7345: Head of Leadership and Progression Standards

Strong leadership has never been more important for policing. Recent findings from the Police Leadership Commission highlighted the need to strengthen leadership standards, professional development and progression pathways across policing, describing this as the most comprehensive examination of police leadership in a generation.

Reporting to the Director of Leadership and Workforce Development, you will play a leading role in shaping leadership capability, progression standards and professional development across policing at a time of significant reform and transformation. This includes supporting the College's response to the recommendations of the Police Leadership Commission and helping to deliver key elements of the wider Police Reform agenda.

This is a rare opportunity to influence how current and future leaders are developed, supported and progressed throughout their careers. Working with senior stakeholders across policing, government and the wider public sector, you will help strengthen professional standards, improve leadership capability and contribute to a trusted and effective police service for the future. ​

About us

Our mission is: Leadership, Standards, Performance. This guides our work with individuals, forces, and policing partners towards our vision. We exist to support police officers, police staff and volunteers to deliver the best service to the public. Only through high quality leadership, consistent standards and continual performance improvement can everyone in policing reach their full potential. Our mission guides our work with individual, forces and partners towards our vision.

We are uniquely placed to work both with national policing organisations and local forces to support frontline officers, staff and volunteers in their day-to-day roles.

A new National Police Service (NPS), will bring together existing national policing bodies under a single organisation with a clear mandate. The Police Reform White Paper, published in January 2026, confirmed that the College will move into the NPS "in its entirety", ensuring that the leadership, standards and performance work the College has led since 2012 will continue within the NPS.

We offer a supportive and inclusive environment for people to thrive through our extensive flexible-working policy, employee wellbeing support, family friendly policies,, and status as a disability confident leader.

For further information visit our ‘Work for us’ page.

The Head of Leadership and Progression Standards is a senior national leadership role within the College of Policing's Leadership and Workforce Development Directorate. The role combines strategic leadership with national influence and is responsible for driving work that strengthens leadership capability, progression standards and workforce development across policing.

As Senior Responsible Owner for the National Centre for Police Leadership, the postholder will play a key role in shaping programmes and initiatives that support the development of future police leaders. Success will depend on the ability to work across complex organisational boundaries, build strong strategic relationships and deliver outcomes through collaboration and influence. The role requires engagement with senior leaders across policing, government and partner organisations, often in areas where priorities and perspectives differ.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• 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) (opens in a new window)
• 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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

​​This post is open to applicants who can meet the College’s nationality, UK residency and vetting requirements.​

Vacancy Reference: 7345

Remuneration: Tier 2-21 (£82,880)

Hours: 37hours per week /Full-time

Appointment: Permanent

Location: Homeworking with regular travel across England and Wales

Timetable

Closing date for applications: 2 December 2026

Shortlisting: w/c 7 December 2026

Candidates notified w/c 7 December 2026

Virtual stakeholder panel: 16 December 2026

Interview and presentation: 12 January 2027 at 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London E14 4PU

Applicants must:

• Be able to demonstrate substantial experience operating at a senior leadership level within policing, the wider public sector or another similarly complex, regulated and publicly accountable environment
• Have a track record of leading strategic change and influencing organisational outcomes across complex systems and multiple stakeholders.
• Be able to evidence significant experience of senior stakeholder engagement and partnership working.
• Be eligible to work in the United Kingdom.
• Be willing and able to undertake travel across England and Wales as required by the role.
• This role is offered on a permanent basis.
• Be able to satisfy the vetting requirements for the role. The successful candidate will be required to obtain and maintain NPPV2 and CTC clearance. Where these clearances are not already held, vetting will be progressed following appointment.
• The College of Policing is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of background, identity or personal characteristics.

Informal Conversations and Application Process

If you would like an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact Zoe Reeve. We will endeavour to accommodate all requests, subject to demand and availability.

Please ensure you return your completed CV and Application/Question Form via email to SeniorRecruitmentApplications@college.police.uk

Due to our status as Public Servants, we are not eligible to participate in the Civil Service transfer process. Therefore, while successful candidates can transfer into the organisation on their existing terms and conditions, any move back to the Civil Service may mean that continuity of service is not automatically recognised by the receiving department, and new starter or modernised terms and conditions may apply, subject to the receiving department's policies and arrangements. However, employees who move directly to a Civil Service department without a break in service may retain continuity of service for redundancy and pension purposes.

Any previous service with local government or other external Modification Order bodies will not be carried forward or count when calculating redundancy entitlement.

The College is committed to supporting the Greening Government Commitment and reducing our environmental impact. Through our Environmental Management Plan, we promote sustainable ways of working and provide electric vehicle charging points to support greener travel choices. We also encourage employees to become Environment Champions and support our One Step Greener approach, helping to create a better future for everyone.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.