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Operations Manager - Investigations, MT&B
National Crime Agency
·
3.0
Chelmsford
•
Hybrid work
Fixed term contract, Full-time
Apply on company site

Job details

Here’s how the job details align with your profile.

Job type

Fixed term contract
Full-time

Benefits

Pulled from the full job description
Annual leave
Company pension
Cycle to work scheme
Discounted gym membership

Full job description

Apply before

04/10/2026, 23:55

Reference number

982

Salary

£57687

London weighting allowance (Per Annum)

£4379

South East weighting allowance (Per Annum)

£3504

Role grade
G3
Contract type
Permanent, Fixed Term Appointment, Secondment
Length of employment
24 months
Please note that the Length of Employment does not include those hired on Permanent contracts.
Command
Investigations
Business Area
OIC, SOU & Multi-Threat & Borders (London)
Type of role
Investigation, Operational Delivery, Operational Research, Policing, Risk Management
Working pattern
Full time, Flexible Working
Number of roles available
1

Operations Manager - Investigations, MT&B

Location(s)

Chelmsford

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 Command provides 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 comprises the Command’s national multi-threat teams (in the north, central & Wales, and the south), as well as the Command’s Forensic capability.

Role Summary

NCA 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.

The Investigations Directorate provides a flexible, shared operational capability, designed to maximise the impact of the UK's collective resources against serious and organised crime, and in specialist support of major 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.



Role Description

Operation managers are responsible for managing and leading officers investigating serious and organised crime. Successful candidates will manage a team of investigators so will have experience of mentoring and developing staff.

Our teams lead investigations across the Serious and Organised Crime landscape for example; Organised Immigration Crime, Illicit Finance, Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking, Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation, internal Professional Standards, Economic Crime, Firearms, Drugs including County Lines, Anti-Kidnap and Extortion, Professional enablers and Money Laundering.





Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

  • To manage and lead a team responsible for developing and progressing complex investigations through methods including technical and traditional evidential capture, the securing of international evidence where appropriate and case building through to a judicial outcome.

  • To perform the role of Senior Investigating Officer, lead and manage complex investigations and projects to ensure that they are carried out thoroughly in accordance with policy and relevant legislation.

  • Manage change activity and communicate proposed changes with staff and stakeholders.

  • Set and monitor operational performance and ensure that all operations and projects align with strategic objectives, comply with relevant control strategies and oversee the update of risk registers.

  • To build good working relationships with both internal and external partners including other law enforcement agencies.

  • Investigate serious and complex crime against the highest risks and harm posed to our communities in an ethical and lawful manner.

  • Comprehensive understanding and application of Case Decision Log completion.

  • Conduct covert operations both Nationally and Internationally utilising relevant legislation.

  • Completion of detailed risk assessments in support of operational activity.

  • Manage Threats To Life (TTL) situations using the National Decision Making Model and TTL Tracking Document(s).

  • Manage sensitive intelligence products.

  • Plan, prepare and carry out days of action to arrest subjects involved in serious and organised crime

Person Specification

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Changing and improving

Ability to manage change activity and communicate proposed changes with staff and stakeholders.

Communication

Good communication skills with the ability to listen, empathise, provide support and adapt language, form and message to meet the needs of different people and audiences.

Legislation (UK and International law)

An in-depth knowledge and use of relevant legislation (UK and International law) affecting agency activity.

Leadership

Proven experience of successfully leading a team to deliver against operational objectives and performance.

Decision Making

Experience in effective operational and investigative decision making with accountability for decisions made.

Planning

Experience in managing investigations plans and strategies, or financial strategies to maximise disruption outcomes.

Investigation Skills

Understanding the requirement for supervising serious and complex investigations and investigators

An ability to supervise investigations

An ability to supervise and support investigators

Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST)

It is an essential requirement for successful candidates to pass an eight-day Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST). Applicants are urged to consider whether this is achievable prior to applying. The PPST combines cognitive input, armed and unarmed defence theory and practical techniques and, as such, requires a level of physical exertion due to the nature and repetition of the drills. The practical techniques include use of body weapons, movement and positioning, strikes (armed/unarmed) blocks, restraint and control. We will expect officers attending the course to have a standard of physical fitness. Progressive full body warm-ups are conducted each day to minimize risk of injury to the officer. It is expected that the officer is capable of a ground descent and ascent, unaided and within a reasonable timeframe. This is important both individually and in team tactics. Candidates must pass the PPST during the first 6 months of starting in the Investigator role. Failure to do so would mean you would not be able to continue in the operational Investigator role and your employment with the NCA will end. Barring any exceptional circumstances, the NCA would not seek to find you an alternative role within the agency. An officer who passes the PPST will still be required to successfully pass their 12-month probation period to ensure continued employment with the NCA.

Powers:

In order for the NCA Designating Officer to delegate powers to an NCA officer under the Crime and Courts Act, the agency requires that any officer that requires powers for their role is required to pass the NCA Exams within their probationary period. Upon successful completion of all exams an officer will be designated under section 10 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 as a person having the following powers:

  • the powers and privileges of a constable;
  • the powers of an officer of Revenue and Customs;
  • the powers of an immigration officer; and
  • the powers of a general customs official.

Officers joining the agency will be provided with online access revision material and offered classroom based tutorials to support them taking exams.

On-call working
The post holder will be part of a 24/7 on-call rota (1 in 4 weeks on). This is subject to change at management discretion. Officers performing on-call duties will be eligible to receive an on-call allowance

Essential Criteria

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

  • PIP2 Supervisor or equivalent experience
  • Full DVLA Driving Licence (includes Full EU licenses)

Guidance on PIP2 accreditation:

Officers who join the agency without PIP2 Supervisor accreditation will be required to achieve this while in the post. This role may also require the candidates to sit and pass exams.

IMPORTANT - Officers joining with PIP2 Supervisor accreditation are expected to attain PIP2 Manager accreditation within 12 months of joining. Officers joining on a "PIP equivalent" basis are expected to attain PIP2 Manager accreditation within 12 months of attaining PIP2 Supervisor accreditation.

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

Desirable Criteria

Desirable criteria are only used for assessment in the event of a tie break.
Q1 Surveillance trained.
PIP2 Manager

Salary

Allowances are reviewed annually and may be increased, decreased or removed.
All salary offers will be made in line with Remuneration Policy.
  • Roles based in London will receive an additional London Weighting (Per Annum) of £4379
  • Roles based in the South-East will receive an additional South-East Allowance (Per Annum) of £3504

Benefits

All NCA employees are members of the UK Civil Service and eligible for the Civil Service pension scheme, alongside your salary the NCA contributes £16711. 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
  • Housing schemes - Key Worker status
  • 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)

Further information is available on the NCA Website.

Selection Process Details

This vacancy is using the Success Profiles framework and will assess using the following criteria: Behaviours, Experience, Technical Skills
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:
Technical - this will be assessed by 250 word examples on:
  • Understanding the legislative requirements for supervising serious and complex investigations. Including knowledge of legislation relating to the conduct and supervision of investigations, decision making and risk management examples (Lead Criteria)
  • Experience of supervising investigations, including ensuring compliance with legislation and guidance, and overseeing case progression and case files.
  • Ability to effectively communicate and impart information at both managerial and practitioner levels. This may include delivering training, mentoring investigators, and promoting NCA objectives and values.
  • Proven experience of taking steps to improve culture on an individual and team basis.
Experience - This will be assessed:

Statement of Suitability

Please provide a 750 word personal statement demonstrating how you meet the criteria below:

  • Understanding the requirement for supervising serious and complex investigations and investigators
- An ability to supervise investigations
- An ability to lead, support and develop investigators

Please note candidates who are applying who hold relevant accreditation do not need to complete this part - please put N/A in the box provided.

Candidates who are applying via equivalent experience will need to complete and pass this part of the application form for the rest of your application to be considered.

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

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.

For guidance on the application process, visit:
NCA Applying and Onboarding

Assessment 1

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

If you are successful you will be invited to the second assessment.

Assessment 2

The format of this assessment will be Assessment centre (please see attachment for further details) which will be tested on via the details listed below.

As part of the assessment process you will be required to undertake an in person knowledge check.
This is known as the EOKC test and will result in a pass or fail.

Success Profiles at Assessment

Behaviours
  • Leadership
  • Delivering at Pace
Technical
  • Understanding the legislative requirements for supervising serious and complex investigations. Including knowledge of legislation relating to the conduct and supervision of investigations, decision making and risk management examples (Lead Criteria)
  • Experience of supervising investigations, including ensuring compliance with legislation and guidance, and overseeing case progression and case files.
  • Ability to effectively communicate and impart information at both managerial and practitioner levels. This may include delivering training, mentoring investigators, and promoting NCA objectives and values.
  • Proven experience of taking steps to improve culture on an individual and team basis.
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.
We encourage all candidates to visit the NCA Careers Page for more information.

Eligibility, Pre-Employment Check and Vetting

Please see the NCA T&Cs and Privacy Policy (pdf) for details on how your data is handled.
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
Further information on nationality requirements
You will be required to participate in digital right to work and address checks as part of the recruitment process.

Security and Vetting

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.
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.
For more information on security vetting please visit: UK Security Vetting guidance for applicants and Demystifying Vetting and see our vetting charter at: The Vetting Charter.

Vetting requirements - SC Enhanced

Prior to commencing the role, you will need to successfully complete SC Enhanced clearance and then achieve DV Enhanced clearance within the first 12 months in post.
The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
The requirement for DV Enhanced clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 7 of the last 10 years.
Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.
If the increased clearance cannot be obtained you will be moved to a role appropriate to your clearance level achieved on entry.
For further information on National Security Vetting checks please visit the following page Demystifying Vetting
Individuals will be required to undertake and pass a substance misuse test as part of pre-employment checks.

Occupational Health

Successful candidates will be expected to undertake an occupational health assessment. Depending on the role an in-person medical may be required in either London or Warrington. Unfortunately, travel costs will not be reimbursed.

Things you need to know

Operational Roles

The National Crime Agency is a law enforcement agency and as such we are part of the Criminal Justice System. Therefore if you are going into an operational role we need to be aware if any of our officers have, either before they join us or afterwards, any of the following:

Any criminal conviction (including Court Martial), or caution or fixed penalty notice for disorder or theft;
Any adverse judicial findings;
Any charges or summonses where the proceedings are not complete;
Any misconduct or gross misconduct findings or where proceedings are not complete.

You will be asked to complete a declaration covering the above if offered a role with the NCA.

Each case will be considered on its merits and a positive declaration does not automatically mean that your application will not be progressed. However, should you fail to disclose a relevant matter then your application or employment will be adversely affected. If in doubt, please declare it at this stage.

Multi Location

Where multiple locations are advertised, appointments will be made in merit order for each location.

Please indicate up to three location preferences clearly. Only your first three preferences will be considered. You may be allocated to any of the locations you select. If you decline an offer for a location you have selected as a preference, a further offer may not be made.

If you choose to reject an offer and no alternative preferred location can be offered, you will not be able to return to the process or be placed on a reserve list.

Only the advertised locations are available; any additional notes added to the application will not be taken into account.

Near Miss

If you meet the criteria for a lower grade, you may be offered that role if not appointable at the advertised grade.

Conversely, if found appointable at a higher grade but no posts are available, you may be offered a lower-grade role.

All offers are made based on merit.

Hybrid Working

The NCA supports hybrid working. The extent of remote working will depend on the role and can be discussed at the offer stage.

Reasonable Adjustments

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and an inclusive, equal opportunities employer.

We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone can be their authentic self. If you’re neurodiverse, have a disability, or live with a long-term health condition, we encourage you to let us know about any reasonable adjustments you may need during the recruitment process.

If you experience accessibility issues with the advert or require reasonable adjustments, please contact our Recruitment Team at central.recruitment@nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk before the advert closing date.

Please ensure you complete the ‘Equal opportunities’ and 'Reasonable Adjustments' sections in the application form to inform us on what support you may need in the recruitment process.

For more on our Disability Confident commitment, visit Disability Confident Scheme | Civil Service Careers.

Visit NCA Benefits and Support for more details.

Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

In order to monitor the effectiveness of the National Crime Agency's Diversity & Inclusion strategy, we require certain personal details about you on submission of your application for statistical and monitoring purposes only. Please note that this will be treated in confidence and will not impact your application.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit on merit through fair and open competition, in line with the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

If you believe your application has not been treated fairly, email: central.recruitment@nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk (quoting the vacancy reference).
If unresolved, you may escalate your complaint to the Civil Service Commission.

Working for the NCA

The National Crime Agency is a 24/7 organisation, and working patterns must support business requirements. Some roles may require you to respond at short notice or outside of core hours.
If preferable, alternative contract types may be available. Please review the green bar of this advert to view all available contract types for this role. Where Loan or Secondment options are available, these would be for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
If you have any specific queries about the role that are not covered by the advert, please contact:

Name : Central Recruitment Team
Email : central.recruitment@nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk
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