and transportation options before applying. Some commutes within a 25-30 mile radius can take up to 1.5 hours during peak traffic times. Therefore, we recommend that candidates live within a 30 mile radius of the IRC to maintain punctuality, work-life balance, and job satisfaction

The DCO role is varied, and you’ll be at the forefront of ensuring that the arrival process for detainees is as worry-free as possible and ensure they access the support they need throughout their detention. This will include a range of on-site services that you’ll help to supervise and promote, including healthcare, welfare, faith and cultural provisions, education and recreation activities.  Central to this is how you communicate with detainees; you’ll form supportive and appropriate relationships with detainees throughout their detention.

Detainees come from all walks of life, and we treat them all with fairness and respect. You may experience some challenging situations or unwanted behaviour, but you’ll be fully equipped to handle this through the training provided prior to starting your new role.

What do you need to do the role?

Our current DCO’s come to us with different work & life experiences, from retail to healthcare, to call centres and taxi drivers; others are ex-military, police, and security services personnel! What you’ve done before doesn’t matter, what matters is that you’re committed to making a difference to the lives of others – the rest you will learn during your 7-week training course and experienced colleagues.

You’ll need be reasonably fit and have a good educational level of English and Maths, as report writing & numerical abilities are a key part of the role.

Our recruitment process:

• Completion of online application form
• A 1-hour virtual interview via Microsoft Teams, you’ll be assessed against our criteria (competency-based questions, role play & written exercise) it will also be an opportunity for you to ask questions to get a clear understanding of the role.
• If successful, you will be required to complete a mandatory 9-week training course. No annual leave can be taken during this period.

What else do I need to know?

• This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all offers of employment are subject to security clearance checks and approval by the Home Office.

• You will be required to obtain Home Office CTC & Enhanced DBS with adult and child barring vetting clearances (which required 5 years of checkable history)

Visit us here to view all of our other roles at Gatwick Immigration Centre.

About Serco

At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services.  We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.

By joining Serco you will have unlimited access to our Global Employee Networks – SercoInspire (Gender), SercoEmbrace (Multicultural), SercoUnlimited (Disability) and In@Serco (LGBT & Networks). Serco Employee Networks, led by colleagues who are passionate about diversity, inclusion and belonging. 

Apply

Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. 

We’re a Disability Confident employer and are committed to equal opportunities. If you have any additional queries, requirements or you need more time to apply, then please contact our recruitment team directly on 0345 010 4000. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.

Serco supports fair access to employment for those with unspent criminal convictions through the ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some may be exempt due to the nature of the role and the security clearance required).