Location of Role: Chelmsford
Advert Closing Date: 17/07/2026
Starting Salary: £25,242.00 (pro-rata for part-time vacancies)
Part/Full Time: Full Time
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: Mon-Fri
Weekend/Evening Working: No
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an individual to undertake the role of Firearms Licensing Administrator.
The main responsibility of the role requires the successful candidate to receive and progress applications for firearm, shotgun and explosive certificates made to the Force, and provide guidance and assistance to the public, officers and other agencies, in order to protect the safety of the public and to ensure that the Force complies with Firearms legislation.
You will work closely in support of the Research and Development Team to:
- Receive and process all post, including new and renewal applications for firearm, shotgun and explosive certificates, checking that details and applications are complete. Contacting applicants and advising if there are issues, or return incomplete applications with a reasons why the application has been returned.
- Daily use of National Firearms Licensing Management System (NFLMS) ensuring records are up to date, and record all correspondence with the certificate holder producing an audit trail.
- Producing renewal reminder letters from NFLMS system, and sending to certificate holder to remind of timely submission of renewal applications.
- Good customer service skills are necessary, when interacting with the public via phone calls, emails, letters and on occasions face to face. Ensuring we are providing good customer service and support. Escalating any concerns to the Firearms Supervisor.
- Overseeing the print list, ensuring certificate, letters and other printed correspondence have been printed on the correct paper. Ensure items are sent to the correct person to prevent any data breaches.
- Track the progress of enquiries made by maintaining accurate up to date records, responding to requests and enquires and where certificates have lapsed, updating the National Firearms Licensing Management System (NFLMS) ensuring intelligence for the County is as complete as possible, and where necessary escalating any concerns to a decision maker.
- Maintain a diary system in relation to own workload, routinely checking the progress of outstanding enquires, maintaining records in relation to cancellations. Actioning notification of the sale or purchase of Firearms/Shotguns, maintaining an accurate history of the possession of weapons is recorded on NFLMS in accordance with Firearms legislative and policy requirement.
- Produce and manage a daily expiry list identifying records of concern and tasking relevant actions in relation to this ensuring certificate holders do not fall into illegal possession and take appropriate action.
The successful candidate will have:
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
- Good IT skills, proficient with Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel and Office 365.
- Good attention to detail and ability to handle sensitive information.
- Comfortable working with a high volume of work, managing deadlines.
- Self-motivated, organised and work independently.
- Good standard of general education.
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate experience of:
- Customer service.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Good knowledge of Microsoft Word.
Your application for this role will be shortlisted on the content you provide within the “reason for application” question, within the application form itself. CV’s, covering letters or attachments are not included in the shortlist. Within your “reason for application” answer, please refer to any experience, skills, and abilities you feel you have that will make you suitable for this role, based on the role criteria stated in the job advert or job description. Please provide as much detail as possible as insufficient content may mean you do not meet the shortlisting criteria, however please note this question is limited to 9000 characters and this system will count spaces and blank lines as characters. This count may differ from the Microsoft Word word count function therefore you may wish to use a different online character counter to check the characters used.
Depending on your current vetting level and security clearances, you may be required to complete additional vetting information during the recruitment process.
Kent Police and Essex Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status.
Please let us know if you require extra support at any stage of the application process, or for further information regarding this position, please email us at [email protected] stating ‘Application Support and Adjustments’ in the title of your email. Alternatively, you can call us on 01245 452833. Where appropriate we will make adjustments to the selection process, working arrangements and/or the working environment provided it is reasonable in all the circumstances to do so.
If you’re not from the UK, you must be a resident in the UK and have lived here continuously for the last three years. You must also be free from restrictions with indefinite leave to remain. If you’re from the UK you must have lived here continuously for the last three years. This doesn’t apply to those serving abroad in the British Armed Forces.
As a Disability Confident Leader we:
- Have subjected our Disability Confident self-assessment to external challenge and validation.
- Are taking an active leadership role in encouraging and helping other employers on their journey to becoming Disability Confident.
Diversity, Equality and Inclusion are central to the values of our organisation. At Essex Police we value and embrace the unique experiences, identities and abilities that each of us bring to our roles. We strive to empower everyone to bring their authentic self openly and safely to work.
Through the dedicated commitment of our support networks, DE&I team and wider HR departments, we are on a journey to embed our DE&I commitments, ensuring Essex Police is an employer of choice; where everyone feels included.
Essex Police and Kent Police are an equal opportunities employer. Communications may be recorded for monitoring purposes.
