National Search Adviser

Job summary

To provide assistance to Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs) and Investigating Officers (IOs) in major, complex, serious or volume crime in relation to the search for victims, suspects, evidence or other items the location of which is either concealed or unknown. To provide a co-ordinated national approach for Search Strategies relating to homicide, missing persons and mass fatality disasters on behalf of the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC).

This is a home-based/remote working role as it does not have a specific location as the role will require flexibility with travel to deploy nationally and internationally in support of the Major Crime investigators .

Job description

The National Search Adviser acts as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) within law enforcement in relation to crime and missing person searches.

Working with MCIS, Specialist National Advisers represent areas of law enforcement where in-depth advice or insight is most frequently requested.

To provide strategic and tactical advice and support relating to crime and missing person search to Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs) and Investigating Officers (IOs) investigating homicide, rape, series and serious sexual offences, crimes in action, critical impact incidents, unidentified human remains, and suspicious missing person enquiries.

To provide, when required, guidance relating to search in relation to counter terrorism, major incidents, serious and organised crime and high risk and/or complex missing person enquiries.

Duties and Responsibilities

To provide investigative support in relation to serious, major and organised crime. This includes high risk missing person searches to other law enforcement agencies and associated government bodies and departments.

To provide observations and recommendations, both dynamically, verbally and through the production of written reports, with due regard to timeliness and the potential impact of the advice.

To develop and maintain close working relationships with partner agencies and specialists associated with crime and missing person search.

To support the development of national guidance and best practice for LE, by working closely with National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) leads for associated portfolios and the College of Policing.

To contribute to NPCC and government strategic boards and working groups on a consultative basis, and where sanctioned engage in, or oversee national projects or research associated with crime and missing person search and associated disciplines.

To deliver presentations relating to the utility of search in relation to serious, major and organised crime, including high risk missing person behalf of MCIS (Ops)team to conferences and supported training courses.

Person specification

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Experience and practical knowledge of the application of search techniques and a detailed knowledge of current legislation, police and procedures of Major Crime investigation and recent application.

Demonstrate excellent communication and strong interpersonal skills, both written and verbally. With the ability to brief complex information succinctly and clearly at all levels.

Evidence appropriate interaction at all levels within the Police Service and other Law Enforcement agencies. Experience of multi-agency partnership working within the law enforcement community.

Essential Criteria

You must meet the essential criteria and evidence this within your application to be considered for the role.

Qualifications, Membership and Licences

Qualified as a Police Search Advisor (PolSA), accredited by the College of Policing.

The National Search Adviser acts as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in crime and missing person searches.

Any applications from candidates not meeting this eligibility criteria will not progress.

Desirable Criteria

Desirable criteria are only used for assessment in the event of a tie break.

Recent experience in performing the role of the Police Search
Co-Ordinator (PolSC).

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Extensive Police Search Adviser experience within critical incidents, homicide, high risk missing persons and mass disaster investigations.
• Experience in reviewing, planning, implementing search strategies within major crime (e.g. homicide, missing persons and mass disaster investigations.
• Ability to manage prolonged and complex searches working with partners across multi-agency / multi-disciplinary arena.
• Ability to bring innovative solutions to search scenarios as a PolSA.
• Proven experience of taking steps to improve culture on an individual and team basis.

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.

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 and Technical skills.

Your application will be assessed against the following:

Technical - this will be assessed by 250 word examples on:

• Extensive Police Search Adviser experience within critical incidents, homicide, high risk missing persons.

• Experience in reviewing, planning, implementing search strategies within major crime (e.g. homicide, missing persons and mass disaster investigations.

• Ability to manage prolonged and complex searches working with partners across multi-agency / multi-disciplinary arena.

• Ability to bring innovative solutions to search scenarios as a PolSA.

• Proven experience of taking steps to improve culture on an individual and team basis.

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

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

• Working Together

• Delivering at Pace

Technical

• Extensive Police Search Adviser experience within critical incidents, homicide, high risk missing persons and mass disaster investigations.

• Experience in reviewing, planning, implementing search strategies within major crime (e.g. homicide, missing persons and mass disaster investigations.

• Ability to manage prolonged and complex searches working with partners across multi-agency / multi-disciplinary arena.

• Ability to bring innovative solutions to search scenarios as a PolSA.

• Proven experience of taking steps to improve culture on an individual and team basis.

Assessment Outcome

Outcomes 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.

Full advert details for this vacancy can found on the advert on the NCA Recruitment Portal. Please follow the link to apply at advertisers' site.

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

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 : The Recruitment Team
• Email : central.recruitment@nca.gov.uk
• Telephone : 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.