Chief Superintendent (Specialist Operations)

Chief Superintendent – Specialist Operations

Location: London with national coverage

Salary: £80,351 to £84,764 plus regional allowances and benefits

Role: Chief Superintendent – open to substantive Chief Superintendents (All forces) and BTP Superintendents seeking promotion

British Transport Police (BTP) is a national force that plays a critical role in safeguarding the railway network. With over six million passenger journeys and more than 300,000 tonnes of freight being moved from depots to docks every day, this is a unique, high pressured, and dynamic operational and commercial environment. The modern terrorist threat to the travelling public is our challenge. Policing with a difference, it requires the highest levels of leadership, judgement, risk assessment, problem solving, and relationship building.

We are looking for an inspirational individual who is able to make a valuable contribution to policing. Innovative and creative, with proven leadership and management credentials, you will have the ability to excel as a Chief Superintendent responsible for operational direction, strategy and standards.

Role and Responsibilities 

The position is to lead the Specialist Operations Department which is part of our Force Headquarters and manages the force's portfolios on counter terrorism and armed policing.

The role includes the policy lead on all CT issues and CONTEST, with operational command of  Armed Policing resources, Specialist Response Unit, Behavioural Detection and  Dogs, CBRN, Projects Griffin and Argus, facilitation of protected persons across the rail network, civil contingencies and resilience planning. The role requires public order senior leadership, public order policy review and an ability to command at the UK’s biggest events.

The department has recently achieved approval for growth and expansion to operational hubs in the Midlands and North West. The candidate will lead this.

You will engage in stakeholder management with the College of Policing, NPCC, other forces, the rail industry, the Department for Transport and other government departments.

You will attend strategic meetings on behalf of BTP, including NCTPHQ and other Counter Terrorism forums, NPCC Armed Policing Working Group, NPCC National Policing Public Order and Public Safety Working Group, NPCC Civil Contingencies and railway specific meetings with the Department for Transport and the rail industry.

Specialist Operations Department holds a budget of approx. £19m managed through Heads of Sections. The post holder will be responsible for monitoring the budget and be involved in setting the budget for following years and overseeing spending.

Specialist Operations employs 275 officers and staff which is due to rise to 350 following the current expansion. The post holder will be responsible, through Heads of Sections, for the deployment, welfare and development of staff.

You will be responsible for the supervision, development and performance of one Superintendent.

The post holder will be based at the Specialist Operations Unit, London but will be required to travel countrywide in the course of their duties.

The Individual

You must have extensive experience of leading such specialist teams as listed above. You will lead by example and be expected to set high professional standards to deliver our priorities so that we can provide an outstanding police service.

You must be a proven leader with the confidence to operate in a complex and stakeholder driven environment, along with the ability to deliver tangible and continuous improvements in all areas of performance.

You will be a College of Policing accredited Strategic Firearms Commander and Gold Public Order Commander. You will be College of Policing accredited Silver Public Order Commander and both a pre-planned and spontaneous Tactical Firearms commander, this is due to the variety of complex commands you will have to work within across the UK.

You will represent the force to internal and external audiences therefore you must display excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

You will hold responsibility for Force policy matters in relation to Counter Terrorism and therefore must have a sound knowledge of Force and National issues in these areas.

This is a demanding and challenging role particularly with the current severe threat level, you will need to demonstrate your experience in resilience and the ability to make sound decisions that will ultimately protect the public and the force.

How to Apply

Please submit an online application form along with a copy of your most recently completed PDR and sickness record for the past three years.

Applicants will not be considered if they have not submitted these documents. Please be advised that we do not accept CV’s.

In order to be considered you MUST meet all of the eligibility requirements:

• Have served as a substantive Superintendent / Chief Superintendent for 12 months or more
• Have attained at minimum an overall ‘Good’ rating on your most recent PDR / Right Track review OR equivalent if you are an external candidate.
• Be able to demonstrate the competencies required of a Chief Superintendent
• Not be subject to, or have any outstanding disciplinary sanctions
• Not be in breach of the sickness policy i.e. on a Stage 2 warning (or above) OR equivalent if you are an external candidate.
• Have completed all mandatory training
• Line Manager comments - please download form below
• A College of Policing accredited Strategic Firearms Commander and Gold Public Order Commander. (operationally and occupationally competent)
• A College of Policing accredited Tactical firearms commander (spontaneous and pre-planned). Both operationally and occupationally competent.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Friday 8th December 2017.

British Transport Police is committed to embedding a culture of inclusion, ensuring all applicants are treated with dignity and respect, and that our selection processes are applied ethically and fairly, and in line with the Police Code of Ethics.

You will not be eligible to transfer to BTP if you have any convictions, cautions, reprimands and penalty notices (other than driving penalty notices). You will not be eligible to apply if you have an existing CCJ or IVA outstanding against you. Applicants who have been registered bankrupt will not be considered. Failure to disclose any of the above will lead to your application being rejected.

Please note: This role will carry a minimum tenure of 12 months.

Assessment Process

Interviews will be held on: Wednesday 20th December 2017

BTP will be using the Competency and Values Framework (CVF) to assess both internal and external candidates.  The Framework sets out nationally recognised behaviours and values, and has six competencies that are clustered into three groups. Under each competency are three levels that show what behaviours will look like in practice. All of the competencies are underpinned by four values that should support everything we do as a police service.

For this post you will be assessed against level 3 behavioural indicators (senior manager/executive).

The assessment process will comprise of;

• Presentation
• Competency based interview 

If you would like to discuss the recruitment process please contact Hannah Brown via email – Hannah.Brown@btp.pnn.police.uk or alternatively call on 0776420121 / internally 706 8215

For further information on the structure and role of the Specialist Operations Department please contact T/ACC Alun M Thomas on 0207 8308966.