NCA is no doubt a good organisation when you hear of all the things they do, but I get the impression that is all they care about, getting criminals off the street and do not care about their staff in the process or how this is done. The management is extremely poor and there is a continued lack of support from management and other experienced members of staff. I was new to the organisation and joined during Covid, which may have affected my experience. There was a lack of team dynamics and support, felt very alone, was expected to turn up to jobs that I had 0 experience in as no policing background-this is how they recruited at the time as you did not need any prior experience as they look for the behaviours and attributes you show and mould you to fit the role. Anyway, expected to turn up to jobs with 0 support, during training was shadowing what happened when you deploy and search/arrest, was my first time ever being exposed to this. I was assigned a member of the team that was ‘looking after me’, we turn up and obviously it is a high risk environment, the team member I am shadowing just leaves me stood on my own. Other members of the team who I do not know shouting at me telling me to do things when I do not have the training yet so I have to tell them I can’t assist and they ask why am I just standing there when I was only meant to be ‘shadowing’. Very poor transition for those with no experience even though this is something they really promote but I think serious thought needs to be taken to arrange support and mentoring for this which was not seen in my department. You -

Pros

Good salary

Cons

Long hours, overtime, bad work life balance

Was this review helpful?

Investigator - Enjoyable but generally full on role.

Investigator (Former Employee) - South East - 13 May 2022

Coming from a policing background I knew it would a job first commitment. Generally worked alongside committed colleague's. Reduced staffing, overtime, increased my travel and times away from home. Overall a good option that appears to have progression opportunities that I never persued as was happy with my role on the ground floor.

Was this review helpful?

Insights into National Crime Agency

Based on 3 survey responses

What people like

Ability to meet personal goals

Areas for improvement

Time and location flexibility
Inclusive work environment
General feeling of work happiness

A terrible department to work for

Business Support Officer (Former Employee) - Birmingham, West Midlands - 18 April 2022

The are not supportive at all, very black and white and do not look at individual circumstances. They are very narrow at what see is correct and do not even consider talking to people as individuals.

Was this review helpful?

Great place to work

Intelligence Officer (Former Employee) - Warrington, Cheshire and North East - 2 April 2022

Loved my time with the NCA. Everyday was a school day and there was a great team spirit. Felt like you were doing something important. Still keep in touch with some of my colleagues.

Pros

Great team spirit and opportunities

Cons

Not as diverse as it should be, Became unwell towards the end, felt a lack of support / bullying nature from line manager, sad to hear he got promoted after I left, he was one of the least supportive when it came to diversity.

Was this review helpful?

Poor management, Lack of any meaningful development, Good money.

Senior Officer (Former Employee) - Birmingham, West Midlands - 22 January 2022

This job really is pot luck. If you get a good team them you'll have a satisfying job, if you get a bad one then you'll spend most of your time doing boring admin type work. Unfortunately, you get little choice where you are put when you join and they really don't care what your background is. My experience was of a cliquey organisation with poor, amateurish management and no leadership. Some good staff trying their best though, but not appreciated. Pay is good.

Pros

Good money, Some departments doing good work.

Cons

Poor management and no leadership, Pot luck where you're put, Long recruitment time. HR communication is poor

Was this review helpful?

Rate your recent company

Share your experience to help others

Many good people trying to do good things

Officer (Current Employee) - Warrington - 15 August 2021

Many good people trying to do good things, but are held back by poor management who fail to look at the whole picture.As a civil service department it is constantly being meddled with for political reasons which makes for a very changeable workplacePoorly paid compared to the police, well paid compared to general civil service

Pros

Job security

See more jobs

Crime Indexer, Investigations Directorate

Bristol

12 days ago

Crime Analyst, Investigations Directorate

Bristol

12 days ago

Covert Monitoring Unit - Case Officer, Investigations Directorate

Warrington

11 days ago

Senior Disclosure Officer, Investigations Directorate

London

13 days ago

Witness Intermediary Team Co-Ordinator, Investigations Directorate

St. Neots

12 days ago

Varied and interesting work streams

Data Scientist (Current Employee) - London, Greater London - 23 May 2019

The NCA is a unique and diverse workforce. Various different departments, work streams and opportunities to collaborate with other law enforcement agencies and industry.

Was this review helpful?

Good

Cons

Too long to list.

Was this review helpful?

Employee

Employee (Current Employee) - UK - 20 November 2017

This job is all you would expect. The pay is not great, although this is to be expected for vocational work of this type. There is a culture of ongoing change which is not always for the better. The management appear to do their best.

Was this review helpful?

Mixed feelings

Investigation Officer (Former Employee) - London, Greater London - 7 November 2017

As an investigator, the NCA has a great deal of potential for developing experience. However there is an overall sense that it doesn’t quite know what type of organisation it wants to be.

Pros

Plenty of opportunities for gaining experience

Cons

Not quite sure what it wants to be

Was this review helpful?

Good employer

Officer (Current Employee) - UK - 2 October 2017

As with most Government departmnets NCA offer good terms and conditions and flexible working when possible. Benefits include flexi time, excellent pension and good annual leave

Was this review helpful?

This is not the UK FBI

Intelligence Officer (Former Employee) - London, Manchester & Europe - 4 September 2017

As a law enforcement and intelligence professional, I am dismayed by the claims and promises made by the NCA. The organisation (although it is NOT organised) has been hemorrhaging experienced, skilled staff since its inception and expects replacements (with no law enforcement background) to step into some very big shoes overnight, relatively speaking. So, what's missing? Maybe a short history lesson might help.. Not since the days of the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) working with the National Crime Squad (NCS) has the UK had a coordinated, focused, effective response to organised crime. The two key words here are National and Crime. Seasoned, experienced specialists from our police forces, who had learned their craft during years of service locally and regionally were selected to operate at a national and international level. These men and women 'of a like mind' and experts at networking with each other, had a deep understanding of organised crime groups, knew how to use intelligence, gather evidence and arrest shrewd, cunning individuals. They even managed this without rendering their evidence inadmissible in a court, because they could interpret and comprehend legislation. The non-police staff that were a part of the service had their own apprenticeship; intelligence researchers and analysts worked shoulder to shoulder with police specialists and they learned from each other. Well, the police service as it was has long gone. Although this organisation has the DNA of a 'police service' it seems to be in denial whilst trying to create some -