About the job

Job summary

The Forensic Information Databases Service (FINDS) provides a national service that manages the inputs, outputs, and data integrity of the forensic information databases, namely the National DNA Database, the National Fingerprint Database (IDENT1), and the National Footwear Database. Each of these databases identifies links between DNA or marks found at scenes of crime with DNA, ten prints or shoe impressions acquired from arrestees (and on occasion other individuals such as vulnerable persons and missing persons).

Within the National Fingerprint and PNC Office, the main responsibility of the Fingerprint Services Team is to maintain the accuracy and integrity of IDENT1, and the related fingerprint data held on the Police National Computer (PNC). Providing a central customer base for fingerprint and system expertise supplying advice, support, and problem resolution to UK policing. Using fingerprint expertise, ensuring the intelligence provided to UK forces via the information stored on these databases is not compromised.

Job description

The Fingerprint Services Team Leader provides management and fingerprint expertise to ensure the delivery of fingerprint processing and performance monitoring services for police force customers and other stakeholders of the Database in line with defined quality business and service standards. They are responsible for the effective recording, monitoring, and reporting of all data integrity errors and unexpected results and providing efficient fingerprint processing and comparison services to NFPO customers.

This is a critical role for maintaining public confidence in the national forensic databases in supporting policing in reducing crime, maintaining order, bringing criminals to justice.

Person specification

• Manages 3.5 Tenprint Identification Officers
• Delivers to the fingerprint data assurance strategy and performance monitoring framework.
• Provides the NFPO data integrity and fingerprint services, taking into account the advances of ethical issues, IT considerations of running large databases, business standards (e.g., quality, information assurance and service delivery) and the legal provisions of running databases.
• Ensures that the NFPO services meet customer requirements, and the operational changes are delivered in line with these requirements and ensures the service is continually improving.
• Ensures that the delivery partners that support the NFPO meet the expectations of the service levels, by fostering a proactive customer engagement culture by being the front-line operational contact point and continually improving the customer experience.
• Maintains good working relationships with Home Office colleagues and Law enforcement agencies in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scottish Police Authority, CPS and Forensic Service Providers, and suppliers of the system.
• Providing Fingerprint processing services on behalf of stakeholders, specifically missing persons fingerprint searching and governance of the Serious Crimes Cache.
• Establishing fingerprint identification inaccuracies on the IDENT1 system using experience and fingerprint expertise to provide resolution of these inaccuracies to ensure that fingerprint data held on the national system has integrity and is of a high quality.
• Offer expert knowledge and experience to all UK police force fingerprint bureaux and IDENT1 and PNC users and suppliers in the day-to-day processing of fingerprint data and provide support and clear guidance required to ensure the integrity and quality of the person related data held on IDENT1 and PNC.

An employee may be required to carry out other duties within the scope of the grade and within the limits of their skill, competence, and training.

Essential criteria

• Successful completion of the National accredited PNC Names Enquiry Course and knowledge of the interface between PNC and IDENT1.
• Experienced IDENT1 fingerprint system user and experience of fingerprint comparison at expert level.
• Fingerprint Pattern recognition, ACE-V and the principles of fingerprint identification.
• Demonstrates good knowledge of the policies and procedures impacting on the police, system suppliers and Criminal Justice System to ensure that the data obtained is accurate and interpreted accurately, in the context of the environment of the database.
• In depth understanding of current legislation relating to taking, processing and retention of fingerprints and fingerprint data and their associated data on other national systems.
• The skills for problem solving and good judgement to decide when it is appropriate to interrogate additional national systems and databases or liaise with policing partners operating other systems when dealing with missing data or reconciliation of police records.
• Demonstrable ability to analyse information from various sources and provide well considered recommendations to line management as well as the ability to respond to challenges positively and effectively.
• High level of interpersonal skills with strong customer and business focus complimented with good communication skills as the jobholder will be relaying information of a complex nature to an audience from a variety of backgrounds.
• Experience in managing staff through formal performance management systems, and in coaching, mentoring and individual/team development.
• Experience and understanding of managing data processing services within the policing and criminal justice sector to ensure the delivery of results with customers within the expected timelines.
• Experience and understanding of priorities and policy in the policing and criminal justice sector.
• IT competent and proficient in the use of MS office.
• You should currently hold or be willing to undertake NPPV 3 vetting (including financial checks). This is essential for this role and can be arranged once you are in post.

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of the workings of central government departments and the drivers, targets, and measures of business performance in a public service environment.
• Understanding and experience in ITIL, quality management, risk and information management, contract management and project management methodologies.
• Demonstrable track record of establishing the best course of action from a range of established alternatives resulting from the analysis of information.

Important information

Due to the nature of this role - this is a full -time role.

Due to the complex nature of the work conducted as part of the role, any successful candidate must be prepared to attend the office on a full time basis whilst undergoing training. It is expected that training will take up to 1 year to complete.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estates capacity, by Spring 2024.  Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). 

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

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

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• a CV detailing qualification/ job history/skills
• a statement of suitability (personal statement) (maximum 750 words) 

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

The statement of suitability should be aligned to demonstrate your skills and experience for the role and how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job description.

The sift will be held on the CV and the statement of suitability (personal statement). 

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview which will consist of behaviour-based questions on all listed behaviours. 

NB: You should currently hold or be willing to undertake NPPV 3 vetting (including financial checks). This is essential for this role and can be arranged once you are in post.

Sift and Interview dates
 
Sift is expected to take place week commencing 15th January 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 29th January 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change. 
 
Interviews will be carried out via video. Candidates will be required to have access to:

• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Microsoft Teams 

PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.

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.

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

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 security 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.