Enforcement Support Officer - Compliance Apprenticeship

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency; Greater London; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading transport agency in the UK is seeking motivated individuals for an exciting apprenticeship focused on road safety operations. As an apprentice, you'll gain frontline experience in live operations while developing essential skills. This role involves stopping vehicles, supporting inspections, and maintaining DVSA vehicles. Successful candidates will earn a Level 3 qualification as a Public Sector Compliance Investigator. Join us for an impactful start to your career with a supportive work-life balance and excellent benefits.

Benefits

Employer pension contribution of 28.97%

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Must be aged 18 or over.
• Not be in full-time education.
• Must have the right to work in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Stopping vehicles to facilitate inspections.
• Contributing to roadside checks' efficiency.
• Carrying out maintenance of DVSA vehicles.

Skills

High standard of driving skill

Basic computer literacy

Good written skills

Education

Minimum level 3/D in English and Maths GCSE

Job description

Can you imagine yourself out on the frontline, learning specialist skills while helping keep Britain’s roads safe? Do you want an apprenticeship where every day is different, hands‑on, and full of real responsibility? Would you thrive in a role where you’re part of live roadside operations and the public face of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)? If so, we’d love to hear from you! This apprenticeship offers a rare chance to gain real frontline experience in live roadside operations, developing specialist skills while playing an active role in improving safety across the transport industry. You won’t just observe, you’ll learn on the job as a trusted representative of DVSA, building professional confidence, communication skills, and public‑facing experience that will help you make a real impact from the very start of your career.

The DVSA helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably. We do this by helping people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles. We’re working hard to:

• make roads safer
• improve services for our customers
• make road transport greener and healthier
• harness the potential of technology and data
• grow and level up the economy

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work‑life balance

Find out more in the Benefits section below! Find out more about what it’s like working at DVSA.

You will play an important part in helping keep Britain’s roads safe. You’ll be trained to drive DVSA’s Accredited Stopping Officer vehicles and support our teams in identifying, intercepting, and stopping commercial vehicles that may not be meeting safety or environmental standards. This hands‑on role gives you the chance to learn specialist skills while contributing directly to road safety.

You’ll often be the public face of DVSA, so you’ll learn how to role‑model Civil Service values, including professionalism, integrity, and respect. You’ll work closely with experienced Enforcement Officers, supporting roadside checks and helping us deliver high‑quality, consistent services to drivers, operators, and the wider public.

As part of your apprenticeship, you will also learn how to:

• Provide helpful, accurate information to customers and stakeholders.
• Assist with quality assurance tasks and complaint investigations.
• Gather and share on‑the‑ground intelligence to help target non‑compliant vehicles and operators.

By the end of the programme you will earn a Level 3 qualification as a Public sector compliance investigator and officer. This apprenticeship will give the candidate the skills and knowledge required to progress their career within the Driver Vehicle Standards Agency to the role of a Traffic Examiner. There will be opportunities to apply for this role during the apprenticeship.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Stopping vehicles: Directing/causing vehicles to stop, using vehicles or other methods to enable staff from DVSA to undertake road safety inspections.
• Roadside Checks: Contributing to the efficiency of roadside checks by making sure the equipment and vehicles are available and fit for use; providing basic IT and clerical support during roadside checks, and other associated tasks.
• Vehicle Maintenance & Deployment: Carrying out minimum maintenance and upkeep of “High‑Viz” vehicles (oil, water, tyre pressures & condition, etc.); ensuring timely deployment and collection of pool/incognito cars and vehicles around the areas.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only – while all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Open Sessions

Would you like to find out more about the role, the team and what it’s like to work in our department? If so, we are organising an open session where you can virtually ‘meet the team’ on Monday 22nd December at 12:30 – 13:30. Sign up here.

For permanent Civil Servants, this role is only available on loan, so you must have your home departments approval to return to them at the end of the loan before you apply. There is no opportunity for a permanent Civil Servant to take on this role as a fixed term appointment. OGD applicants will be appointed on an inward loan and subject to the terms of the agreed inward loan. Internal candidates will return to their previous post at the end of the loan period, which will need to be agreed with your line manager in advance.

If you’re employed by a non‑departmental public body (NDPB) by moving jobs this will involve a change of employer and you may break the statutory rules on continuity of employment.

Eligibility

• Be aged 18 or over
• Minimum level 3/D in English and Maths GCSE
• Have the right to work in the UK
• Not be in full‑time education
• Not be in receipt of funding for other learning programmes at the point of enrolment for this apprenticeship
• Have valid and eligible residency status and be resident in the UK for 3 years before the start of the apprenticeship

Full eligibility details can be found at Annex A. If you are not sure if you meet the residency requirements then please contact us before applying.

If you currently hold or are working towards a similar qualification of the same level or higher, then you will not be eligible to apply for this vacancy. In order to be eligible for our apprenticeship vacancy, any qualifications previously held or currently being worked towards must differ in content so that this apprenticeship provides substantial new skills. Additionally you must not already be over‑qualified or over‑experienced in this type of work. If you apply and are found to possess the above, your application will not be considered; any offer of employment will be withdrawn, and your contract will be terminated.

This role is due to start in March 2026 so the successful candidates will need to be available then. The apprenticeship itself is expected to start June/July 2026.

The successful candidate must be able to pass the bespoke DVSA driving course designed for DVSA Enforcement Support Officers; failure to pass either element of the training may result in termination of your appointment.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week. This role is not suitable for hybrid working and will require the successful candidate to work solely from their designated location (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, from other offices/work locations/visiting stakeholders.

Shift pattern details: A rotating shift pattern of early (06:00 – 15:30), late (14:00 – 23:30), and night (20:00 – 05:30) shifts applies at the Stafford (Doxey HRTI) location.

The role can be physically demanding, including getting in and out of cars and sitting in cars for long periods. There may be occasional travel, with overnight stays as part of this role.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role.

Visa Sponsorship

We do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Licence sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate rights to work in the UK before application.

Assessment of Behaviours

We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

The selection process for this role will be:

1. Stage 1: Online test
2. Stage 2: Sift of personal statement
3. Stage 3: Interview

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Online test

At this stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements. The first stage invites you to complete a Civil Service Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application. Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24–48 hours is recommended). The closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 05/01/2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn.

Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm on 14/12/2025 and 04/01/2026. There will be up to 1 hour during this time where candidates will not be able to access tests. All online tests will be affected. Candidates who are taking a test when the downtime starts will have their test paused. They can return to the test after the downtime by accessing the test again from their application centre. Candidates will not be able to launch new tests during the downtime. Candidates reporting issues should be advised to return to take the test after 7:00 pm on 14/12/2025 and 04/01/2026.

Stage 2: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Experience – you will be asked to provide a personal statement (750‑word count). Please provide evidence of your experience of the following:

• Your experience of having used your communication skills to engage others.
• Your experience of when you have remained positive, when adapting to change of working requirement or business need.
• Your experience of working effectively as part of a team while working toward a shared goal.

The sift will take place from Tuesday 6 January 2026.

Stage 3: Interview

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours: Making Effective Decisions, Changing and Improving, Working Together, Managing a Quality Service
• Strengths

You will also be required to undertake a driving assessment. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview. The interviews and assessment will take place from Thursday 22 January 2026. These interviews will be conducted in person at our advertised locations.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window). Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates change.

Further information on the selection process

We will also hold a 12‑month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.

During your application, you should indicate which location(s) you wish to be considered for and, if successful, you will be placed on an individual list of candidates for each location. Candidates will be held on that list and drawn from it in merit order. We advise you to carefully consider which locations you wish to be considered for. If you decline an offer for a location you have expressed a preference in or have expressed an interest in more than one location and accept an offer, you will be withdrawn from any lists you may be held on. We may also offer candidates a location that they have not expressed a preference for where we have the requirement to do so but this will again be done on the basis of your place in the overall merit order and, in this event, you will not be removed from the list if you decline.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non‑visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Required experience

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• High standard of driving skill and knowledge of the Highway Code.
• Basic computer literacy.
• Good written skills.

Minimum level 3/D in English and Maths GCSE

Benefits (continued)

Alongside your salary of £26,607, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency contributes £7,708 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24‑hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work‑life balance.

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5‑year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

• 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 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).

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in new window) 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 (opens in new window). 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.