Staff Officer - Turnaround Teams
Job summary
This role is available as a designated homeworking role. Please note, some travel may be required.
Applications for this role are restricted to existing officers or staff of a UK police force or UK policing organisation.
About us:
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.
Our vetting
If you are successful at interview, you will be required to undertake pre-employment security checks – NPPV2 and CTC. You will be sent a security questionnaire which must be accessed within 24 hours.
Please note, these checks can take up to 10 weeks. You will only be offered a start date after the checks have been completed. If the outcome of these checks is not satisfactory, your recommendation for employment will be withdrawn.
Job description
As part of the national policing reforms announced in January 2026, new Police Force Turnaround Teams are being established to intervene directly in underperforming forces, drive improvement, and help restore public confidence. These specialist teams will support improved performance, strengthen leadership capability, and drive cultural and operational reform.
This role provides a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping and mobilising national policing performance improvement.
As Staff Officer you will provide complete and comprehensive support to the Performance Improvement Lead, working closely with them, to ensure they are as informed, briefed and prepared as necessary to discharge their duties effectively. Provide day to day coordination of their activity, be the point of contact for all complex queries and requests and stand in for the Performance Improvement Lead when required, to represent the College.
Person specification
Some of your responsibilities will include:
On behalf of the Performance Improvement Lead - liaising and coordinating with the wider Evidence-based Performance Improvement Project team, using insight to connect and link projects, manage correspondence, co-ordinate actions, facilitate strategic events, undertake research, monitor progress, collate responses to the Home Office and ensure deadlines are met.
Supporting the College’s work with external stakeholders by proactively building and maintaining networks of contacts across the offices of senior policing stakeholder contacts (NPCC, APCC, Home Office, HMICFRS), drawing information together to improve understanding about issues and responses to queries
Champion the Evidence-based Performance Improvement Project team’s positive reputation and represent the Performance Improvement Lead at events and meetings where appropriate.
To be successful in this role you’ll need:
- Experience of engaging and working successfully with a broad variety of stakeholders using a wide range of communications channels
- Experience in working in front line policing or a wider knowledge of UK policing governance structures and environment.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to influence, negotiate and build effective working relationships with and lead collaborative teams of internal and external senior stakeholders and staff to achieve timely results
Please see the attached job description which contains full details of the role.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Seeing the Big Picture
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Experience of engaging and working successfully with a broad variety of stakeholders using a wide range of communications channels.
- Experience in working in front line policing or a wider knowledge of UK policing governance structures and environment.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to influence, negotiate and build effective working relationships with and lead collaborative teams of internal and external senior stakeholders and staff to achieve timely results.
Benefits
College staff have Public Servant status. As a Public Servant, you are eligible to join the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.
The College is a great place to work. We're passionate about our people and offer a wide range of benefits, including (but not limited to):
- Defined benefit pension scheme with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
- Up to 31.5 days holiday (this is in addition to 8 public holidays and 1 privilege day)
- Continued professional development and structured career paths
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
- Flexi-time (for certain grades)
- Benenden Healthcare
- National Dental Plan
- Discounts for on-line shopping
- Free employee support line
- Interest free season ticket loans
- Rewards and recognition scheme
- Learning and development tailored to your role.
- An environment with flexible working options.
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
We also have a number of thriving staff networks that provide the opportunity for advice, support and to drive change. A place to get your voice heard, share experiences and challenge our working practices to ensure equality of opportunity for all.
For more information about our benefits and staff networks, visit What we offer as an employer , College of Policing
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.Applications for this role are restricted to existing officers or staff of a UK police force or UK policing organisation.
Vacancy reference: 7089
Anticipated interview dates: Week Commencing 30th March 2026
An initial sift based on the CV, 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.
This role is available until 31 March 2027 as a secondment opportunity to:
- serving police officers substantive in the rank of Inspector, or those officers suitably qualified for temporary promotion in the rank of Sergeant. All applicants must have the support of their Chief Officer which must be of NPCC rank, i.e., CC, ACC or DCC and this must accompany an application.
- serving police staff at the equivalent rank of Inspector who have their chief officer's approval. Chief Officer’s approval must be of NPCC rank, i.e., CC, ACC or DCC. Approval for a secondment must accompany an application.
Central service conditions may apply.
For people applying from force on promotion (substantive or eligible for temporary promotion) eligibility is dependent on you having passed NPPF Step 3 or Ready to commence WBA.
Please note applicants applying from force must have approval for a secondment, without this you application will not progress beyond sift, even if you are successful.
Please ensure you return the attached secondment approval form either as an attachment when submitting your application or via email to recruitment@college.police.uk.
For further information on applying for a secondment please visit the “Secondments into the College” page.
Although the role is initially offered as a one‑year secondment, there is potential for this to be extended subject to funding confirmation.
Internal applicants who are at risk of redundancy or in need of redeployment and pass the recruitment process, will be given priority over other applicants.
How to apply and contact information:
For further information visit our ‘Work for us’ page.
What it's like working at the College of Policing
If you would like to discuss the role in more detail please contact Fiona McLean (Fiona.McLean@college.police.uk), What Works Delivery Coordinator.
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.
We believe that a diverse workforce brings many benefits to the organisation including diversity of thought and improvements to the way we work internally and with partners and communities. We strive to be fully inclusive but we know there is more to do. We genuinely encourage people from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups to apply for this role.
We want to continually improve our recruitment processes and to remove any barriers to equal opportunities that could disadvantage those from particular backgrounds. In order for us to have the information to do this, we ask you to please complete the diversity section of the online application process. We use a “blind” shortlisting process and we hope that by using this method we will be able to promote greater diversity in our workforce and remove any subconscious decisions based on biases.
The College is committed to support the Greening Government Commitment and reducing our Environmental impact. We have a dynamic Environmental Management Plan in place which encompasses various objectives, including our pledge to reduce business travel. To support our green agenda we have, in phase one, installed Electric Vehicle Charging Points at our sites in Ryton (12 points) and Harperley Hall (4 points). We encourage employees to become an Environment Champion to help with promoting and delivering our Environmental Management Plan. Our One Step Greener approach encourages all College staff to make small changes to create a better future for everyone.
Please note that in order to work for the College of Policing you must have the Right to Work in the UK with indefinite leave to remain. In addition, you will also be required to provide an address history in the UK for the preceding 3 years.
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
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.
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 of Policing Recruitment Team
- Email : recruitment@college.police.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment@college.police.uk