NP Decision Makers

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. The Public Safety Group's role is to keep the public safe by cutting crime, disrupting the highest harm criminals, protecting the vulnerable and ensuring that our police, fire and rescue services are as efficient and effective as they can be in delivering front line public services. We work with our partners in other government departments, local government, and the voluntary sector to develop and implement policy, provide funding, and deliver legislation. This is an exciting time to join the Single Competent Authority (SCA) as a Decision Maker; you will be playing a pivotal part within our teams and will help us deliver critical, high-impact work for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. In doing so you will have the opportunity to feed into how we build a new future, and embed the Home Office values - Respectful, Collaborative, Courageous and Compassionate. The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is a framework for identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery and ensuring they receive the appropriate support. Modern slavery is a complex crime and may involve multiple forms of exploitation. It encompasses human trafficking, slavery, servitude, and forced or compulsory labour. Potential victims of modern slavery are identified by First Responders (such as police forces, charities, government departments or local authority areas) and referred into the NRM. The SCA is responsible for:

• Deciding whether an individual is a victim of modern slavery (a positive decision can open the door to support provision, which is designed to lift the individual from their situation of exploitation and/or assist with their recovery).
• Deciding on the type of support required for each individual, in accordance with their recovery needs.
• Providing that support, through the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC).
The Decision Maker role is fundamental in the NRM process by taking key victim-status decisions and weighing up information submitted by partners and stakeholders. More information on the types of decisions taken is detailed below. As a Decision-Maker Executive Officer, you will join a highly driven and productive operational unit, motivated by a determination to deliver high quality and timely decisions for potential victims of modern slavery. Further information about the work of the Competent Authorities can be found at page 45 of the Statutory Guidance governing their activities; Modern Slavery: Statutory Guidance for England and Wales (under s49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015) and Non-Statutory Guidance for Scotland and Northern Ireland (publishing.service.gov.uk) After receiving detailed training and benefiting from on the job mentoring and support by experienced colleagues, your role will be to join one of our teams making decisions within the National Referral Mechanism. You may be expected to perform the following key tasks:
• Reasonable Grounds decisions
• Conclusive Grounds decisions
• Modern Slavery Temporary Permission to Stay decisions.
• Public Order/Bad Faith disqualification decisions.
• Additional Recovery Period decisions.
• Recovery Need Assessment decisions.
• Populate relevant spreadsheets and databases to accurately track decision-making activity for potential victims of modern slavery.
• Make relevant referrals to internal/external bodies.
• Communicate with internal/external stakeholders.
• Deal with second stage requests and decisions relating to reconsideration requests and litigation challenges.
• Manage some Case Preparation activity, such as ensuring that information is requested clearly and rapidly from a variety of external stakeholders as required for a case.
The above is indicative, not exhaustive: the NRM system is subject to change to meet the needs of victims, and staff members are expected to work flexibly across the Unit's priorities in order to deliver high-quality and timely outcomes. Please note that a successful candidate will be reading and considering sensitive information relating to modern slavery crimes suffered by individuals referred into the NRM and dealing with potentially difficult cases. Candidates must have resilience and be comfortable moving into a role where they may come across such difficult information daily; full training and support is offered to all staff undertaking this work.

The full-time working week in the Home Office is 37 hours Monday to Friday (excluding breaks). This role is available on a full-time basis, and on compressed hours over four days. Part-time working is available, however due to the nature of the role the minimum hours would be 30 hours over four or five days. More information can be found under the 'Benefits' section below. Training Detailed training will be delivered to new staff to provide the skills and knowledge to undertake this role effectively. Training usually runs Monday to Friday. Those candidates wishing to undertake the role with compressed hours or part-time will be requested to attend training Monday to Friday for a specified period. Successful candidates will join the Home Office on a permanent basis. The vacancies being advertised within the SCA (including this one) are to meet a specific ambition for caseload clearance within approximately two years. Candidates must be aware that once this is achieved there is an expectation that staff will be redeployed to other areas of the department.