Policy Managers - Police Strategy & Reform Unit London, England
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Job summary
Policy Manager - Police and Crime Commissioner Policy, Scrutiny and Accountability
Policy Manager – Mayoral Devolution & Police Force Structures
In both roles, as a member of the Unit’s Senior Management Team, you will help to build the unit’s capability to successfully deliver and to develop its standing as a trusted, strategic policy team. You will play a lead role in developing staff and improving performance by identifying and supporting learning opportunities, setting and role modelling high standards and through effective coaching and mentoring.
You will be on a rota of out of hours officials who provide policy advice on the unit’s areas of responsibility. It is likely that you will be on call for one week every two to three months.
Job description
Within the Home Office, 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 and fire and rescue services are as efficient and effective as they can be in delivering front line public services.
These roles sit within the Police Strategy and Reform Unit which is part of the Public Safety Group. The Unit is responsible for:
- Overarching strategy and reform: Setting the overall strategic direction for policing with the sector, delivering the Government’s commitments on police reform via the National Policing Board’s work programme and spotting and gripping policing related risks and opportunities.
- Governance, accountability and scrutiny: Developing the role of police and crime commissioners (PCCs), policy responsibility for police and crime panels and inspection via His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services HMICFRS. It also acts as a key interlocutor with chief constables, police and crime commissioners and other key policing stakeholders.
- Mayoral devolution and policing structures: Supporting delivery of the Government's Levelling Up agenda by leading on the policing governance elements of English devolution plus policy on policing structures issues and neighbourhood policing.
Person specification
Role 1) Policy Manager - Police and Crime Commissioner Policy, Scrutiny and Accountability
As the Policy Manager for - PCC Policy, Scrutiny and Accountability, you will be responsible for overseeing and maintaining the PCC model, including ensuring the effectiveness of the scrutiny and accountability mechanisms which support the model.
You will be required to engage with a wide range of senior policing and local government stakeholders and work collaboratively with leads across Public Safety Group and other Government Departments to deliver reforms to the PCC model which support this Government’s manifesto commitment to expand and strengthen the role of PCCs.
Your key responsibilities will be to:
- Lead on the maintenance of the core PCC model, advising policy teams on the role and remit of PCCs, ensuring the Government’s model of local accountability is protected and reflecting PCC’s interests in relevant work.
- Oversee and finalise the preparation of policy instructions for measures requiring legislation and complete the implementation of outstanding non-legislative recommendations arising from the PCC Review.
- Lead on all aspects of scrutiny and accountability policy in relation to the PCC model, including the oversight of Police and Crime Panel policy and quality assurance of the grant funding stream (worth £2.7m).
- Act as the Home Office point of contact on PCC election policy in advance of the planned 2024 PCC elections, working closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, who have overall responsibility for the oversight and administration of PCC elections.
- Be the key point of contact for and engage closely with stakeholders on PCC Policy, PCC elections and police and crime panels.
- provide strategic direction on the PCC model and support ministers in their engagements, including preparation for key set-piece events (such as the annual policing summit), briefing and support for key stakeholder meetings and advice on engagement.
- Line management of 2 senior policy advisors and counter-signing responsibility of 1 policy advisor.
Role 2) Policy Manager – Mayoral Devolution & Police Force Structures
As the Policy Manager for – Mayoral Devolution and Police Force Structures you will play an integral role in supporting ministers to achieve their aspirations set out in the Levelling Up White Paper and conclusions of the PCC Review. You will be responsible for all elements of the mayoral PCC model alongside maintaining policy on police force structures and manage the Home Office’s relationship with the National Police Chiefs Council. This role will require you to engage and build effective relationships with a range of senior stakeholders across government, policing and local government as well as draw on evidence and analysis to develop and deliver effective policy.
Your key responsibilities will be to:
- Lead on the policing governance elements of Levelling Up, working closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to implement the aspirations and strategic direction set out in the Levelling Up White Paper.
- Oversee policy in relation to the mayoral PCC model with responsibility for all associated policy development, engagement with key stakeholders, legislation and providing high quality advice and briefing to ministers. This includes delivering a number of key legislative and non-legislative recommendations from the PCC review.
- Support the Mayoral PCC Implementation Policy Manager in delivering further transfers of PCC functions to combined authority mayors, proactively identifying and addressing any policy related matters.
- Lead on building and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders, including managing of the Home Office’s relationship with National Police Chiefs Council.
- Maintain policy related to police force structures, including the 43 territorial police force model.
- Line management of 1 senior policy advisor.
Essential Criteria:
- Strong track record in developing and implementing policy: You will need to be able to take a holistic view of complex problems and work creatively and collaboratively to find policy solutions. This includes proactive horizon scanning, big picture thinking and building links between policy themes. You will need to be able to lead through ambiguity and negotiate effectively to achieve policy outcomes.
- Successful track record of building sustainable relationships and communicating effectively with relevant stakeholders: You will need to establish credibility and authority with senior partners and build strong working relationships (such as with police & crime commissioners, combined authority mayors and chief constables).
- Excellent communication and influencing skills: Able to write well with good attention to detail and an ability to present ideas and options with a range of audiences. You will need to be confident in advising Ministers, senior officials and stakeholders and able to hold challenging conversations when necessary.
- Strong leadership and management skills: Excellent leadership skills with the ability to motivate your team to deliver results alongside managing competing demands.
Desirable Criteria:
- Previous experience of working in a policing, crime, justice or local government policy environment.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Big Picture
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement (Max Word Limit:500).
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please note your personal statement should be aligned to the essential criteria as set out in the job advertisement. CVs will not be scored.
In addition candidates will be required to provide evidence of the following behaviours:
- 'Making Effective Decisions'
- 'Seeing the Big Picture'
In an event where a high volume of applications are received, an initial sift will take place using the lead behaviour 'Making Effective Decisions'. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be either progressed to a full sift or straight to interview.
Successful candidates shortlisted for interview will be tested on all behaviours outlined in the job advertisement and Strength-based questions.
Please note that to test the behaviour 'Communicating & Influencing', candidates will be asked to prepare a presentation that will be delivered at interview, followed by questions from the panel. The presentation question/scenario will be disclosed closer to the interviews.
Sift and Interview Dates
The sift will take place week commencing 22 May 2023.
Interviews will take place week commencing 12 June 2023.
Interviews will take place remotely. Further details and instructions will be provided closer to the scheduled interview.
Further Information
For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Hybrid working enables employees to work partly in their workplace(s) and partly at home. A hybrid working pattern may be available, where business needs allow. Applicants can discuss what this means with the vacancy holder if they have specific questions.
A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.
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 for them to go through a further selection process.
The successful candidates will be required to hold or be willing to secure Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) clearance.
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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
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 [email protected] 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're 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
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
Further information
principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance
[email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.
