Analyst Manager

Job summary

The Strategy Directorate drives NCA strategic mission through rigorous intelligence insights, performance insights, risk management and communications. We shape priorities and build influence across government, law enforcement and the public.

Assessments and Plans lead the Agency’s long‑range planning and assessment functions, inclusive of independent intelligence assessment products in line with Professional Head of Intelligence Assessment (PHIA) best practice. Assessments & Plans portfolio also includes responsibility for delivering annual products of importance (National Strategic Assessment, Annual Plan, Annual Report and Accounts) as well as management and coordination of all Command corporate activity such as strategic workforce management, budget management and information governance.

The National Assessment Centre acts as the NCA's centre for assessed intelligence reporting. The team's mission is to articulate the single picture of the serious and organised crime threat. The National Assessments Centre (NAC) is responsible for producing the authoritative assessment of the UK’s understanding of the threat from serious and organised crime, a key factor in driving the NCA’s activity and protecting the public.

You will be joining a team at the heart of directing and driving resource to tackle SOC and its impact on the UK, as part of a professional analytical team that seeks to raise the analytical profile in the NCA by delivery of quality intelligence and analytical products that shape law enforcement and HM Government response to serious and organised crime. Delivering high quality intelligence research and analysis, the NAC operate an 'all-source' model, drawing on NCA and partner intelligence, open source, academia, and private sector data and insight. This gives a breadth of insight and opportunities for working with other UK and International Intelligence, law enforcement and policy partners.

Job description

This is a broad role and requires outstanding knowledge of analytical practice and techniques to develop, guide and drive standards, combined with management and leadership skills in order to negotiate with numerous stakeholders to collaborate effectively, ensuring the quality of products remains high and adds value.

You will be leading a team of analysts to deliver a range of analysis and assessment of the SOC threat, providing insight to a range of customers both internal to the NCA and across the law enforcement and HM Government landscape. You will play a leading role in shaping your team's forward-workplan, through dialogue with customers; building rapport and strong relationships to ensure that NAC assessment products are aligned with and delivering to, the NCA's core objectives.

You will be responsible for your own and your team's professional development, driving innovative new approaches to analysis and assessment, making use of best practice across the analytical community. This will include ensuring that professional standards are maintained through rigourous quality assurance of NAC products and robust analytical challenge through, for example, stakeholder workshops.

Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation and influencing skills are essential. Successful candidates will need to engage with stakeholders and customers at all levels, developing strong working relationships to understand customer needs, analytical requirements, tools and techniques; and be able to communicate their findings appropriately across a range of partner agencies.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Leading a team of analysts

Provide clear and effective leadership for a thematic NAC team of analysts and senior analysts, directing and shaping the team's forward workplan of assessments, and through developing a one-NCA team ethos to deliver against NAC priorities; embodying the NCA's values and being a role model for the team.

• Analytical excellence

Responsible for overseeing the work of the team, ensuring analytical standards are maintained, ensuring the NAC remains a centre of excellence. Testing the rigour of the analytical foundation of NAC assessments, developing the team's use of analytical tools and tradecraft; ensuring that the team has the requisite training and continuous professional development; maintaining your own knowledge and expertise of analytical tradecraft. Chairing of or participation in multi-agency 'Current Intelligence Groups' to review products and ensure elimination of bias and maintenance of NAC independence and standards.

• Stakeholder and partner management

Develop strong relationships with relevant teams across the NCA, law enforcement, and HM Government; communicating the work of the team and ensuring that NAC products are suitably tailored to the needs of customers whilst maintaining NAC standards. Actively seeking constructive feedback on products, and submitting products for external evaluation (e.g. through professional boards). Seeking out new opportunities for the team to add value, and working with stakeholders to shape new commission requests for assessment products.

• Performance management

Set performance objectives for the team, including expectations around the delivery, quality and timeliness of assessments. Address any performance issues within the team. Using reward and recognition to encourage the development of staff and to strengthen performance.

• Project management

Ensuring the team's work is adequately resourced and planned, setting timelines and milestones for delivery of products and ensuring robust management of progress and risks. Seeing products through the whole end to end process, from commissioning stage through to publication.

• Influencing customers

Briefing the team's work to various stakeholders, conveying the findings of NAC assessments at various governance groups and boards within the NCA and across law enforcement/HM Government; helping to shape/frame discussions around the SOC threat: suggesting areas where the NAC could add insight, for example through filling strategic intelligence gaps.

• Contribution to national products

Ensuring the team contribute to the standing NAC national products (such as the annual National Strategic Assessment and the Quarterly Strategic assessment); putting in place a roadmap for collection at the start of the year to ensure these obligations can be fulfilled.

Person specification

• Experience of managing analytical teams or functions - Experience of managing a team of analysts, particularly in relation to intelligence analysis and assessment, delivering high quality analysis.

• Understanding of intelligence processes - Experience of working with intelligence in a law enforcement or equivalent setting, either in an operational or strategic context.

• Project management - Ability to actively manage projects within your portfolio (eg assessment products) and to own accountability for their delivery.

• Understanding of law enforcement environment - Knowledge of law enforcement (or equivalent body) structures and capabilities.

• Intelligence anlaysis and assessment skills - Experience of conducting intelligence analysis and assessment, including strategic intelligence assessment; understanding and experience of using structured analytical techniques.

• Influencing and stakeholder management skills - Ability to influence and negotiate with a wide range of stakeholders, both internally and externally.

• Working at pace - Ability to work to tight timescales, and to balance and prioritise workloads.

• Communication skills - Experience of briefing analytical work to senior audiences and/or a wide range of stakeholders, both written and verbal. Ability to present complex information clearly and concisely.

Essential Criteria

You must meet the essential criteria and evidence this within your application to be considered for the role. Any applications from candidates not meeting this eligibility criteria will not progress.

Entry Requirements

• Experience of managing an analytical function or team

Qualifications

Formal analysis training / qualification, for example NIAT, GIAT, DIAM or equivalent

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £55,575, National Crime Agency contributes £16,100 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

New entrants to the NCA receive 26 days annual leave, rising to 31 on completion of 5 years continuous service, plus 8 bank holidays.

If qualifying criteria is met new joiners from UK Police Forces or the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) will have service with those employers taken into account for continuous service purposes for annual leave entitlement only, this will be up to a maximum of 31 days leave (including 1 privilege day).

Other benefits include:

• Flexible working, including flexi-time, compressed hours and job sharing (in line with business requirements)
• Family friendly policies, notably above the statutory minimum
• Learning and Development opportunities
• Interest free loans and advances, including season tickets, childcare and rental deposits
• Housing schemes - Key Worker status
• Discounts and Savings with a wide variety of services including Cycle to Work, Smart Tech schemes, dental insurance, gym discounts and savings on everyday spending, available through the Reward Gateway , Edenred and Blue Light Card schemes.
• Staff support groups/networks
• Sports and social activities, including membership to the Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC)

Further information is available on the NCA Website.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

How we will assess you

Your application will be assessed against the following:Experience - This will be assessed:

CV

Please include your full career history, training, qualifications, key responsibilities, and achievements. Explain any employment gaps in the last two years. Ensure all accreditation dates are accurate.

Details of what is expected within your CV are as follows: Please demonstrate how you meet the job duties and person specification listed on the advert.

Experience Criteria - will be assessed by 250 word examples on:

• Proven experience of managing an analyst function or team within a law enforcement or intelligence environment

• Experience of using analysis to deliver strategic impact

• Experience in delivering a high-quality service whilst working to tight deadlines.

A panel will assess how well your application demonstrates the requirements outlined above.

Longlist

In the event of a high number of applications, we may operate a longlist. Applicants will need to meet the minimum pass mark for the lead criteria.

- Proven experience of managing an analyst function or team within a law enforcement or intelligence environment .

Candidates who do not meet the minimum pass mark for the lead criteria will not progress to having their other criteria assessed. Applications must meet the minimum criteria to be progressed to the assessment stage.

You will receive an acknowledgement once your application is submitted.

We aim to have sift completed and scores released within 10 working days of the closing date of the advert. For high volume campaigns this timeframe may be extended.

Scores will be provided but further feedback will not be available at this stage.

For guidance on the application process, visit:
NCA Applying and Onboarding

Assessment 1

The format of this assessment will be Interview which will be tested on the criteria listed in the Success Profiles at Assessment section.

Success Profiles at Assessment

Behaviours

• Seeing the Big Picture

• Communicating and Influencing

Experience

• Proven experience of managing an analyst function or team within a law enforcement or intelligence environment

• Experience of using analysis to deliver strategic impact

• Experience in delivering a high-quality service whilst working to tight deadlines.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.Assessment OutcomeOutcomes will be communicated via the NCA recruitment portal.
If successful but no role is immediately available, you may be placed on a reserve list for 12 months.
Reserve lists can be used to fill similar role types across the Agency where the assessment criteria is considered a match by the recruitment team and the business area.

In the event of a tie at the assessment stage, available roles will be offered in merit order using the following order:

1. Lead criteria (behaviours/technical/experience)
2. If still tied, desirable criteria will be assessed (if advertised)
3. If still tied, application sift scores will be used

Feedback is provided only to those who attend an assessment. You will be subject to vetting and pre-employment checks before appointment. Once the vacancy closes, the advert will no longer be accessible. Please save a copy for your records. We encourage all candidates to visit the NCA Careers Page for more information.

Vetting requirements - SC Enhanced

Prior to commencing the role, you will need to successfully complete SC Enhanced clearance and then achieve both DV Enhanced and DV STRAP clearance within the first 12 months in post. The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years.The requirement for DV Enhanced clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 7 of the last 10 years.To obtain DV STRAP you must be willing to undergo STRAP induction and must hold full UK nationality or dual nationality, where one component is British. Applications will be considered on a case by case basis.Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.If the increased clearance cannot be obtained you will be moved to a role appropriate to your clearance level achieved on entry. For further information on National Security Vetting checks please visit the following page Demystifying VettingIndividuals will be required to undertake and pass a substance misuse test as part of pre-employment checks.

Occupational Health

Successful candidates will be expected to undertake an occupational health assessment. Depending on the role an in-person medical may be required in either London or Warrington. Unfortunately, travel costs will not be reimbursed.

Things you need to know

Multi Location

Where multiple locations are advertised, appointments will be made in merit order for each location.

Please indicate up to three location preferences clearly. Only your first three preferences will be considered. You may be allocated to any of the locations you select. If you decline an offer for a location you have selected as a preference, a further offer may not be made.

If you choose to reject an offer and no alternative preferred location can be offered, you will not be able to return to the process or be placed on a reserve list.

Only the advertised locations are available; any additional notes added to the application will not be taken into account.

Near Miss

If you meet the criteria for a lower grade, you may be offered that role if not appointable at the advertised grade.

Conversely, if found appointable at a higher grade but no posts are available, you may be offered a lower-grade role.

All offers are made based on merit.

Hybrid Working

The NCA supports hybrid working. The extent of remote working will depend on the role and can be discussed at the offer stage.

Reasonable Adjustments

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and an inclusive, equal opportunities employer.

We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone can be their authentic self. If you’re neurodiverse, have a disability, or live with a long-term health condition, we encourage you to let us know about any reasonable adjustments you may need during the recruitment process.

If you experience accessibility issues with the advert or require reasonable adjustments, please contact our Recruitment Team at Central.Recruitment@nca.gov.uk before the advert closing date.

Please ensure you complete the ‘Equal opportunities’ and 'Reasonable Adjustments' sections in the application form to inform us on what support you may need in the recruitment process.

For more on our Disability Confident commitment, visit Disability Confident Scheme , Civil Service Careers.

Visit NCA Benefits and Support for more details.

Working for the NCA

The National Crime Agency is a 24/7 organisation, and working patterns must support business requirements. Some roles may require you to respond at short notice or outside of core hours.If preferable, alternative contract types may be available. Please review the green bar of this advert to view all available contract types for this role. Where Loan or Secondment options are available, these would be for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) 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 : The central recruitment Team
• Email : central.recruitment@nca.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : central.recruitment@nca.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint in relation to any stage of the recruitment and selection process, please email central.recruitment@nca.gov.uk. please ensure that you refer to the campaign reference number. If you remain dissatisfied following the outcome of your complaint you have the right to contact the Civil Service Commission to pursue it further.