About the job

Job summary

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) independently assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces and fire & rescue services – in the public interest.  We promote improvements in policing and fire & rescue services to make everyone safer.

We are independent of the government, police and fire and rescue services. We ask the questions that we believe the public wish to have answered and produce major reports which shine a light on issues at the very heart of policing and fire and rescue services. Our reports are widely covered by the media and help inform the public of the performance of their local police forces and fire and rescue services.  You can find out more about HMICFRS on our website (https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/) and see some of our recent reports.

Working at HMICFRS gives you an opportunity to make a real difference to the quality of local police and fire and rescue services and the lives of the general public. We are a unique organisation with staff seconded or loaned from across the civil service, police forces and fire and rescue services. We are also a rewarding place to work. We set ourselves high standards, taking great pride in the quality of work we achieve and the opportunities we create for our staff.

Find out more 

​If you would like to talk to someone about this role and what it’s like working for HMICFRS we would be pleased to hear from you.  Please contact recruitment@hmicfrs.gov.uk  and we can arrange for someone to contact you.  ​ 

Job description

HMICFRS’ Joint and National Police Inspections Portfolio (JNPIP) team is comprised of police officers and civil servants with subject matter expertise. Inspection teams are responsible for carrying out fieldwork, assessing evidence and preparing reports to the highest standards.

Inspection Officers develop an understanding of a range of inspection processes whilst working alongside staff from across HMICFRS, the police and fire & rescue services.

As a remote access worker, you will normally be expected to work independently from home when not carrying out fieldwork for inspections or required to be in the office. Therefore, you must be a self-starter with the ability to plan and prioritise your work and consistently deliver to a high standard. The role will involve regular travel and overnight stays.

JNPIP is responsible for carrying out national thematic inspections, the inspection of national law enforcement agencies and non-Home Office police forces. This includes a rolling programme of ‘Integrity’ inspections of how effectively and efficiently police forces deal with police counter-corruption, vetting, and professional standards. 

This secondment vacancy is on a two year basis (with the possibility of an extension). The vacancy is for an individual with extensive knowledge and expertise of dealing with vetting. 

Person specification

Responsibilities:

• Supporting inspection leads in the design, planning, and implementation of the Integrity rolling programme and thematic inspections.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships within HMICFRS and externally across the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the Home Office and the College of Policing (CoP).
• Ensure that the Integrity programme ‘s methodology remains current and reflects developments in legislation, authorised professional practice (APP), and strategic policy.
• Be part of a specialist inspection team undertaking interviews, focus groups and file reviews as well as some planning, logistics functions. Please note on occasions the role will require you to travel to various locations across the UK and work away from home.
• Undertake desk-based evidence collection, including file reviews, specialist document reviews, analysing data and drawing evidence-based conclusions to support inspection and portfolio team leads.
• Ensure effective analysis of inspection findings and contribute to the assessment process, weighing up evidence to inform judgements as required.
• Contribute to the preparation of force reports, including analysis of themes, report drafting and approval through to publication.
• Undertake high quality research, prepare briefings and respond to correspondence for and on behalf of HMICFRS and the Portfolio Team. This will include freedom of information inquiries, presentations on subject matter areas and media queries.
• Maintain knowledge and expertise of all elements of the Integrity programme to ensure flexibility to work across the team and provide cover for inspection leads. This may include representing them at meetings and providing briefings for senior leadership team members.

Essential criteria

For vetting specialist role:

• Experience of the management of police vetting units including the development and implementation of policy.
• Extensive knowledge of the vetting code of practice and vetting authorised professional practice (APP) including experience of their application in the vetting decision making process. 
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret complex evidence and present clear conclusions; 
• Experience of effective relationship management and working with a range of partners for example the NPCC, CoP and IOPC; 
• Effective oral and written communication skills, with experience of preparing, formal structured papers or submissions of a high standard for presentation to senior managers and other stakeholders; 
• Ability to meet deadlines and maintain standards whilst working independently with minimal supervision; and 
• Have a flexible approach to working and be able to manage competing demands.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of inspection processes.
• An understanding of office-based computer systems with experience of using applications such as Microsoft Outlook, MS Excel and MS Word.
• Holder of a full UK driving license.

Benefits

• Learning and Development tailored to your role

We are committed to investing in our staff and providing all staff with opportunities to maximize their skills and achieve their potential. We offer a range of work-based training  and development opportunities  including access to coaching and mentoring, and five days volunteering per year, and for inspection staff: HMICFRS has an Inspection Development Programme and linked accreditation process that all inspection staff undertake in our organisation. The scheme is approved by Skills for Justice and is based on you demonstrating competencies against a framework of role-specific tasks. The expectation is that all new inspection staff will complete a portfolio of evidence within agreed timescales (normally 12 months) and once this is complete it will be assessed by a trained assessor.

• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

The diversity of our people is a real asset to HMICFRS.  We are committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and people with disabilities, as they are currently under-represented within this grade level. Appointments will be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

The Civil Service has adopted the Success Profiles recruitment approach to enable us to attract more diverse candidates, and recruit the best talent from across all backgrounds.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a Personal Statement (Max Word Limit: 500) and provide evidence for the Behaviours listed within the advert.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please note an initial sift will be carried on your personal statement which should be aligned to the essential criteria. If you do not meet the essential criteria, your application will not progress further. For those who do meet the essential criteria, their application will progress to the second stage of the sift process.

The second stage of sift will be based on the lead behaviour Communicating and Influencing. If your application progresses to a full sift, all behaviours will then be considered.

Should you pass the sift stage you will be invited to an interview where you will be tested against the Success Profiles behaviours and experience based on the essential criteria stated in the advert.

Behavioural statements 

You need to provide specific examples of when you have demonstrated particular skills or qualities for each of the five Civil Service behaviours listed. Your examples must also show how you meet the Essential criteria and skills listed in the job description. 

We recommend that you use the Situation, Task, Action and Result (STAR) method to help make sure your examples are clear and highlight your skills and qualities. Each example should set out what you have done, how you completed the task and the results of this action to allow the panel to assess how you meet the required behaviours. 

Please make sure you have provided sufficient information – it is not enough to submit a list of bullet points. Please refer to the Success Profiles (opens in a new window) to make sure you are familiar with what is required for each behaviour. You will not be expected to meet every single aspect of every behaviour, but must show a good range or depth for each behaviour to be successful at the sift stage. 

Sift and interview dates

Sift will commence from the 1st February 2024.  

Interviews to be carried out by video link week commencing the 26th February 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change. 

Important information please read before applying on secondment

These roles are only open only to serving police officers or staff equivalent 

Secondees can be appointed to HMICFRS for a maximum of 4 years – this includes new and previous postings.  

Candidates who have served for the maximum tenure length, cannot be reappointed for 12 months from the date their previous secondment ended.  

Candidates will need their Force to complete the Approval Form (see attachment), this should be uploaded with your online application form. Without this form supporting your application and confirming release for secondment we cannot proceed with your application. 

Allowances

Your full-time employer will continue to pay your salary as well as any allowances including compensatory grants and pension contributions to which you are entitled. Your force will then invoice HMICFRS for the amount. While on secondment, you will be entitled to a central service allowance of £1,260 per annum (non-pensionable). 

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas.  

Further Information for secondment; if remote working only 

These are Remote Access worker posts. These posts will be attached to one of the office locations. Remote Access workers, as part of the secondment will not be entitled to London Weighting Allowance.

You will be required to attend HMICFRS offices or other locations on a regular basis and your travel, accommodation and subsistence costs will be reimbursed according to HMICFRS policy. 

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.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

We often have similar roles available at different grades. Should candidates be placed on a reserve list we may be able to offer a similar role or a lower grade role without the need for them to go through a further selection process.

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. 

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 HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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) (opens in a 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 a 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 a 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.