Chief Scientific Officer - Band A - Counter Terrorism Policing

13816

1
CTPHQ Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters
West Brompton, Westminster
Band A
Full Time
36 hours per week
Permanent

Job Title: Chief Scientific Officer – Band A - Counter Terrorism Policing

Salary: £69,161 to £79,882 plus a Location allowance of £1,721. You will receive £69,161 the band minimum. Progress to the band maximum of £79,882 will be via incremental progression.

Location: Empress State Building, New Scotland Yard

 

Show us how science will save lives.

Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) is vital to keeping our country safe. As such, we’re revolutionising the way we use data, analysis, science and technology. As part of this, we have created a critical role of Chief Scientific Officer. As CTP’s CSO, you lead our central science and innovation function and set the direction for future development.

Part of the CTP Senior Leadership Team, you’ll transform our use of science and technology, revolutionise our relationships with industry and academia and ensure that we maintain our operational edge to outpace the rapidly changing threat environment. You’ll be at the heart of a new generation of inter-agency collaboration on scientific capability across the national security and law enforcement community.

Against that background, you’ll set the strategy and establish a clear implementation plan, with performance metrics and governance structures. Leading our research and development function, you’ll generate requirements, sponsor innovation, access scientific advice and coordinate engagement with research communities.

This is a critical and novel role. It calls for a creative and inclusive leader who truly wants to unlock the power of science and technology. You’ll have advanced expertise or experience in a relevant research, science or technology domain, including national and international collaboration. And you’ll be adept at managing projects, leading high-performing teams and influencing senior operational leaders and officials.

In return, you can look forward to benefits including substantial annual leave, Civil Service pension arrangements, interest free season ticket loans, flexible working conditions and more.

Role Summary

The Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) is part of the CTP Senior Leadership Team, reporting to Director of Data and Analysis. The role is CTP’s national head of science, research and development and innovation. The role will deputise for the Director on these issues. The role will work closely with leaders in Data & Analysis, ICT and Change to ensure that the national CTP Network has the right tools, scientific advice, advanced capability and technology to realise its critical missions across counter-terrorism, national security and public safety.

Job Purpose

Counter-Terrorism Policing is revolutionising the way it uses data, analysis, science and technology. We have established new strategies for Data & Analysis and for Information & Communications Technology. We have created the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) role to lead our science and innovation function, with a clear strategy, implementation plan, performance metrics and governance structures. The role leads our research and development function within the CTP HQ, to generate our requirements, sponsor innovation, access scientific advice and coordinate engagement with research communities.

What you’ll do

As Chief Scientific Officer, you will:

 

  • Own and lead the CTP Science and Innovation Strategy.
  • Lead our innovation and R&D capability within CTP HQ – The Counter Terrorism Research Laboratory (CTRL). This includes chairing your own governance board (the CTRL Gateway) to manage sponsorship and exploitation of science and research.
  • Establish and operate an overarching science and technology framework to generate research requirements for the organisation (the CTP Capability ‘Problem Book’).
  • Build a central team and establish a high-performing technical oversight and advisory capability within CTP HQ.
  • Lead strategic coordination with intelligence agencies, the National Crime Agency, the Metropolitan Police Service and the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Chief Scientific Adviser. Manage technical partnerships with the Home Office, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and other science and technology organisations.
  • Establish international relationships for science and technology collaboration. This must include access to research and technology agreements to enable sharing and joint projects.
  • Establish an industry, commercial and academic engagement strategy to enable research and development.

Scope for Impact

The CSO has the scope for very significant impact. The role is at the core of a new scientific and technical function in CTP, linked to partner capabilities across HMG. This role will transform our use of technology, revolutionise our relationships with industry and academia and ultimately ensure that CTP and its partners maintain critical operational edge against our adversaries. This will be absolutely central to our commitment to outpace the rapidly changing threat environment. The role is also be at the core of a new generation of inter-agency collaboration on technical and scientific capability across the national security and law enforcement community. This role has a high profile in Policing and in Whitehall, influencing and shaping a broad, national group.

Within ICT, the role will be decisive in supporting our ICT teams in receiving a clear a technical requirement from the operational business and assessment of delivery against this requirement. This role has been identified by Directors and the Head of ICT as a game-changing function to enhance ICT delivery and realise efficiency.

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; and must undergo Developed Vetting (DV) once in post. If you do not obtain DV once in post you may be subject to a posting or redeployment process.

Additionally, this material is of particular sensitivity to the UK and its distribution must be restricted to UK nationals. In approved circumstances dual nationals (of which one element is British) may also be granted access. However, in the event that potential conflicts of interest cannot be managed the post holder will not be able to see the intelligence material and will not be able to perform their duties. For the purpose of safeguarding national security and in line with Cabinet Office Policy, supported by Section 82(2) to (4) of the Police Reform Act (2002), applicants who do not hold or acquire Security Check (enhanced) (SC(e)) or Developed Vetting (DV) clearance and meet the nationality requirements cannot be offered the post.

Confidentiality Agreement

Applicants should also be aware of the need to sign a confidentiality agreement on taking up the post. 

Our Employee Commitments

Counter Terrorism Policing aims to create an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere and culture and an environment where all our people feel a strong sense of belonging and are able to reach their full potential. Where any group or individual can be and feel respected, supported and valued to fully participate and contribute to our mission of “Working to keep people safe from Terrorism”.

Inclusion, diversity and equality is at the front and centre of our approach to make the composition of Counter Terrorism Policing more representative of the communities we serve.  As Counter Terrorism is rooted in Local Policing, to tackle today’s complex policing challenges, applications from across all communities are therefore essential and encouraged. Counter Terrorism Policing as a network is committed to ensuring that disabled people and those with long-term health conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations’.

Counter Terrorism Policing is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working arrangements, and including part time working or job share. In addition, this role has been reviewed following learning from work during the Covid pandemic and may be done in an agile manner. In the first instance, please contact the vacancy holder to discuss how such arrangements could be accommodated (where applicable). 

Counter Terrorism Policing recruitment is open to all, but we are keen to positively support those who are younger in service to join into our specialist environment.

Click the apply now button below and start your career at the Met. Applications will be via a detailed CV, Personal Statement and online application form. Your CV should set out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.  Your Personal Statement should demonstrate how you will meet the criteria for this role. This should be no more than two pages long.  (NB. Please do not attach 2 copies of your CV).

Completed applications must be submitted by 10th February 2023.

We view diversity as fundamental to our success. To tackle today’s complex policing challenges, we need a workforce made up from all of London’s communities. Applications from across the community are therefore essential.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer the Met have committed to ensuring that disabled people and those with long-term health conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.

www.metpolicecareers.co.uk

Who you are

We are seeking a creative and inclusive leader, who shares our commitment to unlocking the power of science and technology to advance public safety and save lives.

Essential

  • Expert-level depth and breadth of technical, scientific or academic knowledge in any research domain.
  • Deep understanding of the UK and international scientific and technical community, including familiarity with research collaboration and transfer agreements/protocols.
  • Leadership experience in commissioning research and development activity to organisational and operational requirements.
  • Expert skills in deriving non-technical ‘mission’ or outcome-driven business requirements and translation to a clear and actionable scientific and technical research and development plan.
  • Substantial experience in managing projects and strategic leadership of high-performing teams, including mobilising staff and resources from other teams and budgets.
  • Ability to achieve influence with senior operational leaders and officials.
  • Demonstrable ability to set a strategic vision and to communicate complex subject matter with clarity and brevity to a wide audience.
  • Ability to understand, explain and navigate ethical issues in relation to science and technology within the policing and national security domains.

Desirable

  • Expertise or experience in at least two other relevant research, science or technology domains.
  • Experience in law enforcement, defence or national security.
  • Experience in applying assurance, verification/validation or benchmarking in technical capabilities.

Disability Confident Statement 

The Met is committed to being an inclusive employer with 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 ethnic minority groups and females.

As a Disability Confident employer, the Met has committed to making disability equality part of our everyday practice. We ensure that people with disabilities and those with long term health conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations. If you consider yourself to have access, workplace or reasonable adjustment requirements that need to be accommodated, we ask that you include this information within your application form. All matters will be treated in strict confidence and will not affect any recruitment decisions.

Read our full disability confidence statement.

Disability Confident Employer

This opportunity is closed to applications.