Post                             Staff Officer to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary (HMCIC)

Department              Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary

Pay Band                   Superintendent / Chief Inspector

Number employed in this post 1

Responsible to COO

Responsible for      Assistant Private Secretary, wider Private Office (direct line management x1)

Job Purpose

The Staff Officer is accountable for the day-to-day management of HMCIC’s Private Office, ensuring a consistently high level of service is provided to HMCIC, as well as providing oversight and leadership to enable HMCIC to discharge his duties efficiently and effectively.

Principal Responsibilities

The Staff Officer will be responsible for:

• Providing effective support to HMCIC – research and drafting correspondence, speeches and presentations and overseeing his personal support (e.g. diary, travel, meeting papers, briefings, including commissioning briefings and written material from relevant teams in HMIC).

• Leading on major events such as HMCIC’s appearance before parliamentary select committees.

• Fostering positive and collaborative relationships with colleagues in HMIC, the Home Office, the police service and other interested parties.

• Preparing reports and briefings for HMCIC. Making sure all staff produce briefings for HMCIC that adhere to the set standard.

• Conveying the views of HMCIC and HMIs to staff and accompanying HMCIC to events and meetings as required. Liaising with the COO and press office on all public communications.

• Maintaining a good understanding of all HMIC activity in order to be in the best possible position to brief HMCIC on salient issues.

• Maintaining a good level of knowledge of policing in England and Wales and providing advice to HMCIC.

• Making sure that all developments, announcements and communications relevant to HMIC are identified and timeously bought to the attention of HMCIC.

• Providing support to the HMIC board as required and ensuring the appropriate secretariat function is provided on a monthly basis (undertaken by the Assistant Private Secretary).

• Maintaining oversight of all incoming correspondence and emails for HMCIC (managed by the Assistant Private Secretary). Monitoring the correspondence tracking system and making sure all matters are dealt with appropriately and expeditiously.

• Managing the team within Private Office, developing staff and improving performance. Leading the team, setting its direction and providing support.

• Managing staff performance in accordance with the appraisal cycle and demonstrating HMIC values including on diversity.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate his or her capabilities to a high standard against the Civil Service Competencies specified below.

SETTING DIRECTION

Seeing the Bigger Picture

Changing and Improving

ENGAGING PEOPLE

Leading and Communicating (lead competency)

Building Capability for All

Collaborating and Partnering

DELIVERING RESULTS

Delivering at Pace

Essential:

• Experience of working in a pressured environment

Desirable:

• Previous Private Office or staff officer experience
• Knowledge of policing policy and practice
• High standard of literacy and drafting skills
• Reliability under pressure
• Well organised
• Proactive and energetic
• Strong team-working skills
• Interest in politics and political dynamics