Deputy Director Governance and Accountability & Deputy Director Assessments and Planning

Job summary

The Directorate provides clear vision and leadership across the whole range of NCA business to tackle the highest harm threats. We are responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Agency; providing strategic intelligence assessment; negotiating the spending review settlement and annual plans; effective performance and risk management frameworks; robust internal governance; and accountability arrangements with the Home Office. We are also tasked with protecting and promoting the reputation and influence of the Agency across HM Government, law enforcement partners, the public and media.

The Directorate plays a critical role in managing and supporting the governance and accountability functions on behalf of the NCA Board and senior leadership team. We are responsible for managing engagement with Whitehall departments and agencies, law enforcement, key partners and the public, and directly support the Director General NCA, Director General Threats, Director General Operations and Director General Capabilities.

The Directorate includes the following business units:

• National Assessment Centre – strategic intelligence assessment

• Strategic Planning – Business Planning and annual publications

• DG Private Offices, Governance and Recognition & Award

• NCA Secretariat – strategic engagement, accountability arrangements, Parliamentary accountability and briefing

• Performance – Agency performance framework

• Risk – management of the Enterprise Risk Management framework

• Communications - Press, Internal, Digital and Strategic Communications campaigns

• Command Business Management Team

Job description

Deputy Director Governance & Accountability

The Deputy Director for Governance & Accountability is responsible for leading the design and delivery of Agency frameworks on accountability performance, risk, assurance, governance, in order to ensure the Agency is transparent, accountable and delivering against its strategic objectives. This is a wide and varied portfolio, ensuring the Director General and NEDS have confidence in the governance frameworks for the NCA; and maintaining trust and transparency with the Home Office that the NCA’s operational delivery plans appropriately deliver the Home Secretary’s strategic priorities.

The postholder will provide senior leadership across the Agency, working closely with colleagues to drive sustainable change at pace. They will work with others across the Directorate and more widely at a senior level, and will be a highly effective verbal and written communicator with strong influencing skills.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Own and, in due course, review the Agency’s five-year strategy (2023-2028); working closely with dedicated Police Reform teams to set a strategic vision for the Agency to enter the National Police Service
• Act as a trusted adviser to Directors General and Director Strategy on managing key corporate reporting against performance, risk, and investment choices.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, innovation and accountability.
• Lead, inspire and develop teams delivering business critical services in Strategy Command.
• Promote inclusive leadership, wellbeing and high performance in line with NCA values.

Governance

• Support the delivery of Private Office to Directors General.
• Lead the Agency’s delivery of good governance and accountability in line with HMG guidance and best practice.
• Agree and implement the Agency’s accountability and outcome frameworks with the Home Office, ensuring alignment with internal performance.
• Deliver a modern, transparent and effective enterprise risk mechanism to support the Director General and the Agency Audit Risk & Assurance Committee.
• Maintain accountability to the Home Office, and Parliament by overseeing accountability briefs, Parliamentary Questions, MP correspondence and other accountability functions.

Stakeholder & Partner Engagement

• Act as the lead point of contact for the NCA’s relationship with the Home Office Sponsorship Unit, acting as custodian of key accountability mechanisms between the Home Office and NCA.
• Build strong relationships across the Agency to leverage engagement and delivery of Command responsibilities in the performance, risk and accountability frameworks.
• Manage senior stakeholder expectations and resolve complex delivery issues through influence and collaboration.

Deputy Director Assessment and Plans

The Deputy Director for Assessments and Plans will lead the Agency’s long‑range planning and assessment functions. The postholder will provide senior leadership for the National Assessment Centre (NAC), which produces independent intelligence assessment products in line with Professional Head of Intelligence Assessment (PHIA) best practice, including the annual National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime — a statutory function and core mechanism to understand the UK’s SOC threat.

The post holder will also be responsible for delivering annual products of importance (National Strategic Assessment, Annual Plan, Annual Report and Accounts).

The postholder will work closely with colleagues across the Agency and wider system, acting as a credible senior leader and a highly effective communicator with strong analytical and influencing skills.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Shape the Agency’s strategic assessment function, ensuring evidence‑driven insights inform senior decision‑
• Foster strong relationships across HMG assessment functions.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, innovation and accountability.
• Promote inclusive leadership, wellbeing and high performance in line with NCA values.

Intelligence Assessment

• Oversee the work of the NAC to deliver the annual National Strategic Assessment; with publication of other intelligence assessments throughout the year to support policy and strategy making in the SOC system and build a common understanding of the threat.
• Chair the National Strategic Intelligence Oversight Group (NSIOG), bringing a greater community of strategic intelligence analysts together.
• Lead the Intelligence Assessment & Analysis Profession, ensuring the Agency produces independent and professional assessment products in line with PHIA standards.

Governance

• Co-ordinate the implementation of annual business planning, and the production of corporate documents through the Annual Business Plan and Annual Report & Accounts.
• Deliver transparency in reporting corporate obligations as per HMG guidance.
• Support the delivery of Command corporate functions through oversight of the Business Management Team and Strategic Centre People and Culture team.

Stakeholder & Partner Engagement

• Build strong relationships across the Agency to ensure effective engagement and communication to ensure high quality NAC assessments are delivered in a timely fashion.
• Manage senior stakeholder expectations and resolve complex delivery issues through influence and collaboration.

Person specification

We ask that you write a statement of suitability of no more than 1250 words, font Bahnschrift 11, using examples to explain how your skills and experience meet the essential criteria.

Essential Criteria:

In your application you will need to demonstrate evidence against the below essential criteria:

Leadership & Influence

• Proven experience of operating at a senior level, leading stakeholder engagement on sensitive and complex policy and operational issues, and managing high risk issues.
• Strong personal impact and credibility, with the ability to influence senior colleagues and external partners.

Strategic Thinking

• Ability to think strategically and systemically, balancing long-term outcomes with short-term delivery pressures.
• Experience of translating strategy into executable plans and measurable outcomes.

Collaboration & Engagement

• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with experience of working across organisational and functional boundaries.
• A collaborative approach, able to build alignment and resolve conflict in complex environments.

Culture/EDI

• Experience of delivering interventions that ensure Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is embedded in the organisation’s way of working, fostering a culture of trust which enables people to speak up, feel safe and advocate for others.

Technical/Experience (Governance & Accounting)

• Experience leading governance, performance and risk systems in a complex organisation, ensuring accountable decision making and high-quality corporate reporting to senior leaders and Ministers.

Technical/Experience (Assessments & Plans)

• Experience directing strategic and corporate planning cycles, producing high quality plans and reports that support effective governance and senior decision making.

• Familiarity with the use or production of intelligence assessments.

Please Note

The NCA is a 24/7 organisation, and working patterns must support business requirements. You may be expected to participate in an on-call rota (approx. 2 – 3 weeks per year).

On-call runs 1800-0800 Mon-Fri and 24/7 weekends and bank holidays and training will be given prior to joining the rota.

This is a corporate requirement and no additional remuneration is paid.

Examples for on-call include staffing incidents; building issues (flooding etc); operational incidents; cross-government liaison.

This role will require frequent attendance at our London office so you will need to be prepared to spend time there, if not based there.

Individuals will be required to undertake and pass a substance misuse test as part of pre-employment checks.

If successful, the offer made will be conditional on you being able to obtain and retain security clearance:

Governance & Accountability - Developed Vetting (DV) prior to commencing in the role.

Assessment & Plans – Security Check (SC) prior to commencing in the role and be able to obtain DV once in post.

More information about the NCA vetting process can be found here: NCA Enhanced Vetting explained

We want to recruit and retain the very best and broadest diversity of officers so the NCA welcomes applications from individuals from all minority backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Please be aware that you can be posted to any location that you put in your preferences. If you would only like to be posted to one location, please confirm one location only.

If you are posted to a location that you have requested and you do not accept that location, you may not be offered another role.

Successful candidates may be required to undertake a medical. If required, the medical will take place in either London or Warrington. Unfortunately, travel costs will not be reimbursed.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £81,000, National Crime Agency contributes £23,465 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Civil Service Pension

A competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension; your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire.

If you are an active police pension member immediately prior to joining the NCA, you can continue your membership throughout your employment with us.

Annual Leave

25 days annual leave on entry (plus one privilege day for the King’s Birthday), plus 8 Bank Holidays, increasing to 30 days after reaching 5 years continuous service (plus one privilege day for the King’s Birthday), plus 8 Bank Holidays.

If qualifying criteria is met new joiners to the NCA from UK Police Forces or 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 30 days leave (plus 1 privilege day for the King’s Birthday).

Parental Leave

Family friendly policies including paid maternity, adoption, paternity and shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks.

Access to the government Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) scheme. Existing employees may be able to continue to claim childcare vouchers.

Flexible Working

Flexible working arrangements allowing you to split your work between the office and home, subject to the nature of the role.

Alternative working patterns such as part-time and compressed hours options subject to business needs.

Support for officers who are Reservists and Special Constables.

Learning and Development

Access to a range of learning and development activities, and opportunities to support career progression.

Paid time off to facilitate continuous professional development, and access to Civil Service Learning up to 5 days per year.

Wellbeing and Inclusion

Occupational sick pay and access to occupational health services.

A network of qualified Mental Health First Aiders and Workplace Support Officers, who can provide advice, signposting and support to all our officers.

On site facilities including fitness centres and canteens (where available). Access to a variety of active staff network groups.

Employee Savings

Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket.

Access to a wide range of discounts, offers and gift cards with a number of high street and online retailers through the Blue light Scheme and EdenRed.

Cycle2work salary sacrifice scheme to hire a bicycle up to the value of £4,000 to assist in improving health and fitness and save you money.

Access to a home and technology purchase scheme, allowing you to purchase items and spread the cost over 12 months through salary sacrifice.

Key worker status, enabling access to accommodation at a discounted rate, subject to eligibility.

Access to a range of sports, leisure and health benefits at reduced prices through membership with Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC).

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 to apply

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process, outlined below. This should be completed no later than 23:55 Thursday 16th April 2026.

• Enter your CV details setting out your career history, including key responsibilities and achievements. It is essential that your CV reflects the role you are applying for. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any employment gaps within the last two years.

• A statement of suitability (no more than 1250 words, font Bahnschrift 11) , using examples to explain how your skills and experience meet the essential criteria cited at page 11 of this CIP.

Shortlist

A shortlisting meeting will be held in the week commencing 27th April 2026.

Assessment

A Staff Engagement Exercise which will be delivered virtually on MS Teams in the week commencing 11th May 2026.

This stage will not result in a pass or fail decision. They are designed to support the panel’s decision-making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.

Final Panel Interview

The interview will be held in London week commencing 25th May 2026. The panel will assess your previous experience and professional competence against the essential criteria. You will also be asked to deliver a presentation.

Full details of the requirements will be given to shortlisted candidates ahead of their interview.

Offer

Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible.

If your application is successful and we are unable to offer you a post immediately, you will be invited to join our reserve list so that we can continue to communicate with you regarding your employment with the Agency, and the incredible work that we do. If over the next 12 months we are able to offer you a position, we will contact you as soon as possible.

Appointments will be made in adherence to the Civil Service Recruitment Principles and in strict merit order with the highest scoring candidates being appointed first.

The NCA is a law enforcement agency and as such we are part of the Criminal Justice System. Therefore, if you are going into an operational role we need to be aware if any of our officers have, either before they join us or afterwards, any of the following:

• Any criminal conviction (including by Court Martial), or caution or fixed penalty notice for disorder or theft;
• Any adverse judicial findings;
• Any charges or summonses where the proceedings are not complete;
• Any misconduct or gross misconduct findings or where proceedings are not complete.

You will be asked to complete a declaration form covering the above if offered a role with the NCA.

Each case will be considered on its merits and a positive declaration does not automatically mean that your application will not be progressed. However, should you fail to disclose a relevant matter then your application or employment will be adversely affected. If in doubt, please declare it at this stage.’

Indicative Timeline

Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. If you are unable to meet these timeframes, please let us know in your application letter.

The anticipated timetable is as follows:

Advert Closing Date - Thursday 16th April 2026

Expected shortlist announcement - w/c 27th April 2026

Virtual Assessments - w/c 11th May 2026

Interviews - w/c 25th May 2026

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, which may be subject to some change, and are asked to exercise flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Your application will be acknowledged within 48 hours of receipt.

Pre-employment checks

Pre-employment checks take on average 16 weeks from the point of offer to arranging a start date. This includes vetting, occupational health assessments, employment history checks and substance misuse tests. This is an approximate time frame and is to be taken as a guideline only as this can very between candidates. This is dependent on when all requested documentation is provided.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put 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 at: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the ‘assistance required’ section in the ‘personal information’ page of your application form to provide information we should be aware of that will enable us to support you further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Further Information

If you have any questions about the role itself or would like to discuss the post and your fit within the organisation, please contact: scs.appointments@nca.gov.uk

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

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 undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (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.

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 : SCS Recruitment Team
• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Civil Service Commission Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.
In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact; scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk and more information can be found at www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

Attachments

NCA joint Strategy External CIP Final Opens in new window (pdf, 1859kB)Acessability Pack 453732 Deputy Director Governance and Accountability & Deputy Director Assessments and Planning Opens in new window (docx, 37kB)