Deputy Chief Firearms Instructor

National Crime Agency; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 2,700 - 3,300; Full time

Job summary

The National Crime Agency is recruiting a Deputy Chief Firearms Instructor to support the design, development and delivery of armed officer training across the UK. You will work with the Armed Operations Unit to enhance surveillance and intervention training, influence policy on people development and inclusion, and ensure alignment with national guidelines.

You will travel to various locations and may stay away from home overnight as part of national responsibilities, contributing to a

Qualifications

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills at all levels.
• Proven leadership and team management in armed policing contexts.
• Recent training or operational experience in armed policing or covert policing.

Responsibilities

• Assist the CFI in managing firearms training with national responsibilities.
• Enhance culture within Armed Policing teams, supporting operational and training outcomes.
• Ensure training delivery complies with NCA policy, APP AP and NPFTC.
• Manage training budget in collaboration with CFI and L&D; engage with venues and procurement.
• Maintain health and safety standards and track training records.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Operational Delivery

Training

Problem Solving

Time Management

Team Work

Relationship Management

Experience with AFO/APP NPFTC

Education

D13.2 Enhanced First Aid

NVQ Level 2 in Managing Health & Safety

PTLLS or higher teaching qualification

Job description

RRA - Recruitment and Retention Allowance (Per Annum)

£ 3,000

G4

Contract type Permanent

Command Investigations

Business Area OIC, SOU & Multi-Threat & Borders (London)

Type of role Education and Training, Investigation, Operational Delivery, Policing

Working pattern Full time

Number of roles available 1

Deputy Chief Firearms Instructor

Location(s)

Birmingham, Gillingham, Normanton (Calder), Slough, Tolworth, Warrington

About the Role

Information about the Command

Investigations Command is the core crime fighting capability of the NCA. We take an intelligence-led approach and concentrate on tackling the criminals and risks to the public which are beyond the capability or capacity of other law enforcement bodies. Our work is largely focused on investigating Organised Immigration Crime, Human Trafficking, Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Economic Crime, Firearms, Drugs, Kidnap and Extortion and Money Laundering. The Investigations Commandprovides a flexible, shared operational capability, designed to maximise the impact of the UK's collective resources against serious and organised crime. Our teams respond to a broad range of threats, many of which also remain a responsibility for police forces and other agencies as well as private industry.

Information about the Business Area

This DD area incorporates our response to organised immigration crime (OIC), the Command's London-based multi-threat and borders teams, and the Special Operations Unit (SOU).

Role Summary As Deputy Chief Firearms Instructor (DCFI) you will assist and support the design, development and delivery of NCA armed officer training, with specific regard to the Armed Operations Unit (AOU) niche capability of armed surveillance and armed intervention from a surveillance platform, Firearms Command training and Post Incident Management training across the wider NCA.

Role Description

As Deputy Chief Firearms Instructor (DCFI) for the NCA you will be directly assisting the Chief Firearms Instructor (CFI) in the managing of a firearms training team with national responsibilities and with the niche capability of armed surveillance. You will play a key role within the Special Operations Unit Senior Management Team, shaping policy with regards to a number of matters including people, development, equality diversity and inclusion. Crucially you will be pivotal in enhancing the culture within the Armed Policing teams – both operational and training and maintaining successful working relationships between the two departments. You will ensure that all training within your area of responsibility is delivered in accordance with NCA policy and guidance, the authorised training planner and the agreed Armed Policing Role Profiles. You will ensure that NCA Armed Policing training is compliant with national policy and guidelines relating to the delivery of firearms training, through the annual College of Policing Firearms Licensing process.

As Deputy Chief Firearms Instructor, the successful candidate will be required to travel to various locations across the UK and may occasionally be required to stay away from home overnight.

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership Assist the CFI in the management of firearms training team with national responsibilities and with the niche capability of armed surveillance delivering people, development, equality, diversity and inclusion.

Management Team Member Crucially you will be pivotal in enhancing the culture within the Armed Policing team both operational and training and maintaining successful working relationships between the two departments.

Policy and compliance Ensure training delivery is compliant with NCA policy, Authorised Professional Practice Armed Policing (APP AP) and the National Police Firearms Training Curriculum (NPFTC).

Assurance Assure training and delivery in accordance with NCA Policy, APP AP and NPFTC.

Health and Safety Ensure training is delivered in accordance with NCA policy, APP AP and NPFTC.

Manage the Firearms Training Budget Together with the CFI and L&D manage the training budget, making cost savings when appropriate. Engage with commercial when booking venues and procurement. Maintain Professional Qualifications PPST, NFI, NVQ Teaching diplomas, PTLLS, ASO, Q1.

Person Specification

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Communication Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to engage effectively at all levels.

Leadership Inspires excellence in others and demonstrates values for others to adopt and follow.

Operational Delivery Recent training/operational experience in an armed policing or covert policing role is essential.

Training Effectively plans, delivers and manages training.

Problem Solving Using logic and imagination to make sense of a situation and find an intelligent solution.

Time Management Experience of managing staff, overseeing training records, ensuring staff maintain operational competence.

Team Work Works effectively with others to focus on and achieve joint outcomes, rather than individual goals.

Relationship Management Develops and maintains positive relationships with internal and/or external stakeholders in order to achieve stakeholder needs and business objectives.

Experience A National Police Firearms Instructor with in depth knowledge of Armed Policing Authorised Professional Practice (APP) and the National Policing Firearms Training Curriculum (NPFTC).

You must meet the essential criteria and evidence this within your application to be considered for the role.

Entry Requirements

Essential Accreditation

Are you currently accredited as a Deputy Chief Firearms Instructor (College of Policing standard) and a National Firearms Instructor (College of Policing standard)?

Surveillance Qualification/Experience

You must meet one of the following criteria

Qualified and accredited Surveillance Operative to College of Policing Q1/Q100 standards; or

Qualified and accredited to the College of Policing Surveillance Firearms Integrated Course (SFIC) to Q8/Q800 standards; or

Have significant experience managing the delivery of training for Q1/Q100 or Q8/Q800 standards.

Training, First Aid and Health & Safety Qualifications

You must hold all of the following

D13.2 Enhanced First Aid qualification;

NVQ Level 2 in Managing Health & Safety (or recognised equivalent, e.g. IOSH Managing Safely);

PTLLS qualification (or equivalent/higher teaching qualification).

Any applications from candidates not meeting this eligibility criteria will not progress.

Desirable criteria are only used for assessment in the event of a tie break.

Externally awarded assessor qualification level 4.
Firearms Commander (OFC, TAC or PIM).

Operational Role Salary Information This role attracts a SPOT Rate salary. SPOT Rate offers a progressive increase in pay to reflect the skills and experience of the officer.

All NCA employees are members of the UK Civil Service and eligible for the Civil Service pension scheme, alongside your salary the NCA contributes £16,086. 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
• 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)

This vacancy is using the Success Profiles framework and will assess using the following criteria: Behaviours, Experience

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:

Please include your full career history, training, qualifications, key responsibilities, and achievements. Explain any employment gaps in the last two years. Ensure all accreditation dates are accurate.

Details of what is expected within your CV is as follows: Please upload a CV no more than 2 pages, Font size 11. Your CV should demonstrate how you meet the outlined essential criteria and person specification listed on the advert. All accreditation, qualification and certification dates may be subject to verification.

Experience Criteria - will be assessed by 250word examples on:

• Recent proven experience of training Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO's) in the following tactics; deals with subjects on foot, vehicles and within structures as set out in NPFTC Modules.
• A clear theoretical and practical working knowledge of the current National Police Firearms Training Curriculum (NPFTC) and Authorised Professional Practice Armed Policing (APP AP)
• Experience in improving culture within a team and measuring its success.

A panel will assess how well your application demonstrates the requirements outlined above.

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.

- Recent proven experience of training Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO's) in the following tactics; deals with subjects on foot, vehicles and within structures as set out in NPFTC Modules..

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.

The format of this assessment will be Interview which will be tested on the criteria listed in the Success Profiles at Assessment section.

• Recent proven experience of training Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO's) in the following tactics; deals with subjects on foot, vehicles and within structures as set out in NPFTC Modules.
• A clear theoretical and practical working knowledge of the current National Police Firearms Training Curriculum (NPFTC) and Authorised Professional Practice Armed Policing (APP AP)
• Experience in improving culture within a team and measuring its success.

Assessment Outcome

Outcomes 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:

• Lead criteria (behaviours/technical/experience)
• If still tied, desirable criteria will be assessed (if advertised)
• 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.

Eligibility, Pre-Employment Check and Vetting

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 British
• 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)
• 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

You will be required to participate in digital right to work and address checks as part of the recruitment process.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is SC Enhanced. All security clearances will be managed by the NCA.