Apply before
22/06/2026, 23:55
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Reference number
849
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London weighting allowance (Per Annum)
£4,218
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SPOT Rate 1
£40,670
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Role grade
G5
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Contract type
Permanent
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Command
Threat Leadership
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Business Area
National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU)
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Type of role
Investigation, Operational Delivery, Operational Research, Policing
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Working pattern
Full time, Flexible Working
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Number of roles available
1
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Experienced Investigator - National Cyber Crime Unit
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Location(s)
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London, Warrington
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About the Role
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Information about the Command
Threat Leadership is responsible for the national response to the Serious Organised Crime (SOC) threats. Our role is to work with partners both inside the NCA and externally to set the strategic direction, facilitate effective delivery of the response, and ensure we understand the impact of our activity. Adopting a threat-led and intelligence driven approach, we identify emerging challenges and changes to the threat landscape. A key objective is to tackle SOC threats by maximising the benefit of new capability across the system. This approach means we can achieve more with the resources we have and be more effective developing business cases to enhance our response.
Driving the multi-agency UK 4P (PURSUE, PREVENT, PROTECT, PREPARE) response by agreeing threat priorities, influencing tasking of operational activity across law enforcement, facilitating partner action and informing policy, regulatory and legislative changes to better protect the public. Threat Leadership leads the national response for Organised Immigration Crime (OIC), Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT), Drugs, Firearms, Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) and Borders. Threat Leadership is also home to the National Cyber Crime Unit, which combines Cyber threat leadership with an operational response.
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Information about the Business Area
National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU) is the UK lead for tackling the threat from cyber crime - a single Unit with the responsibility and capability to deliver operations, lead the overall UK response, coordinate activity across a range of partners, and provide specialist cyber support and expertise across law enforcement.
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Role Summary
The successful candidate will participate in operations and investigations, carry out evidence, intelligence gathering and preservation in order to build knowledge of serious and organised crime to disrupt and degrade criminal capability and the use of information communications technology (ICT). Other investigative functions will include Exhibits, Disclosure and Authorities Officer roles.
The successful candidate will ensure the quality secure handling and dissemination of intelligence, maintaining confidentiality, sensitivity and duty of care in line with Agency policy. Complete criminal justice case files. Build good working relationships with both internal and external partners
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Role Description
The NCCU is the lead UK Law Enforcement agency for tackling the threat from Cyber Crime, working closely with partners across Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs), local Police forces, the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) and overseas liaison services.
The NCCU works especially closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to coordinate national Law Enforcement’s (Team Cyber UK) engagement in managing cyber incidents and countering Cyber Crime threats across Organised Crime Groups, Lone Actors and Hostile State Actors.
Working at a national and international level against the rapidly evolving cyber threat, the NCCU is a busy and interesting place to work with many opportunities to learn new skills. The NCCU prides itself on promoting an innovative culture and developing ground breaking capabilities which can be deployed against a wide range of criminals operating online.
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Duties and Responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities Overview
Investigations
As an Investigator in the NCA you will be investigating serious criminality; collecting and developing intelligence and evidence to build and contribute to case file preparations to prosecute offenders. Investigations are undertaken in a varied and dynamic environment, identifying intelligence and evidential opportunities in support of investigation leads.
Team working and collaboration
In the National Cyber Crime Unit you will work alongside other NCA departments, and partner organisations to detect criminal threats and operate in a demanding environment in order to disrupt and apprehend offenders
Decision making Using innovative approaches and ground-breaking techniques you will be making decisions which help disrupt and bring to justice criminals who present the highest threat to the UK.
Intelligence and evidence identification Investigations are undertaken in a varied and dynamic environment with critical roles in identifying intelligence and evidential opportunities in support of Investigation leads. These are challenging roles requiring a flexible approach to working long and varied hours, often at short notice, operating from locations within England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Officer Safety Training.
Successful applicants will be required to attend and pass a five day Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST) course, followed by a one day mandatory annual refresher. 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.
In addition to PPST successful applicants will also be required to attend a two day operational First Aid course, followed up with annual mandatory First Aid refresher courses.
Due to the nature of Cyber Crime, NCCU investigators may find themselves working across a broad range of threat areas which could include Child Sexual Abuse, Illicit Finance, Economic Crime, Professional Enablers, and Money Laundering. The NCA will provide access to Occupational Health Service for those who come across CSA during their investigations.
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Person Specification
Skills, Knowledge and Experience Description
Interviewing Competent and experienced at interviewing witnesses and suspects (custody time limits/procedures, extensions and authorisations), use of bad character evidence and bail.
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.
Investigations techniques Experience and knowledge in the use of investigations techniques to meet operational outcomes.
Experience of conducting arrests Experience of conducting arrests; competent and experienced at interviewing witnesses and suspects (custody time limits/procedures, extensions and authorisations), use of bad character evidence and bail.
Seizure of exhibits Experience and knowledge around seizure of exhibits, continuity of evidence, and seize/sift legislation, including experience in disclosure, and scheduling of material, and knowledge of CPIA legislation.
Completing case files Experienced and competent in completing case files and liaising with prosecuting agencies or authorities.
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 now required to pass the NCA Foundation 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.
Those working in Northern Ireland and Scotland are currently required to successfully complete the NCA Foundation Exams as above, Northern or Scottish powers course and the National Investigators Exam (NIE), if not previously passed
PIP Accreditation:
An officer joining the agency on an experienced investigator campaign, that doesn’t have the required PIP accreditation for their role, will be required to complete the PIP accreditation upon joining the agency. This would require the completion of the NCA Foundation exams, and if applicable, passing the National Investigators Exam (NIE), followed by an assessed portfolio of evidence. The requirement of what the portfolio of evidence contains is determined following a professional discussion with an accredited assessor and based on the previous training and relevant recent experience of the candidate.
Individuals who do not currently hold PIP accreditation nor an equivalent recognised accreditation in investigative crime issued by a Government body will not be eligible to apply and are encouraged to look into the NCA's Officer Development Programme (ODP) as an alternative pathway.
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On-call working
You will be required to be part of an on-call rota. averaging one week in 12. This may be subject to change. Additional remuneration is applicable to spot rate roles Grades 6-4 and non-spot-rate roles Grades 6-3.
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Essential Criteria
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You must meet the essential criteria and evidence this within your application to be considered for the role.
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Qualifications, Membership and Licences
You must hold one of the following
Current/active Professionalising Investigation Programme Level 1 (PIP1) or Level 2 (PIP2) qualification with a certificate or evidence (detailed in the NCA applicant guidance attachment). Your PIP accreditation must be current/active within the last 3 years.
OR
An equivalent accreditation from a recognised government body with evidence (detailed in the NCA applicant guidance attachment).
Officers joining the NCA on a PIP-equivalent basis must attain the required PIP accreditation, and this will include taking all relevant exams and could include the requirement to complete an assessed portfolio of workplace-based evidence.
Officers joining the agency on an experienced investigator campaign, that doesn’t have the required PIP2 accreditation for their role, will be required to complete the PIP2 accreditation upon joining the agency.
Officers joining the agency on an experienced investigator campaign, an officer with PIP2 accreditation will be required to have a professional discussion with an accredited assessor upon joining the agency.
Full guidance and information can be found in the NCA applicant guidance attached to the advert.
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Any applications from candidates not meeting this eligibility criteria will not progress.
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Desirable Criteria
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Desirable criteria are only used for assessment in the event of a tie break.
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Accredited PIP 2
A full UK driving license is desirable, as the role will involve travel across the UK in an operational capacity
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Salary
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Allowances are reviewed annually and may be increased, decreased or removed.
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All salary offers will be made in line with Remuneration Policy.
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Roles based in London will receive an additional London Weighting (Per Annum) of £4,218
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On Call Allowance (Per Annum) £25.28 Per Period
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On Call Allowance details
Successful applicants will be required to be part of an on-call rota. On average this works out to being on-call one in every 12 weeks for a period of one week. This may be subject to change and the frequency will be directed by your line manager.
If you do perform on-call duties, where eligible, you will be entitled to an On-Call allowance for each session you are on call.
(Additional remuneration is applicable to spot rate roles Grades 6-4 and non-spot-rate roles Grades 6-3).
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Operational Role Salary Information
This role attracts a SPOT Rate salary. SPOT Rate offers a progressive increase in pay to reflect the skills and experience of the officer. The starting SPOT Rate is SPOT rate 1: £40,670. Progression to a higher spot rate is only achievable once in post. The SPOT rate range for this role includes SPOT rate 2: £42,270 /SPOT rate 3: £44,941
Eligibility for spot rates is determined by the requirements of the role, not the skills or capabilities of the officer occupying the role. Roles where IPP or PIP2 accreditation is essential are eligible for spot rates.
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Benefits
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All NCA employees are members of the UK Civil Service and eligible for the Civil Service pension scheme, alongside your salary the NCA contributes £14308. 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.
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Selection Process Details
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This vacancy is using the Success Profiles framework and will assess using the following criteria: Behaviours, Experience
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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.
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How we will assess you
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Your application will be assessed against the following:
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Experience - This will be assessed:
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Experience Criteria - will be assessed by 500 word examples on:
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Experienced in Cyber Crime investigations
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Experience of conducting arrests; competent and experienced at interviewing witnesses and suspects (custody time limits/procedures, extensions and authorisations), use of bad character evidence and bail
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Experience and knowledge around seizure of exhibits, continuity of evidence, and seize/sift legislation, including experience in disclosure, and scheduling of material, and knowledge of CPIA legislation
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A panel will assess how well your application demonstrates the requirements outlined above.
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Longlist
In the event of a high number of applications, we may operate a longlist. Applicants will need to meet the minimum pass mark for the lead criteria.
- Experienced in Cyber Crime investigations .
Candidates who do not meet the minimum pass mark for the lead criteria will not progress to having their other criteria assessed. Applications must meet the minimum criteria to be progressed to the assessment stage.
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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.
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For guidance on the application process, visit:
NCA Applying and Onboarding
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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.
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If you are successful you will be invited to the second assessment.
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Assessment 2
The format of this assessment will be Experienced Officer Knowledge Check (EOKC) which will be tested on via the details listed below.
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Candidates who pass the interview will then be invited to attend an in-person assessment. This will consist of an Experienced Officer Knowledge check (EOKC).
Full details will be given to the successful candidates.
Please note the knowledge check test will result in a "Pass" or "Fail".
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Success Profiles at Assessment
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Behaviours
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Working Together
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Delivering at Pace
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Experience
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Experienced in Cyber Crime investigations
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Experience of conducting arrests; competent and experienced at interviewing witnesses and suspects (custody time limits/procedures, extensions and authorisations), use of bad character evidence and bail
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Experience and knowledge around seizure of exhibits, continuity of evidence, and seize/sift legislation, including experience in disclosure, and scheduling of material, and knowledge of CPIA legislation
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Assessment Outcome
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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.
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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
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Feedback is provided only to those who attend an assessment.
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You will be subject to vetting and pre-employment checks before appointment.
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Once the vacancy closes, the advert will no longer be accessible. Please save a copy for your records.
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We encourage all candidates to visit the NCA Careers Page for more information.
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Eligibility, Pre-Employment Check and Vetting
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Please see the NCA T&Cs and Privacy Policy (pdf) for details on how your data is handled.
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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.
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Nationality Requirements
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This role is broadly open to the following groups:
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- UK nationals or dual nationals, where one component is British
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- Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
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- Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
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- 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)
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- 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)
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- Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
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- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
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Further information on nationality requirements
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You will be required to participate in digital right to work and address checks as part of the recruitment process.
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Security and Vetting
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People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.
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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.
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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.
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Vetting requirements - SC Enhanced
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Prior to commencing the role, you will need to successfully complete SC Enhanced clearance.
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The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
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Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.
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For further information on National Security Vetting checks please visit the following page Demystifying Vetting
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Individuals will be required to undertake and pass a substance misuse test as part of pre-employment checks.
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Occupational Health
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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.
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Things you need to know
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Operational Roles
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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.
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Multi Location
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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.
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Near Miss
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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.
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Hybrid Working
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The NCA supports hybrid working. The extent of remote working will depend on the role and can be discussed at the offer stage.
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Reasonable Adjustments
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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
[email protected] 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.
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Inclusion
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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.
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This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
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Working for the Civil Service
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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:
[email protected] (quoting the vacancy reference).
If unresolved, you may escalate your complaint to the Civil Service Commission.
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Working for the NCA
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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.
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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.
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If you have any specific queries about the role that are not covered by the advert, please contact:
Name : Central Recruitment Team
Email : [email protected]
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