Assistant Portfolio Director - Prevention and Deterrence (Secondment)

HMICFRS independently assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces and fire and rescue services – in the public interest. We promote improvements in policing and fire and rescue services to make everyone safer.

We are independent of the Government, police and fire and rescue services. We ask the questions that we believe the public wish to have answered and produce major reports that shine a light on issues at the very heart of policing and fire and rescue services.

Our reports are widely covered by the media and help inform the public of the performance of their local police forces and fire and rescue services. You can find out more about HMICFRS on our website and see some of our recent reports.

Working at HMICFRS gives you an opportunity to make a real difference to the quality of local police and fire and rescue services and the lives of the public.

HMICFRS is a unique organisation with staff seconded or loaned from across the Civil Service, police forces and fire and rescue services. We set ourselves high standards, taking great pride in the quality of work we achieve and the opportunities we create for our staff.

Find out more

We are holding two dial-in Teams sessions about these roles, where you can hear more about them, and ask questions. These will be on Monday 2 November 2026 from 9am – 10am; and Monday 9 November 16:30 -17:00.

Access the links below to reserve your spot:

2 Nov from 9:00am: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/assistant-portfolio-director-prevention-deterrence-safeguarding-tickets-2003830428754?aff=oddtdtcreator

9 Nov from 16:00pm: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/assistant-portfolio-director-prevention-deterrence-safeguarding-tickets-2003831718612?aff=oddtdtcreator

If you would like to talk to someone about this role and what it’s like working for HMICFRS we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact recruitment@hmicfrs.gov.uk and we can arrange for someone to contact you.

The PEEL portfolio team leads the inspection of police forces to assess police effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy (PEEL). We report on these aspects of policing at a force level, as well as drawing out national themes in thematic reports.

Through this work, making evidenced based observations and assessments, you will be driving real improvements in the overall safety and performance of our police services.

Working as an Assistant Portfolio Director (APD), you will play a leading role in the design, planning, analysis, delivery and reporting of our PEEL force inspections. You will be required to lead large, complex or high-risk elements of the PEEL programme and have lead responsibility for prevention and deterrence.

You will work closely with linked key stakeholders such as the Home Office, College of Policing and NPCC leads to collaboratively drive policing improvements.

Additionally, you will lead on a number of allocated corporate responsibilities on behalf of the team.

We are looking for talented individuals who have the drive, enthusiasm and skills to be part of HMICFRS. You will need to be inquisitive and have the ability to assess data and performance objectively. You will be expected to form constructive relationships that will enable you to work closely with those we inspect, providing challenge, and identifying areas for improvement and to share best practice.

This role is open only to serving police officers or police staff equivalents.

The role will involve some travel and overnight stays.

Due to business requirements, this role is only available on a full-time basis.

Responsibilities

• Design, plan, and implement the PEEL Assessment framework for your subject matter area.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships across government and with local and national policing agencies, including convening External Reference Groups as required.
• Lead and manage small teams of associate inspectors and inspection officers, as required.
• Undertake inspection activity, including leading interviews, focus groups and reality testing, and making judgments as required.
• Identify and analyse national themes, using evidence to draw conclusions, make meaningful recommendations and track improvements.
• Undertake high quality research, prepare briefings and respond to correspondence for and on behalf of HMICFRS.
• Research and draft bespoke subject matter area reports to address specific issues and areas of particular public interest
• Deputise, if required, for the Deputy Portfolio Director, including chairing and/or representing HMICFRS at meetings, and presenting and explaining the inspection programme and its findings to internal and external partners
• Take an active role in managing and developing staff, including using mentoring and coaching techniques
• Have a number of corporate responsibilities commensurate with the role.

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 vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete:

• A Personal Statement (750 words maximum).
• Evidence of the Behaviours: Making Effective Decisions (Lead Behaviour)

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please ensure you reference in your personal statement which force you are currently employed with. Failure to make this clear in your application form may result in your application being withdrawn.

The first stage of the sift will be carried out on your personal statement which should be aligned to the essential criteria. If you do not meet the essential criteria, your application will not progress further. For those who do meet the essential criteria, their application may progress to the second stage of the sift process.

The second stage of sift is based on the lead behaviour Making Effective Decisions, with a word limit of 250 words set as part of the written application process.

Please note that evidence of the other four behaviours listed in the advert is not required as part of your written application. If you are successful at the paper sift stage, all behaviours listed in the advert, and experience based on the essential criteria stated in the advert, will be tested at interview.

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

Sift and Interview dates

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

Sift – week commencing 16th November 2026

Interviews by video link (MS Teams) – week commencing 7th December 2026

Further information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

These are Remote Access worker posts. These posts will be attached to one of the office locations mentioned in the advert. Remote Access workers, as part of the secondment will not be entitled to London Weighting Allowance. You will be required to attend HMICFRS offices or other locations on a regular basis and your travel, accommodation and subsistence costs will be reimbursed according to HMICFRS policy.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct.

If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Behavioural statements

You need to provide specific examples of when you have demonstrated particular skills or qualities for each of the five Civil Service behaviours listed. Your examples must also show how you meet the Essential criteria and skills listed in the job description.

We recommend that you use the Situation, Task, Action and Result (STAR) method to help make sure your examples are clear and highlight your skills and qualities. Each example should set out what you have done, how you completed the task and the results of this action to allow the panel to assess how you meet the required behaviours.

Please make sure you have provided sufficient information – it is not enough to submit a list of bullet points. Please refer to the Success Profiles (opens in a new window) to make sure you are familiar with what is required for each behaviour. You will not be expected to meet every single aspect of every behaviour, but must show a good range or depth for each behaviour to be successful at the sift stage.

Candidates judged to be a near miss at interview may be offered a post at the grade below the one advertised without the need to go through a further selection process, providing the role has the same Success Profiles elements and essential skills.

Further Information for secondment; if remote working only

These are Remote Access worker posts. These posts will be attached to one of the office locations. Remote Access workers, as part of the secondment will not be entitled to London Weighting Allowance. You will be required to attend HMICFRS offices or other locations on a regular basis, and your travel, accommodation and subsistence costs will be reimbursed according to HMICFRS policy.

These roles are open only to currently serving police officers or staff equivalent.

Secondees can be appointed to HMICFRS for a maximum of 4 years – this includes new and previous postings.

Candidates who have served for the maximum tenure length, cannot be reappointed for 12 months from the date their previous secondment ended.

Candidates will need their Force to complete the Approval Form (see attachment), Please return your completed approval from to HMICFRS Recruitment mailbox recruitment@hmicfrs.gov.uk. This should be sent before the advert closing date. Without this form supporting your application and confirming release for secondment we cannot proceed with your application.

Allowances:

Your full-time employer will continue to pay your salary as well as any allowances including compensatory grants and pension contributions to which you are entitled. Your force will then invoice HMICFRS for the amount. While on secondment, you will be entitled to a central service allowance of £1,260 per annum (non-pensionable).

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Plagiarism

The ideas and experience provided by candidates during the recruitment process must be their own. Where plagiarism has been identified (which could include content generated by Artificial Intelligence), candidate applications may be rejected. Existing Civil Servants found to have plagiarised may be subject to disciplinary action.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

• as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

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