Covert Authorities Compliance Officer (MO5)

21225

5
MO5 Covert Governance
Westminster
NEW SCOTLAND YARD
Band D
Full Time
36 hours per week
Permanent

Job Title: Covert Authorities Compliance Officer (MO5)

Salary: The starting salary is £40,519, which includes allowances totalling £3,009.

The salary is broken down as £37,510 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale £40,141. Plus, a location allowance of £2,009 and a non-pensionable allowance of £1,000.

Location: Westminster. Hybrid working (subject to change) would commence once fully trained, the role being full‑time, no shift allowance and a requirement to ensure office coverage until 1800 hours.

 

Position Summary

Can you see yourself ensuring the Met uses the right powers to place people under surveillance and other authorities, obtain and hold information and intelligence responsibly and ethically? Have you considered a career in Covert Governance?  

The ethical and proportionate use of investigatory powers fully augments the ‘New Met for London’ (NMfL) plan and ensures compliance with the MPS Principles and Values, with many of the Met’s success stories having been achieved using covert policing tactics, by bringing offenders to justice and protecting the communities that we serve.  

Compliance and Governance are words often associated with bureaucracy, but in reality, those processes are necessary to ensure legal compliance and to main high qualitive standards.   

As a member of our team, you will be responsible for quality assuring a broad spectrum of covert authority applications in line with the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA), Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the Police Act 1997.  At MO5 we also provide essential support to those MPS units carrying out covert policing activity.   

This is an exciting time to be working as a Covert Authorities Compliance Officer for the Metropolitan Police Service. In addition to large-scale transformation, there's the unique and ever-evolving challenge of policing London. This means that as part of MO5 Covert Governance, there are more opportunities for you to get involved with making London the safest global city in a time of unprecedented change within the UK's largest Police Service.

Key Responsibilities

  • Responsible for quality assurance of applications to ensure compliance with legislation in particular, the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA), Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the Police Act 1997.
  • Responsible for updating and monitoring the Metropolitan Police Covert Authorities (MPCA) and other relevant computer systems, to ensure accurate covert record management has been completed.
  • Reviewing applications due for renewal, review, cancellation, and modifications ensuring they are completed to designated timescales and that the information supplied is compliant with both legislation and Codes of Practice.
  • Provide advice and support to operational officers, Superintendents, Commanders, and Assistant Commissioners as required, concerning the completion of covert authorities.
  • Regular monitor application submission to identify priority and urgent applicants in line with NMfL principles.
  • When required, present applications to Commanders and Assistant Commissioners on behalf of the applicant in relation to relevant authorities.
  • When required be able to liaise with other law enforcement agencies, or departments e.g. Prison Service and Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office (IPCO).
  • Support training to operational staff/officers at all levels.
  • To Support and Mentor new MO5 staff members to aid their development and knowledge regarding investigatory.
  • Any other duties as directed by the line manager.


Vetting

This post requires access to the most sensitive intelligence material on a daily basis. Applicants must hold or be prepared to undergo National Security Vetting (NSV) Security Check (enhanced) (SC(e)) level before taking up the post.

How to apply

To begin your career at the Met, please click the "apply button “. The application process requires a comprehensive CV, a Personal Statement, and an online application form. In your Personal Statement, you should explain your interest in the position and illustrate how your skills and experiences make you a suitable candidate. Please note that you should not submit two copies of your CV, and ensure that your documents are saved in either PDF or Word format, clearly labelled as CV and Personal Statement.

Completed applications must be submitted by 23:55 on 2nd June 2026.

Once received, your application will be reviewed against eligibility criteria, following this, your application will be reviewed by the hiring manager. The application review for this vacancy will commence 1-2 weeks after the vacancy has closed.

Following application review, successful candidates will be invited to interview. Interview dates will commence 1-2 weeks after the hiring managers review.

www.metpolicecareers.co.uk

Essential Criteria:

  • Highly proficient in IT, with a strong aptitude for rapidly understanding, adopting, and optimising new systems, software, and digital tools.
  • Proven track record of strong communication at all levels, providing clear guidance and support across diverse teams and stakeholders.
  • Skilled in identifying, analysing, and mitigating risk while maintaining high standards of governance and ensuring full legal compliance across operational activity
  • Adapts quickly to new roles with a thoughtful learning approach, strong attention to detail, and a quality‑focused mindset
  • Proven track record of managing and prioritising workloads effectively, even under significant time pressure.
  • Willingness to undergo Management Vetting (MV) and security Clearance (SC)

Desirable criteria:

  • Knowledge of Regulation of investigatory Power Act 2000, Investigatory Powers Act 2016 and the Human Rights Act 1998.
  • Understanding and or experience of operational policing and intelligence functions.

 

Disability Confident Statement 

The Met is committed to being an equitable (fair and impartial) and inclusive employer for disabled people, striving to have a diverse and representative workforce at all levels. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and long-term conditions, ethnic minority groups and women.

As a Disability Confident Leader, the Met has committed to making disability equality part of our everyday practice. We ensure that people with disabilities and those with long term conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.

The Met is committed to making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to ensure disabled applicants can perform at their best. If you need any reasonable adjustments or changes to the application and recruitment process, we ask that you include this information within your application form. All matters will be treated in strict confidence.

Please note, if you are applying for a police officer role or to become a police community support officer (PCSO) or designated detention officer (DDO), there is a minimum requirement that you must pass a job-related fitness test (JRFT) at point of entry. This does not apply to police staff roles. Find out more about police fitness standards.

Read our full disability confidence statement.


This opportunity is closed to applications.