Senior Officer, Drugs Threat

Job summary

Information about the Command

Threat Leadership is responsible for the national response to the Serious Organised Crime (SOC) threats. Our role is to work with partners both inside the NCA and externally to set the strategic direction, facilitate effective delivery of the response, and ensure we understand the impact of our activity. Adopting a threat-led and intelligence driven approach, we identify emerging challenges and changes to the threat landscape. A key objective is to tackle SOC threats by maximising the benefit of new capability across the system. This approach means we can achieve more with the resources we have and be more effective developing business cases to enhance our response.

Driving the multi-agency UK 4P (PURSUE, PREVENT, PROTECT, PREPARE) response by agreeing threat priorities, influencing tasking of operational activity across law enforcement, facilitating partner action and informing policy, regulatory and legislative changes to better protect the public. Threat Leadership leads the national response for Organised Immigration Crime (OIC), Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT), Drugs, Firearms, Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) and Borders. Threat Leadership is also home to the National Cyber Crime Unit, which combines Cyber threat leadership with an operational response.

Information about the Business Area

The Drugs Threat Leadership Team drive the national strategic response to the drugs threat. We collaborate with partners to identify and understand the threat, deliver innovative responses through a wide range of 4P projects, and establish emerging trends and future risks. We operate across the complete drug supply chain, from source countries, to transit and border crossings; and also monitor at street level.

Job description

The Drugs Threat Team plays a key role within the National Crime Agency's Threat Leadership Command, contributing to the national strategic response to the drugs threat and driving activity across the Serious and Organised Crime (SOC) system. Working as part of the Drugs Threat Leadership Team, the post holder will support the development and delivery of innovative, intelligence-led responses to some of the most significant drug-related harms affecting the UK. The role requires a highly credible and experienced individual who can confidently engage with a wide range of stakeholders, influencing activity and coordinating responses across law enforcement, government departments, regulatory bodies, international partners and the private sector.Role Description

The post holder will utilise their knowledge of operational intelligence, investigations, threat leadership and the drugs threat landscape to identify, assess and respond to current and emerging threats across the entire drug supply chain, from source countries and transit routes through to border crossings and street-level supply and criminality. Drawing on subject matter expertise and operational experience, they will interpret and exploit intelligence and other information sources to identify opportunities for disruption, prevention and system-wide threat mitigation. The role holder will support the development of strategic and tactical approaches to targeting the highest harm threats, ensuring activity aligns with national priorities and contributes to the effective delivery of the Pursue, Prevent, Protect and Prepare (4P) framework.

Working autonomously and as part of multi-agency teams, the post holder will lead and support high-profile projects designed to tackle the most harmful drugs affecting the UK. They will develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships across the SOC system, building trust and confidence with partners to enable coordinated responses and maximise operational impact. The role requires the ability to identify gaps in intelligence collection, investigative capabilities and wider system responses, developing recommendations and improvements that strengthen the UK's ability to respond to evolving drug threats.

The successful candidate will assess intelligence, data, information and statistical products from a wide range of sources to generate insight, identify trends and emerging risks, and develop operational opportunities that inform tasking and coordination processes. They will commission intelligence activity to meet strategic and tactical priorities, monitor the effectiveness of national responses and contribute to capability development and wider change initiatives designed to improve the collective response to the drugs threat. The post holder will also be responsible for producing high-quality tactical and strategic reporting, developing briefing material for senior leaders and external partners, and delivering presentations to a range of audiences.

The role includes line management responsibilities and requires the ability to lead, motivate and develop staff while maintaining high standards of performance and professionalism. The successful candidate will possess a strong understanding of the drugs threat in the UK, law enforcement methodologies, prevention techniques and intelligence-gathering capabilities. They will have experience of analysing complex information from multiple sources, applying sound judgement in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, and translating insight into practical action. The post holder will demonstrate excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence, collaborate and deliver outcomes across organisational boundaries in support of the NCA's mission to protect the public from serious and organised crime.

Person specification

Duties and Responsibilities

Threat Leadership - Lead and coordinate the SOC system response to priority drugs threats, driving activity across partners and ensuring delivery of a coherent and effective 4P approach aligned to national priorities.

Intelligence Assessment - Analyse and interpret operational intelligence, data, information and emerging trends to identify threats, risks and opportunities for disruption, prevention and threat mitigation.

Operational Development - Identify and develop operational opportunities, using subject matter expertise and strategic awareness to inform tasking, coordination and law enforcement activity.

Project Delivery - Lead and support high-profile projects targeting the most harmful drugs affecting the UK, managing priorities and delivering outcomes in a dynamic and evolving threat environment.

Stakeholder Engagement - Build, maintain and influence strong relationships across law enforcement, government, regulatory bodies, international partners and the private sector to coordinate effective threat responses.

Capability Improvement - Identify gaps in intelligence collection, investigative capabilities and wider system responses, developing recommendations and initiatives to strengthen national capability.

Intelligence Commissioning - Commission and direct intelligence activity to meet strategic and tactical requirements, ensuring collection activity supports threat assessment and operational priorities.

Strategic Reporting - Produce high-quality tactical and strategic reports, briefings and assessments that inform decision-making, influence partners and support senior leadership.

Partner Briefings - Represent the Drugs Threat Team at internal and external forums, delivering presentations and briefings that build confidence, shared understanding and coordinated action.

Threat Mitigation - Develop and promote whole-system threat reduction, prevention and safeguarding initiatives that address current and emerging drug threats across the supply chain.

Performance Evaluation - Assess the effectiveness and impact of national responses, contributing to continuous improvement, organisational learning and SOC system change activity.

People Leadership - Provide effective line management, supporting staff performance, wellbeing, professional development and the delivery of high standards of operational excellence.

Person Specification

Threat Leadership - Demonstrates significant experience leading and coordinating activity against complex threats, translating strategic priorities into effective operational outcomes across multiple organisations and partners.

Drugs Threat Expertise - Possesses a strong understanding of the UK drugs threat, including supply chains, organised crime methodologies, emerging trends, associated harms and opportunities for disruption and prevention.

Strategic Intelligence - Able to analyse, interpret and synthesise complex intelligence, data and information from multiple sources to identify threats, risks, trends and operational opportunities.

Stakeholder Influence - Proven ability to build credibility and influence senior stakeholders across law enforcement, government, regulatory bodies, international partners and the private sector to achieve shared objectives.

Operational Judgement - Demonstrates sound judgement in fast-paced and complex environments, making informed decisions and recommendations that support effective threat mitigation and operational delivery.

Partnership Working - Experienced in working collaboratively across organisational boundaries, fostering strong relationships that enable coordinated and effective system-wide responses.

Project Leadership - Successfully leads and delivers complex projects, balancing competing priorities and adapting approaches to achieve outcomes in an evolving threat environment.

Threat Mitigation - Able to identify opportunities to disrupt criminal activity, reduce harm and strengthen prevention and safeguarding responses through innovative and intelligence-led approaches.

Intelligence Commissioning - Experienced in directing and commissioning intelligence activity, ensuring collection plans are aligned to strategic priorities, operational requirements and emerging threats.

Analytical Thinking - Applies critical thinking and structured analysis to assess risks, identify intelligence gaps and develop evidence-based recommendations for improvement.

Strategic Communication - Produces clear, persuasive and high-quality reports, assessments and briefing materials, tailoring messages appropriately for senior leaders and diverse audiences.

Presentation Skills - Confident in delivering briefings and presentations on complex issues, communicating insights and recommendations in a concise and engaging manner.

Continuous Improvement - Identifies gaps in capability, processes and performance, driving improvements that enhance organisational effectiveness and strengthen the wider system response.

Performance Evaluation - Able to assess the impact of operational activity and strategic interventions, using evidence and performance measures to inform future priorities and decision-making.

People Leadership - Demonstrates effective line management skills, motivating, developing and supporting staff to deliver high standards of performance, professionalism and wellbeing.

Personal Resilience - Maintains professionalism, adaptability and resilience when managing complex challenges, sensitive issues and competing demands in a high-profile environment

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,269, National Crime Agency contributes £14,852 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• All NCA employees are members of the UK Civil Service and eligible for the Civil Service pension scheme, alongside your salary the NCA contributes £14,853. 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.This vacancy is using the Success Profiles framework and will assess using the following criteria: Behaviours, Technical Skills 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

How we will assess you

Your application will be assessed against the following:Technical - this will be assessed by 250 word examples on:

• Good knowledge of the drugs threat in the UK and the operational response and/ or intel gathering capabilities

• Experience of delivering high quality work within tight deadlines and managing competing priorities.

• Experience of analysing data, information and statistics from a range of sources and presenting findings.

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.

- Good knowledge of the drugs threat in the UK and the operational response and/ or intel gathering capabilities .

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:
https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/careers/applying-and-onboardingNCA 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

• Working Together

• Leadership

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.

Eligibility, Pre-Employment Check and Vetting

Please see the NCA T&Cs and Privacy Policy (pdf) for details on how your data is handled. If you are an internal candidate who has passed interview but is undergoing an internal investigation or have a written warning in place preventing a post move you may not be able to be posted until this investigation is concluded or restriction lifted.

Nationality Requirements

This role is broadly open to the following groups:• UK nationals or dual nationals, where one component is BritishFurther information on nationality requirementsYou will be required to participate in digital right to work and address checks as part of the recruitment process.

Security and Vetting

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is DV Enhanced. All security clearances will be managed by the NCA.For more information on security vetting please visit: UK Security Vetting guidance for applicants and Demystifying Vetting and see our vetting charter at: The Vetting Charter.

Vetting requirements - DV Enhanced

The requirement for DV Enhanced clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 7 of the last 10 years.Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.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.

Occupational Health

Successful candidates will be expected to undertake an occupational health assessment. Depending on the role an in-person medical may be required in either London or Warrington. Unfortunately, travel costs will not be reimbursed.

Things you need to know

Multi Location

Where multiple locations are advertised, appointments will be made in merit order for each location.

Please indicate up to three location preferences clearly. Only your first three preferences will be considered. You may be allocated to any of the locations you select. If you decline an offer for a location you have selected as a preference, a further offer may not be made.

If you choose to reject an offer and no alternative preferred location can be offered, you will not be able to return to the process or be placed on a reserve list.

Only the advertised locations are available; any additional notes added to the application will not be taken into account.

Near Miss

If you meet the criteria for a lower grade, you may be offered that role if not appointable at the advertised grade.

Conversely, if found appointable at a higher grade but no posts are available, you may be offered a lower-grade role.

All offers are made based on merit.

Hybrid Working

The NCA supports hybrid working. The extent of remote working will depend on the role and can be discussed at the offer stage.

Reasonable Adjustments

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and an inclusive, equal opportunities employer.

We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone can be their authentic self. If you’re neurodiverse, have a disability, or live with a long-term health condition, we encourage you to let us know about any reasonable adjustments you may need during the recruitment process.

If you experience accessibility issues with the advert or require reasonable adjustments, please contact our Recruitment Team at central.recruitment@nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk before the advert closing date.

Please ensure you complete the ‘Equal opportunities’ and 'Reasonable Adjustments' sections in the application form to inform us on what support you may need in the recruitment process.

For more on our Disability Confident commitment, visit Disability Confident Scheme , Civil Service Careers.

Visit NCA Benefits and Support for more details.

Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

In order to monitor the effectiveness of the National Crime Agency's Diversity & Inclusion strategy, we require certain personal details about you on submission of your application for statistical and monitoring purposes only. Please note that this will be treated in confidence and will not impact your application.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Working for the NCA

The National Crime Agency is a 24/7 organisation, and working patterns must support business requirements. Some roles may require you to respond at short notice or outside of core hours.If preferable, alternative contract types may be available. Please review the green bar of this advert to view all available contract types for this role. Where Loan or Secondment options are available, these would be for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.If you have any specific queries about the role that are not covered by the advert, please contact:

Name : Central Recruitment Team
Email : central.recruitment@nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk

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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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 : central.recruitment@nca.gov.uk
• 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@nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk (quoting the vacancy reference).
If unresolved, you may escalate your complaint to the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

NCA_T&Cs_and_Privacy_Policy Opens in new window (pdf, 2466kB)