R&D System Engagement Lead

Job summary

The National Centre for AI in Policing is one of the most high-profile and ambitious technology programmes in UK policing today. Backed by central government investment and sitting at the heart of the police reform agenda, Police AI is redefining how forces use data, technology and advanced analytics to tackle crime, protect the public, and modernise frontline operations.

We are building the national capability that will determine how AI is adopted, trusted and scaled across policing. We need someone who can connect policing to the very best of what the UK (and beyond) has to offer.

Our mission is: Leadership, Standards, Performance. This guides our work with individuals, forces, and policing partners towards our vision. We exist to support police officers, police staff and volunteers to deliver the best service to the public. Only through high quality leadership, consistent standards and continual performance improvement can everyone in policing reach their full potential. Our mission guides our work with individual, forces and partners towards our vision.

Although we are a relatively small organisation, our work has a big reach. We are uniquely placed to work both with national policing organisations and local forces to support frontline officers, staff and volunteers in their day-to-day roles.

We offer a supportive and inclusive environment for people to thrive. Our extensive flexible-working policy, employee wellbeing support, family friendly policies, employers’ network for equality and inclusion membership (ENEI silver award winners), and status as a disability confident leader means everyone can bring their whole self to work.

Additional Information:

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

Due to our status as Public Servants, we are not eligible to participate in the Civil Service transfer process. Therefore, while successful candidates can transfer in on their existing terms and conditions, any subsequent transfer out of the College to the Civil Service cannot be guaranteed on existing terms and conditions, and new starter/modernised terms may apply.

The College embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we comply with the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and apply the minimum selection criteria at sift stage of the recruitment process.

Job description

As R&D System Engagement Lead, you will sit at the centre of a powerful, fast-moving ecosystem. Linking policing with government, national security, academia, and the UK’s leading innovation networks.

We need to make sure policing is plugged into the right ideas, the right people, and the right investment. You will open doors, spot opportunities, and turn emerging capability into real-world policing outcomes.

• Connecting policing to government, research and innovation networks.
  • Translating opportunities into funded collaborations and pilots.
  • Unlocking external funding and investment.
  • Advising senior leaders on where to focus for maximum impact.

We are looking for someone who thrives in complexity and sees connections where others don’t. You will bring experience of working across organisational boundaries, strong stakeholder engagement skills, and the judgement to prioritise impact over activity.

You don’t need to be an AI engineer, but you do need to understand how innovation becomes real-world capability. You will directly influence how policing adopts AI, where it invests, and how it builds public trust. This is a role with real national impact.

This role will enable you to work on one of the most significant technology programmes in UK policing. You will operate across government, national security and innovation networks, and dee your work translate into real-world capability.

Person specification

You are someone who is naturally drawn to the spaces where organisations overlap, where progress depends less on formal authority and more on your ability to connect ideas, people and priorities in a way that leads to action.

You are comfortable operating without a script. You can take a broad, often ambiguous landscape and quickly work out where the real opportunities sit, and just as importantly, where they do not. You ask good questions, listen carefully, and build relationships that go beyond surface-level engagement. People trust you because you are credible, thoughtful and focused on outcomes rather than activity.

You have likely spent time working across organisational or sector boundaries, perhaps between government, policing, research, or other complex operational environments. You understand that innovation on its own is not enough. What matters is whether it can stand up to scrutiny, fit into real-world systems, and deliver something tangible. You have seen promising ideas stall and you know how to help move them forward.

You are able to engage confidently with senior stakeholders, but you are equally comfortable working with technical specialists and delivery teams. You can translate between those worlds, turning emerging ideas into something practical, explainable and investable. You avoid jargon and you do not chase novelty for its own sake.

You bring sound judgement. Faced with competing opportunities, you can prioritise clearly, make decisions, and stand behind them. You understand risk, not as something to avoid entirely, but something to manage carefully, particularly in environments where public trust and accountability matter.

Above all, you are motivated by the chance to shape something that has real-world impact. You want your work to matter in how organisations operate, how decisions are made, and ultimately how outcomes improve on the ground.

Technical skills

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

• Tell us about a time you worked across multiple organisations to deliver a shared outcome.
• Describe how you turned an innovative idea into a practical result.
• How have you prioritised between multiple strategic opportunities?
• Tell us about working in a politically or operationally sensitive environment.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £59,440, College of Policing contributes £17,219 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The College is a great place to work. We're passionate about our people and offer a wide range of benefits. The benefits we can offer include:

• Defined benefit pension scheme with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Up to 30 days holiday (this is in addition to 8 public holidays and 2.5 privilege days)
• Educational funding and study leave
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Flexi-time (for certain grades)
• Flexible working hours
• Childcare vouchers
• Benenden Healthcare
• National Dental Plan
• Discount scheme which provides cut-price on-line shopping
• Free employee support line
• Interest free loans for travel.
• Staff networks: You will have the opportunity to join our employee-run networks to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be heard. There are currently 6 staff networks; Diversity Champions, LGBT, Carer’s, Women’s, Parenting and our Diverse Ethnic Action network. Each network has access to an executive level sponsor.

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 Technical skills.

This role is available for 24 months as a fixed term appointment or as a secondment opportunity to.

Whilst this fixed term contract is offered on the understanding that it will only last as long as the stated contract length, there could be a possibility that it could be extended or made permanent should circumstances allow.

An initial sift based on the lead technical skill may be held if a large number of applications are received. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The closing date for this vacancy is 28th June 2026, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.

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 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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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 Recruitment Team
• Email : recruitment@college.pnn.police.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@college.pnn.police.uk

Attachments

RD System Lead - National Centre for AI in Policing Opens in new window (docx, 87kB)