Assistant Portfolio Director – Prevention and Deterrence - Secondment
Job summary
HMICFRS independently assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces and fire and rescue services – in the public interest. We promote improvements in policing and fire and 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 that 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 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 public.
HMICFRS is a unique organisation with staff seconded or loaned from across the Civil Service, police forces and fire and rescue services. 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
The PEEL portfolio team leads the inspection of police forces to assess police effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy (PEEL). We report on these aspects of policing at a force level, as well as drawing out national themes in thematic reports.
Through this work, making evidenced based observations and assessments, you will be driving real improvements in the overall safety and performance of our police services.
Working as an Assistant Portfolio Director (APD), you will play a leading role in the design, planning, analysis, delivery and reporting of our PEEL force inspections. You will be required to lead large, complex or high-risk elements of the PEEL programme and have portfolio lead responsibility for investigations.
You will work closely with linked key stakeholders such as the Home Office, College of Policing and NPCC leads to collaboratively drive policing improvements.
Additionally, you will lead on a number of allocated corporate responsibilities on behalf of the team.
We are looking for talented individuals who have the drive, enthusiasm and skills to be part of HMICFRS. You will need to be inquisitive and have the ability to assess data and performance objectively. You will be expected to form constructive relationships that will enable you to work closely with those we inspect, providing challenge, and identifying areas for improvement and to share best practice.
This role is open only to serving police officers or police staff equivalents.
The role will involve some travel and overnight stays.
Responsibilities
- Design, plan, and implement the PEEL Assessment framework for your subject matter area.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships across government and with local and national policing agencies, including convening External Reference Groups as required.
- Lead and manage small teams of associate inspectors and inspection officers, as required.
- Undertake inspection activity, including leading interviews, focus groups and reality testing, and making judgments as required.
- Identify and analyse national themes, using evidence to draw conclusions, make meaningful recommendations and track improvements.
- Undertake high quality research, prepare briefings and respond to correspondence for and on behalf of HMICFRS.
- Research and draft bespoke subject matter area reports to address specific issues and areas of particular public interest
- Deputise, if required, for the Deputy Portfolio Director, including chairing and/or representing HMICFRS at meetings, and presenting and explaining the inspection programme and its findings to internal and external partners
- Take an active role in managing and developing staff, including using mentoring and coaching techniques
- Have a number of corporate responsibilities commensurate with the role.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Must be employed currently by a police force in England and Wales;
- Experienced in Neighbourhood Policing at operational and strategic levels;
- Experience of working with a range of partners on diversion and reducing reoffending;
- Passionate about public service and experience of delivering improvements in Policing;
- Proven ability to build and maintain constructive relationships with stakeholders;
- Inquisitive and analytical mindset with strong data literacy skills and the ability to interpret complex evidence and present clear conclusions;
- Have a flexible approach to working and be able to manage competing demands.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience of inspection design or related processes and / or leading inspections;
- Experience of policy development and operational experience in police performance management;
- Experience of presenting to and managing relationships with chief officers, senior managers and board members.
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
- Working Together
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Making Effective Decisions
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.
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.
- An environment with flexible working options
We promote flexible working that balances professional and personal commitments. We support virtual and smart working, making best use of our technology and building collaborative working models to help all staff to work from home and/or in the office in a ‘hybrid’ way.
- 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 candidates from ethnic minority groups and people with disabilities, as they are currently under-represented within this grade level.
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
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 Personal Statement (750 words maximum). Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
- Evidence of the Behaviours:
- Making Effective Decisions (Lead Behaviour)
- Seeing the Big Picture,
- Communicating and Influencing,
- Delivering at pace and;
- Working together.
Please ensure you reference in your personal statement which force you are currently employed with. Failure to make this clear in your application form may result in your application being withdrawn.
The first stage of the sift will be carried out 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 may progress to the second stage of the sift process.
The second stage of sift is based on the lead behaviour Making Effective Decisions, with a word limit of 250 words set as part of the written application process.
Please note that evidence of the other four behaviours listed in the advert is not required as part of your written application. If you are successful at the paper sift stage, all behaviours listed in the advert, and experience based on the essential criteria stated in the advert, will be tested at interview.
For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.
Sift and Interview dates
We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.
Sift – week commencing 13 July 2026
Interviews by video link – week commencing 27 July 2026
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.
A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer.
Candidates judged to be a near miss at interview may be offered a post at the grade below the one advertised without the need to go through a further selection process, providing the role has the same Success Profiles elements and essential skills.
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.
These roles are open only to currently 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), Please return your completed approval from to HMICFRS Recruitment mailbox recruitment@hmicfrs.gov.uk. This should be sent before the advert closing date. 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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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
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 : Martin Moizer
- Email : Recruitment@hmicfrs.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Further information
If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitmentprinciples, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance
HORecruitment.GRS@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission