Assistant Chief Constable - Director of Operational Standards
Job summary
Applications for this role are restricted to existing officers of a UK police force or UK policing organisation.
The College consists of more than 850 staff who are passionate about policing and delivering for our communities.
Our organisational values guide how we work.
▪ Inclusive: we connect with our policing colleagues and our communities to ensure that we understand the complexities and realities of policing.
▪ Innovative: we are dynamic and responsive at both an individual and organisational level.
▪ Open: we act with honesty and integrity, and we will account for our actions.
▪ Collaborative: we collaborate with policing to tackle complex challenges in the public interest.
Examples of our work can be viewed on our website.
Formed in 2012, the College is an operationally independent arm's length body of the Home Office. We have dedicated ourselves to understanding the key issues facing policing, responding to them dynamically and strengthening our connection to all parts of the service.
Colleagues are organised into professional communities and business units. Core work and business plan deliverables are organised into portfolios. People and skills are drawn from our professional communities into each programme of work or project. Our organisation chart is shared below.
Job description
The Director of Operational Standards is a senior national leadership role, operating at the heart of the policing system. The breadth of the role is significant, spanning multiple areas of operational policing and requiring sustained engagement with the Home Office, national policing governance structures and Chief Constables across England and Wales.
The role sits at the intersection of standards, assurance and system leadership. Success depends on the ability to navigate complexity, balance competing priorities and make informed decisions about where the College can add the greatest value. This includes exercising judgement on when the College should lead delivery directly, and when responsibility is better held elsewhere in the system, taking account of capacity, capability and long‑term impact.
Stakeholder management is a defining feature of the role. Many of the most influential conversations take place at Chief Constable and Director level and require confidence, credibility and political awareness. The postholder must be able to position the College’s role clearly and constructively, particularly where decisions are contentious or where expectations across the system are misaligned.
The role also requires a willingness to step into difficult and high‑profile issues, including those arising from high‑impact reviews and inquiries. This involves ensuring learning is translated into practical standards, guidance and assurance activity that supports improvement and builds confidence across policing. Judgement is frequently required where evidence is complex, perspectives differ and there is no straightforward solution.
Person specification
To perform the role well, the Director must take a broad, corporate view, working closely with Executive colleagues and the College Board, and delegating effectively to a capable team. This is not a specialist role; it demands curiosity across the full breadth of policing, genuine enthusiasm for the profession, and the ability to explain complexity clearly to both expert and non‑expert audiences. When the role is being performed effectively, it results in strong engagement from stakeholders, confidence from across the policing system and clearer national leadership on operational standards.
Please see the attached candidate pack and job description which contains full details of the role and how to apply.
Benefits
The College is a great place to work. We're passionate about our people and offer a wide range of benefits, including (but not limited to):
- Continued professional development and structured career paths
- Rewards and recognition scheme
- Learning and development tailored to your role.
- An environment with flexible working options.
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
We also have a number of thriving staff networks that provide the opportunity for advice, support and to drive change. A place to get your voice heard, share experiences and challenge our working practices to ensure equality of opportunity for all.
For more information about our benefits and staff networks, visit What we offer as an employer , College of Policing
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
Applications for this role are restricted to existing officers of a UK police force or UK policing organisation.
Vacancy reference: 7160
Interview and presentation date: 15 December 2026 at 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London E14 4PU
- Job Title: Director of Operational Standards
- Remuneration: Usual police secondment rules apply
- Hours: Full-time
- Appointment: Police Secondment (3 years)
- Location: Homeworking with extensive travel across England and Wales to College and Policing organisations. Out of hours working will be required.
- Reporting to: Chief Executive, Jo Noakes, College of Policing
Applicants must:
- Currently hold the rank of Assistant Chief Constable (ACC), or above
- Have successfully completed the Executive Leaders Programme (ELP) and meet the relevant eligibility requirements for substantive chief officer appointments.
- Officers holding Temporary Assistant Chief Constable (T/ACC), are eligible to apply, provided they have completed a minimum of six months' service at that rank by the closing date for applications.
- Obtain the support of their Chief Officer team to apply. Chief Constable (or NPCC-rank equivalent) approval must accompany the application.
- This role requires MV/NPPV3 and SC vetting. Where these clearances are not already held, vetting will be progressed on appointment.
- The College is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of background, identity or personal characteristics.
Central service conditions may apply.
For further information on applying for a secondment please visit the “Secondments into the College” page.
Timetable
Closing date for applications: 2 November 2026
Shortlisting: 3-6 November 2026
Candidates notified 9-13 November2026
Virtual staff panel: 17 November 2026
Interview and presentation: 15 December 2026 at 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London E14 4PU
Virtual Staff panel
This 45-minute online session with members of staff from across the organisation will take place on 17 November 2026.
Interview
Chief Executive Officer (Chair) Jo Noakes
Peter Cheese CBE, Independent Panel Member and former Chief Executive, CIPD
The third panel member, a Chief Officer, will be confirmed to candidates nearer the time.
If you would like an informal, confidential discussion about the role with one of our Executive team, please contact Thomas Grove
Please ensure you return your completed Secondment Approval Form, CV and Application/Question Form via email toSeniorRecruitmentApplications@college.police.uk
Any questions about the process should be sent to Senior Recruitment Applications.
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
We want to continually improve our recruitment processes and to remove any barriers to equal opportunities that could disadvantage those from particular backgrounds. In order for us to have the information to do this, we ask you to please complete the diversity section of the online application process. We use a “blind” shortlisting process and we hope that by using this method we will be able to promote greater diversity in our workforce and remove any subconscious decisions based on biases.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
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
Working for the Civil Service
Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.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.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 : College of Policing Recruitment Department
- Email : SeniorRecruitmentApplications@college.police.uk