Details
Reference number
430760
Salary
£60,300
National: £60,300 London: £64,300
You may be eligible for an additional non-pensionable allowance, pending a Capability and Skills Assessment, with a value of up to £20,100. New entrants to the Civil Service will start their role on the pay range minimum.
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
Job grade
Grade 7
Contract type
Permanent
Business area
HO - Digital Data and Technology - Engineering
Type of role
Digital
Engineering
Information Technology
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time, Compressed hours
Number of jobs available
2
Contents
* Location
* About the job
* Benefits
* Things you need to know
* Apply and further information
Location
Croydon CR0 2WF, Manchester M5 3LZ, Sheffield S3 8NU
About the job
Job summary
We are looking for people who are passionate about Engineering to join our community led team in Shared Applications Service (SAS). You will work in agile multidisciplinary teams with over 200 engineers in a modern cloud environment using the latest technologies. Our purpose as a team is to bring technical understanding in-house for over 600 Home Office applications.
You could be creating and maintaining some of the most critical public services in the United Kingdom and transforming how we use data and technology to improve these. We are responsible for designing, building and supporting solutions to help people prove their identity or apply for visas. You could also be working on critical IT systems that support policing and counter terrorism, which helps protect UK borders.
We are recruiting for 2 positions. One will be focused on a mixture of code (.NET/JavaScript/Python) and low-code (Microsoft Power Platform) depending on project requirements, reporting into automation engineering as part of a multi-functional squad. The other role is part of a multi-functional squad delivering solutions on Microsoft Power Platform (Model-Driven and Canvas Apps) and Azure to meet evolving business needs.
Job description
The Senior Developer is key for our product delivery, you will develop core components of our solutions and help select appropriate technologies. Your subject matter expertise will enable you to operate with greater levels of autonomy and decision making.
You will work to our technical standards writing clean, secure code following a test-driven approach, ensuring the code is open as far as possible and can be re-used.
The Senior Developer will be expected to mentor and lead other engineers in technical tasks, as well as support recruitment and assessment activities.
Tools and Technologies we use:
We are keen for Engineers to continue learning new technologies, we have a large range in the Home Office including:
* Backend: Power Automate, Java,, Python, Scala, .NET.
* Frontend: Power Apps, React, JavaScript, Typescript.
* Data: Dataverse, Power BI, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Mongodb, Apache Cassandra.
* DevOps/Platforms: Azure, Kubernetes, Jenkins, Docker, Ansible, Terraform.
* AI: Azure ML Studio, Python, Github Copilot, OpenAI.
What you will do
Your main day to day responsibilities will be:
* Delivering secure, reliable and scalable software, and supporting your team with technical tasks when needed.
* Evaluating and advising on design choices and ensuring that software is high quality and balances technical and business considerations.
* Defining and documenting test cases for new systems and maintaining live systems to ensure ongoing performance.
* Evolving new approaches/solutions with other professions through discoveries, maintaining a focus on development and deployment.
* Helping prioritise and direct technical tasks across your team, to balance new and live services.
Like many organisations we need to maintain our services 24/7, therefore, on occasions there may be a requirement to work out of hours, for which you will be paid an additional allowance.
Person specification
UK residency and security requirements - You will typically need to have lived in the UK for the past 5 years.
Essential Criteria
You'll have a demonstrable passion for software development, with the following skills or strong experience in:
* Designing, reviewing and maintaining complex software applications, components, modules and documentation.
* Collaborating in designing, coding, testing, documents, amends, and refactoring moderately complex programs/scripts.
* Designing test cases and scripts under own direction, mapping back predetermined criteria and reporting testing outcomes.
* Providing technical expertise to enable the configuration of system components and equipment for system tests.
* Managing and updating data systems, enabling the availability, integrity of searchability of information which can be utilised by many sources.
* Maintaining application support processes, ensuring support requests are dealt with to agreed processes, investigating issues, and reporting findings where applicable.
SFIA capability framework
Skills for the Information Age (SFIA) is the technical framework that sets the standard capability and development of all engineering levels in the Home Office. This is a link to the capability framework: All skills A–Z — English (sfia-)
We use SFIA technical skills to form our interview questions and we will assess you against these technical skills during the selection process.
SFIA levels of responsibility – Use the SFIA Levels of responsibility to understand what would be expected for each Technical Skill listed below.
SFIA Technical Skills
The essential technical skills listed above are reflective of the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession Career Framework. Please see below for the relevant skills required for your role.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Leadership
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
* Software design (SWDN) - Level 4
* Programming/software development (PROG) - Level 3
* Testing (TEST) - Level 3
* Systems integration and build (SINT) - Level 4
* Data management (DATM) - Level 4
* Application support (ASUP) - Level 4
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £60,300, Home Office contributes £17,468 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Why work for us...
* A highly competitive pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
* 25 days annual leave on appointment rising 1 day per year up to 30 days, plus 8 days public holidays and 1 day for the King's Birthday.
* Flexible working options to enable you to achieve the work life balance that is right for you including; Full time, part-time, flexi time, compressed hours and job sharing.
* A hybrid working model of a minimum 60% of your contracted hours in the workplace and 40% remote.
* Training and development opportunities tailored to your role, including access to technical and professional accreditations.
* Access to funded qualifications (subject to approval)
* A capability allowance reviewed annually.
* A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
* Enhanced parental leave schemes.
* Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards.
This link is to a short guide to employee benefits: Benefits - Home Office Careers
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and up to 1000 word personal statement. Both the CV and personal statement will be marked and should include all relevant experience that relates to the essential criteria listed in the advert and role description. Use STAR format in your examples and consider tips on how to write your personal statement.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Remove information that identifies you (for example your name, age or place of education) so that you will be judged on merit alone and not your personal background, circumstances, race or gender.
(Do NOT include e-mail addresses or links to online profiles, resumés, or prior work, either personal or business. Active links or e-mail addresses will result in your application being rejected)
Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism, copying, and generating of examples/ answers from internet sources including Artificial Intelligence. If detected, the application may be withdrawn from the process.
Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving civil servants. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all civil servants.
Sift Stage
The sift will be held on the CV and Personal Statement. Please read the Essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirements.
In the event of a high number of applications received, an initial sift may be held on the lead sift criteria- Designing, reviewing and maintaining complex software applications, components, modules and documentation using Power Platform Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift.
Interview Stage
Candidates reaching the required standard will then be invited to attend a final interview. The interview will assess your Technical Skills (SFIA Framework) and experience using technical and experience-based questions.
At the beginning of the interview, you will be assessed on your technical capability through a technical problem-solving exercise. We will provide you with the information in the interview and you will be asked to share your screen with the panel, so you can point out various aspects.
Sift and interview dates
Sift will be conducted week commencing 20th October 2025.
Interviews will be held week commencing 3rd November Subject to the Panel's operational requirements/priorities)
Interviews will be conducted remotely via MS Teams.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
Further Information
We value diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from the widest diversity of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. We particularly encourage applications from women, people with disabilities and LGBT+ as they are currently under-represented in the Home Office at this grade level. Appointments will be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. Where this is the case, employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office. Applicants can raise any queries to the email address at the bottom of the advert.
Please read the Essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirement.
If you have previously made an unsuccessful application for a role with the same essential skills and are not able to demonstrate how you have developed these skills since your last application please reconsider applying as your application is unlikely to be successful.
Reserve list
A reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
UK residency and security requirements
Please note that this role requires Security Check (SC) clearance, which would normally need 5 years' UK residency in the past 5 years.
However, in exceptional circumstances security clearance applications for candidates who have been present in the UK for at least 3 of last 5 years may be considered. Failure to meet this residency requirement will result in your security clearance application being rejected.
Visa Sponsorship
We are unable to sponsor any individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas as we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License.
Capability Allowance
The advertised role is part of the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession. This role has access to a Digital Capability-Based Allowance. Applicants who are successful at interview will be invited to complete a Capability and Skills Assessment post-interview. Any allowance awarded will be based on the assessment of your capability against the six skills advertised for this role. Please see the attached candidate pack for more information.
The allowance values are set by the Home Office, subject to remaining in a qualifying role, and are non-pensionable. This allowance is non-contractual, subject to an annual review and could be withdrawn at any time.
For both new entrants and existing civil servants, the total compensation offer is a combination of base salary and, if applicable, a capability-based allowance. New entrants to the Civil Service will start on the pay range minimum. For existing civil servants, our policies on level transfer and promotion will apply. The pay range for this role is National: £60,300 – 66,330. London: £64,300 – £70,730.
Job offers to this post are made on the basis of merit. We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same competencies and essential skills.
Working at the Home Office
Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.
We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.
Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.
Transfer Terms: Voluntary.
If you are invited to an interview you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.
Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.
Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Serviceon 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- 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 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 are 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.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .
See our vetting charter .
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
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)
* 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
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
* Name :
* Email :
Recruitment team
* Email :
Further information
f you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service recruitment principles and you wish to make a complaint, then contact the Government Recruitment Service via If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.