Head of Gateway

Job summary

NCA National Tasking and Coordination (NTAC) is the engine room of the Agency’s operational activity, acting as an information Gateway for the public and our partners, enabling lawful covert operational activity through a professional and compliant Authorities regime and protecting some of the most vulnerable members of the public through a variety of national intelligence capabilities. It consists of a diverse variety of teams including The Central Authorities Unit (CAU), NCA Control Centre, National Covert Deconfliction Bureau (NCDB), Police National Computer & Police National Database (PNC-PND Team), Tasking, UK National Central Office for the Suppression of Counterfeit Current (UKNCO) and the UK Protected Persons Service (UKPPS). The Head of Gateway role is a dynamic and fast-paced role, with lead responsibility for the NCA Control Centre, Central Authorities Unit (including Warrantry), NCDB, PNC & PND, UKNCO, NTAC Headquarters and Deputy Director’s Private Office (NTAC HQ & DD PO).

Job description

The Head of Gateway role is dynamic and fast-paced with lead responsibility for the NCA Control Centre, Central Authorities Unit, including TI Warrantry, NCDB, PNC & PND, UKNCO, NTAC HQ and the DD’s Private Office.

As the Head of the Gateway, you will be responsible for leading the operational delivery of these units as well as managing the business of NTAC.

You will also work alongside other NTAC colleagues in supporting the DD Tasking by attending and occasionally chairing national meetings including Gold Groups.

This role requires full-time cover across business hours to ensure appropriate management of operational risk.

Given the nature of the role, it is essential that the post-holder is based at either Warrington or London where the CAU, Control Centre and Gateway teams are based in order to provide visible leadership and the ability to work within a T3 environment when required.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Driving NCA Strategy by proactively leading, directing and influencing operational activity through overall accountability for covert activity under Regulation of Police Powers Act (RIPA 2000), Investigatory Powers Act (IPA 2016), Police Act (1997)ensuring that this activity aligns to Agency priorities and is lawful.

This is a Senior Leadership (SLT) role, with accountability to ensure that all NCA tasked covert activity is aligned to our overarching strategy, ensuring legally compliant policy and procedures are set, maintained, implemented and complied with, to support the Agency’s Mission. This role holds accountability for the delivery of a lawfully compliant Authorities Regime via the CAU. You will be responsible for the proactive accountability for the Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office (IPCO) inspection regime, ensuring where recommendations from internal and external (IPCO) audit/assurance processes have been made; remedial activity is implemented and that mitigations are appropriate. You will lead assurance work to test the effectiveness of these controls and will escalate issues through working groups and boards as appropriate. You will be expected to complete the College of Policing H7 training to enable leadership, assurance and compliance of the CAU.

• Establishing, developing and maintaining excellent relationships across the Agency (Weekly Command Update, NCA Tactical) and Her Majesty's Government (HMG) and in particular with the Investigatory Power’s Commissioners Office (IPCO) as Head of Central Authorities Unit (CAU).

You will be required to lead on building effective partner relations and work collaboratively with stakeholders and external agencies. Ensuring alignment of NCA policies and standards to enable collaborative working. Represent the Agency at IPCO inspections, the Home Office and with Law Enforcement partners, acting as an ambassador for the Agency.

• Transforming the NCA Control Centre to realise the vision in the NCA Strategy of increased ‘situational awareness’.

With overarching accountability for the NCA Control Centre, duties include having a good understanding of NCA covert operational activity and significant operational risk management experience to support the operational delivery of Agency strategy, to ensure that the NCA Control Centre is at the forefront of and suitably equipped to deliver the Agency's single 'siutuational awareness' accountability briefings to the Senior Civil Service (SCS) and SLT.

• Enhancing the performance, credibility and reputation of the NCA with lead responsibility for a range of critical applications including PNC (via LEDS), the National Source Database and National Undercover Database.

You will be responsible for supporting the delivery of various Agency critical capabilities through ensuring legal obligations, standards and best practice are integrated into all programme and projects. This includes the delivery of more modern capabilities and tooling to help the Agency deliver its long-term strategy and mission. You will be reqired to lead on critical incidents affecting Agency activity, which requires experience in effective decision making with accountability for decisions made.

• Leading and coordinating cross-agency projects to maintain the integrity and security of the applications. Leading on NTaC Business Planning as well as Strategic Workforce Planning, business continuity and other governance.

The postholder will have responsibility for the following portfolios on behalf of the DD NTAC; Spending Review, Business Planning and Budget management (Finance) and HQ portfolio, which includes, business continuity, strategic workforce planning and recruitment.

• Leading on NTaC diversity and inclusion initiatives to improve the lived experience of NCA Officers.

Leading by example to embed our NCA culture, identity and values and driving cultiral change in line with Agency's vision. Develop and implement departmental business plans ensuring Officer PDS objectives are linked to delivery. Monitor progress and provide guidance and support to manage competing priorities as they arise.

• Leading a geographically dispersed team of Officers operating across a varied and diverse portfolio.

Prioritising wellbeing to support those Officers managing operational risk at the high end of high harm.

• On-Call Tasking Duties

The post holder will be required to be part of an on call 24/7 rota for Tasking decisions. This may be subject to change and the frequency will be directed by your line manager.

Person specification

• Strategic Resilience

Maintains focus and composure under pressure, adapting quickly to changing priorities and complex challenges.

• Results-Driven

Proactively seeks opportunities for improvement and innovation, ensuring delivery of high-quality outcomes in a dynamic environment

• Collaborative Leadership

Builds trust and fosters a culture of inclusion, teamwork, and shared responsibility across diverse stakeholder groups.

• Sound Judgment

Makes informed decisions based on evidence and risk analysis, even in ambiguous or high-stakes operational situations.

Vetting requirements - DV Enhanced

Prior to commencing the role, you will need to successfully complete DV Enhanced clearance and then achieve DV STRAP clearance within the first 12 months in post. 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.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Risk management in supporting operational delivery
• An in-depth knowledge of relevant legislation (UK and international law) affecting Agency activity - in particular RIPA, IPA, Police Act
• Experienced in effective decision making with accountability for decisions made. (Experience Criteria)
• Experience of leading multiple projects/programmes and policy development. (Experience Criteria)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £85,021, National Crime Agency contributes £24,630 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

All NCA employees are members of the UK Civil Service and eligible for the Civil Service pension scheme, alongside your salary the NCA contributes £24,630. Further information on the benefits of the scheme is available on the Civil Service Pension Website.

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

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

How we will assess you

Your application will be assessed against the following:Technical - this will be assessed by 500 word examples on:

• Risk management in supporting operational delivery. (Lead Criteria)

• An in-depth knowledge of relevant legislation (UK and international law) affecting Agency activity - in particular RIPA, IPA, Police Act.

Experience - This will be assessed:Experience Criteria - will be assessed by 500 word examples on:

• Experienced in effective decision making with accountability for decisions made.

• Experience of leading multiple projects/programmes and policy development.

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.

- Risk management in supporting operational delivery. (Lead Criteria) .

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

• Leadership

Technical

• Risk management in supporting operational delivery. (Lead Criteria)

• An in-depth knowledge of relevant legislation (UK and international law) affecting Agency activity - in particular RIPA, IPA, Police Act.

Experience

• Experienced in effective decision making with accountability for decisions made.

• Experience of leading multiple projects/programmes and policy development.

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.

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 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

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 believe your application has not been treated fairly, email: Central.Recruitment@nca.gov.uk (quoting the vacancy reference).
If unresolved, you may escalate your complaint to the Civil Service Commission.