Head of Digital Forensics

Job Title: Head of Digital Forensics

Salary: The starting salary is £90,336, which includes allowances totalling £2,928.

The salary is broken down as £87,408 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale £96,341.  Plus, a location allowance of £1,928 and a non-pensionable allowance of £1,000.

Location: Lambeth

The Head of Digital Forensic Services provides overall leadership and management of the MET Digital Forensic capabilities, providing strategic direction on the development and application of forensic digital techniques, ensuring the provision of an effective, efficient and comprehensive service, further to increase the capacity and contribution of Digital Forensic Services to tackle crime and criminality in London.

You will be responsible for the day to day delivery of these services within the Forensic Quality Management System ensuring that they meet the requirements of the Forensic Science Regulator’s Codes of Practice and Conduct (and MPS Standards of Conduct), as well as compliance with legal, ethical and professional requirements set by the MPS and relevant external bodies.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the strategic development of the vision and objectives for MPS Digital Forensics, ensuring strategic alignment with the New Met for London (NMFL) Strategy objectives and priorities
• Lead, manage and coordinate the efficient and effective provision and delivery of Digital Forensic services with responsibility for establishing customer requirements and implementing an effective performance framework for operational delivery taking into account demand, capacity, service levels and quality required
• To provide oversight and ensure the effective integration of in-house and external provision of digital forensic services.
• To lead and oversee the transformation of Digital Forensics associated with the introduction of digital workflows and a Case Management System. To ensure efficiency and effectiveness is optimised while maintaining quality standards in new ways of working.
•  To provide oversight and ensure the effective integration of Digital Forensic services with other operational forensic services (Biometrics, Physical and Front Line) to maximise efficient and effective operational activity.
• To ensure the effective integration of Digital Forensic services with policing investigations, working with senior leaders to develop efficient and effective interactions

• To ensure that Digital Forensic activity is focused on the requirements and experiences of victims, and a strategic approach to ensuring the interests of victims are taken into account in the approach, policy design and delivery of Digital Forensic Services.
• Responsible for the professional development of digital staff ensuring that the skill base and achievement of competence provides the capability needed to deliver services, and that those staff who act as expert witnesses within the Criminal Procedure Rules discharge their duty within the criminal law efficiently and effectively.
• Proactively manage the performance, attendance and wellbeing of police staff and officers  against the required standards to ensure they are dealt with and supported in accordance with the correct policies and procedures, acknowledging that  the nature of the work and investigations makes it likely that staff and officers will be exposed to emotionally stressful material and images.
• Take responsibility for ensuring the strategic response, formulation and implementation of policy, procedures and guidelines for all aspects of work to satisfy, Forensic Science Regulator Codes 17025 and ISO 17020 requirements in order to comply with relevant legislation.
• Ensure the completion of audit & inspection processes and the investigation and  resolution of complaints. Identifying quality of service issues including any inefficient equipment, practices or procedures, identifying potential improvements, to maintain and improve quality of service.
• Provide the role as MET SPOC in relation to relevant developments in Digital Forensic Investigations advising Chief Officer Teams and other SLT members, making recommendations that will lead to continuous improvement in the quality of investigations, and provide direction and delivery in relation to policies and procedures.
• To define the future requirements of Digital Forensics, and to ensure effective integration of these requirements with the work of the Continuous Improvement Team, both in delivering continuous improvement and in setting the user requirements for innovation in this area.
• Ensure the compliance of Digital Forensics systems with relevant legislation, data standards, Authorised Professional Practice (APP), ethical considerations and the requirements for effective investigation, to satisfy the requirements of the public and law enforcement.
• Ensure that Digital Forensics activity is transparent and proportionate and compliant with the requirements of the public, developing, shaping and articulating the MPS’s position to ensure the most effective use of Digital Forensics in support of investigations.
• Ensure that Service Level Agreements relevant to Digital Forensics activity are maintained and subject to periodic review, such that these agreements can be effectively managed by the Head of People, Professionalism and Compliance.
• Ensure that management information is developed, compiled and assessed in relation to the performance and productivity of all elements of Digital Forensics and ensure appropriate progress is made against Service Level Agreements.
• Identify major programmes of change and promote best practice across the MET and nationally, ensuring MET is represented and at the forefront of future developments to processes, systems and technology in respect of Digital Forensics. Working with partners and representing the Force at a regional and national level (e.g. Transforming Forensics / Police Digital Services).
• To ensure the efficient and effective use of resources/assets within the business group including buildings, equipment and other installations in line with MPS policy.
• To act as budget holder for digital services ensuring that finances are managed effectively and within the agreed budget.

Key Result Areas

1. Operational Delivery: Ensure that the appropriate resources are maintained across the MPS to deliver Digital Forensic services. Taking into account that investigations must be conducted in full compliance with MPS Policy, NPCC Guidance, PACE, CPIA, RIPA and ECHR legislation. And to ensure delivery of outcomes against Key Performance Indicators defined within Service Level Agreements; by the accurate prioritisation and delivery of services within budget (£36m).
2. Capability Building: Build the capabilities in respect of Digital Forensic services, including the identification and development of effectiveness and efficiency improvements. In order to ensure the capabilities are developed to meet the changing and growing operational needs. Requires working with national bodies, MPS units, Forensic Services’ continuous improvements and environmental scanning to identify the future needs.
3. Accreditation & Professional development: Achievement of accreditation to ISO17020 &17025 in digital forensics in order to meet Regulator’s and legislative requirements.  By ensuring professional development plans are in place to maintain competence across the unit. Further that all digital evidence produced is presented in a quality management system (QMS) to maximise impact within the Criminal Justice System (CJS).
4. Forensics Change: Ensure that Forensic Services changes and develops to keep pace with the needs of the Criminal Justice System and the needs of victims. Working with Forensics SLT to prioritise and deliver technology projects and infrastructure investment.
5. People: Ensure that staff welfare and training programmes are in place, to achieve quality service delivery in a rapidly changing area of technology and taking into account the specific welfare risks presented by some of the materials Digital Forensics staff & officers can be exposed to. By developing for Digital Forensics an effective people strategy that is complementary to the overall Forensic Services strategy.

Scope for Impact

• Owns the Met’s Digital Forensics capability
• Responsible for operational delivery and strategic direction of Digital Forensics
• Responsible for setting the standard for digital forensics practitioners in the MPS, aligned to regulator standards
• Influence MPS senior leaders to see the role of digital forensics in policing
• Influence the MPS strategy and direction for digital investigations
• Influence the national digital forensics strategy, representing the MPS at NPCC working groups

 Dimensions

• Responsible for managing 450 staff/ officers (may grow further)
• Responsible for department budget of £36M
• Responsible for significant volume of casework (60k+ devices per annum)
• Responsible for MPS strategy and development of Digital Forensics capabilities

Position has a national and international role in influencing the use of digital forensic capabilities in law enforcement

Selection process

Please note this application process will consist of three stages

1) Submission of application, CV and personal statement.  Your personal statement must provide a summary of your suitability for the role, a statement of intent and demonstration of the Competency and Values Framework (CVF) at level 3 for the following competencies: We are Innovative and Open Minded, We Collaborate.  Personal statement must not exceed x2 pages A4, please use arial font 10.

Successful candidates will then be invited to undertake the following panels:

2) People Panel: Applicants will be invited to meet, interact with and deliver a presentation (topic/details to be provided prior to panel) to representative staff and officers from the organisation. 

3) Senior Leader Interview panel: Applicants will be invited to an interview panel based on the Met principles and values with Senior Leaders from the department/organisation.  Full details will be provided at invitation stage.

Please note stages 2 & 3 may take place on separate days.

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. 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/or Personal Statement.

Completed applications must be submitted by 23:55 on 21st December 2025.

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 2 to 3 after the closing date.

Following application review, successful candidates will be invited to interview. Interview dates will commence 2-4 weeks after hiring manager review.

www.metpolicecareers.co.uk