Forensic Area Manager

Staffordshire Police; Lichfield; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme - 21.5% contribution

Generous holiday entitlement

Flexible / Agile Working

Sick pay scheme

Training and development opportunities

Onsite gyms

Cycle to work scheme

Free Parking at selected sites

Eye care vouchers

Car lease scheme

Job summary

Staffordshire Police is seeking a Forensic Area Manager to lead frontline forensic services across Staffordshire, delivering operational, strategic and technical leadership within the Forensics leadership team.

You will deputise for the Forensic Investigation Manager, ensure compliance with the FSR Code and ISO/IEC 17020, develop staff capability and drive improvement across forensic investigation functions, in a high‑performing, regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading forensic or scientific teams.
• Proven ability to manage change and deliver improvements.
• Strong knowledge of governance and regulatory compliance.
• Experience supporting serious or complex investigations.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop high-performing forensic teams across Staffordshire.
• Provide operational leadership for forensic investigation services.
• Support major, serious and complex investigations.
• Act as Technical Manager for accredited scene examination activities.
• Ensure compliance with FSR Code and ISO/IEC 17020 requirements.
• Oversee governance, audit, risk and continuous improvement.
• Lead organisational change, innovation and service development projects.
• Manage resources, budgets and demand.
• Develop staff capability through coaching and mentoring.
• Build relationships with stakeholders locally, regionally and nationally.
• Deputise for the Forensic Investigation Manager when required.

Skills

Team leadership

Forensic/Science background

Change management

Quality management systems

Investigations experience

Stakeholder management

Job description

Contract Type Full Time Permanent

Staffordshire Police is continually striving to deliver the best possible service for the county’s residents, businesses and visitors. It is a fast-paced organisation, adaptive to modern policing needs and open to continual improvement.

Job Title Forensic Area Manager

Grade H £47,046 Min - £54,696 Max

Location Smithfield or Lichfield

Contract Type Full Time Permanent

Staffordshire Police is continually striving to deliver the best possible service for the county’s residents, businesses and visitors. It is a fast-paced organisation, adaptive to modern policing needs and open to continual improvement.

Everyone who works for the force has an important role to play in shaping the future of Staffordshire Police. The force seeks people who will champion new ways of working, be collaborative and agile and represent in a fair and ethical manner those that Staffordshire Police serves.

For more information about Staffordshire Police please click the below link:

Home | Staffordshire Police

About The Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity to join Staffordshire Police as a Forensic Area Manager, a senior leadership position within the Forensic Investigation Unit.

As a key member of the Forensics leadership team, you will lead the delivery and development of frontline forensic services across Staffordshire, providing operational, strategic and technical leadership to forensic investigation functions.

Reporting directly to the Forensic Investigation Manager, you will be responsible for ensuring forensic services are delivered safely, effectively and professionally whilst maintaining compliance with the Forensic Science Regulator's statutory Code, ISO/IEC 17020 accreditation requirements and force quality standards. You will also act as deputy to the Forensic Investigation Manager.

This role provides a unique opportunity to influence force-wide forensic strategy, shape future forensic capability and lead Organisational improvement within a modern forensic environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading and developing high-performing forensic teams.
• Providing operational leadership for forensic investigation services.
• Supporting major, serious and complex investigations.
• Acting as Technical Manager for accredited incident scene examination activities.
• Ensuring compliance with the FSR Code and ISO/IEC 17020 requirements.
• Managing governance, audit, risk and continuous improvement activity.
• Leading organisational change, innovation and service development projects.
• Managing resources, budgets and operational demand.
• Developing staff capability through coaching, mentoring and professional development.
• Building effective stakeholder relationships locally, regionally and nationally.
• Deputising for the Forensic Investigation Manager when required.

What We’re Looking For

• Significant experience within a forensic, scientific or comparable operational environment.
• Experience of leading and developing high-performing teams.
• A proven ability to manage change and deliver service improvement.
• Strong knowledge of quality management systems, governance and regulatory compliance.
• Experience supporting serious, complex or high-profile investigations.
• Excellent communication, leadership and stakeholder management skills.Strong analytical and decision-making capability.

Why Join Us?

This is a rare opportunity to help shape the future of forensic services within Staffordshire Police. You will join a professional and ambitious leadership team committed to delivering high-quality forensic services that support investigations, strengthen public confidence and contribute directly to the administration of justice.

Additional Information

This is a highly specialised role operating within a regulated forensic environment. Applicants should clearly demonstrate relevant technical, operational and leadership experience within their application.

Further details of the key tasks, responsibilities can be found within the role profile.

Closing date: Friday 20th November 2026 at Midday

Interview and Presentation date: To be Confirmed

In addition to your salary, you will have access to a range of benefits including:

• Pension Scheme - Employers Pension contribution 21.5% Staffordshire Pension Fund - Staffordshire Pension Fund - Home (staffspf.org.uk)
• Generous holiday entitlement, plus Bank Holidays.
• Flexible / Agile Working
• Sick pay scheme
• Fostering friendly policy
• Family friendly policies – maternity, paternity, parental leave, adoption, disability leave and carers leave
• Access to health and wellbeing support
• Eye care vouchers
• On site Gyms
• Staff associations
• Reward and Recognition
• Blue light Card
• Flexible working options
• Training and development opportunities
• Car lease scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free Parking at selected sites
• Onsite catering facilities
• Access to Staff Networks
• Union support
• Financial products and services

Please note that applications are welcomed from all suitably qualified/experienced individuals. However prior consideration will be given to applications from individuals who are ‘at risk’ and employed by Staffordshire Police. If an appointment is made from that at risk group, the post may be withdrawn. In this event, a representative from the People Services team will notify any affected applicants.

Staffordshire Police is fully supportive of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and strives to employ a workforce that represents the community we serve.

Our vacancies are open to everyone and all appointments are made based on merit. We encourage and welcome applications from all underrepresented groups which include: Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, female, people who have a disability, those who are neurodivergent and persons of the LGBTQ+ community.

We use positive action to encourage potential candidates from underrepresented groups through targeted step-In support and advice sessions. If you have the skills, experience and values, that here in Staffordshire Police we pride ourselves on, then we would welcome you to apply.

For more information on Positive Action please email the team on [e-mail]. For any Recruitment queries please email [e-mail].

Residency Eligibility

Please note you will need to have been a resident in the UK for the last three years consecutively for RV Level roles and five years for MV Level roles (see below link around Vetting for more information).

Please Note If You Are Successful At Interview And Commence Pre-employment Checks This Will Include Vetting, Please See What This Involves And The Process Via The Below Link.

Police vetting process | Join The Police (joiningthepolice.co.uk)