Head of Live Services - Airwave

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair, and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counterterrorism, policing, fire, crime, drugs policy, immigration, and passports.
The Public Safety Group’s role is to keep the public safe by cutting crime, disrupting the highest harm criminals, protecting the vulnerable and ensuring that our police, fire, and rescue services are as efficient and effective as they can be in delivering front line public services. We work with our partners in other government departments, local government and the voluntary sector to develop and implement policy, provide funding, and deliver legislation.
The Home Office Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) is a world leading programme providing the next generation communication system for the three emergency services (3ES) (police, fire and rescue and ambulance) and other public safety users. This system will be called the Emergency Services Network (ESN). ESN will provide the next generation integrated critical voice and broadband data services for the 3ES. The Programme has representation from the 3ES at both operational and departmental levels and Welsh and Scottish Governments. In addition to the 3ES, over 300 other organisations are active users of the current emergency communication service. ESMCP is working with them to ensure a smooth operating and commercial transition between current and future communications services., Within the Live Services Unit (LSU) of ESMCP, the Airwave Team manages the core Airwave Service contract for delivery of mobile communications to 43 Police Forces in England and Wales, Police Scotland, BTP and NCA and to 50 Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) In England, Scotland, and Wales.
The Head of the Live Services – Airwave owns the Airwave Service and leads a team that is responsible for the delivery of Live Services for the Police and Fire Services. You will assure successful delivery of our suppliers’ contracted obligations and identify additional user requirements which must be delivered to continue to provide a satisfactory Airwave service.
+ You will lead the Service Operations Assurance function for the Airwave service.
+ You will maximise performance of the Airwave supplier to ensure continued satisfactory delivery of the Airwave Service
+ You will establish strong relationships with key stakeholders in the Airwave service to ensure robust and effective service management of the Airwave service. These stakeholders include suppliers, senior users from Policing, Fire and Ambulance, Scotland and Wales.
+ You will oversee the work required for a successful exit from the Airwave service.
Responsibilities:
+ Leadership of the live service team and responsibility for the Airwave service
+ Ensuring the Airwave service continues to be delivered and is sustainable until it is decommissioned. Oversight on the execution of Airwave Exit plans and ongoing security of the Airwave Service
+ Oversight of Airwave supplier and ensuring the right services are in place to deliver Airwave Services to Police and Fire
+ Working with Emergency Service leadership to optimise the User Organisation experience and requirements of the Airwave Service
+ Ensuring adoption and consumption of ESN Services before the national shutdown of Airwave
+ Management of the Airwave Service budget
+ Playing an active role in the ESMCP Leadership Team including communication, supporting, and participating in governance., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Leadership
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Managing a Quality Service
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
+ Leadership, This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.
1. Application – by 1st November 2024.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
+ CV detailing job history/qualifications/Technical skills: IT Service Management Experience and Telecoms experience. The CV will be scored.
+ Personal Statement (maximum 1000 words).
+ Evidence of the Behaviour "Leadership" (maximum of 250 words per Behaviour).
The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.
For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.
Sift:
2. Sift – from week commencing 11th November 2024.
The sift will be held on the CV, Personal Statement and Behaviour "Leadership
Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement and the CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift that will consist of the Behaviour "Leadership", the Personal Statement and the CV.
3. Interview – from week commencing 2nd December 2024 .
If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be:
+ Behaviour (as listed in the job advert) based questions.
The interview will take place remotely. Candidates will be required to have access to:
+ A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
+ Good internet connection
+ Microsoft Teams
It is advisable to access your interview from a windows operating system laptop, desktop, phone, or tablet as there is no guarantee that Microsoft Teams will work without issue on an Apple laptop, tablet or desktop.
In addition, candidates will be asked to prepare a 10 minute presentation that will be delivered at interview. The presentation question/scenario will be disclosed closer to the interviews,
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.
Reserve lists will be held for each location and profession. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location and profession.
Candidates judged to be a near miss at interview may be offered a post at the grade below the one advertised without the need to go through a further selection process, providing the role has the same Success Profiles elements and essential skills. There is no guarantee that further such vacancies will arise.
Security Checks:
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Security Clearance(SC).
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Additional Security Checks
As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.
Problems during the application process
If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website
Standards
All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.
Further information
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct.
If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
If you are invited to an interview, you will be required to bring documentation for the purposes of establishing your identity.
You will need to meet the nationality requirements for this role and obtain the necessary security clearance to take it up.
For meaningful security checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. Learn more on our website. Security Checks - Home Office Careers
Visa sponsorship
We do not sponsor individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas.
Reasonable Adjustments
If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
+ Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
+ Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ 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) (opens in a new window)
+ 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)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
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.

Diversity and Inclusion
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

+ Service Operations. You have demonstrable experience of operating critical technology services and have a proven track record of service management leadership in mobile communications or information technology.
Relationship management. You can identify important stakeholders and relationships and work with teams to build these. You understand how to work with stakeholders and contribute to improving these relationships.
+ User focus. You can identify needs and engage with users or stakeholders to collate user needs evidence. You understand and can define research that fits user needs. You can use quantitative and qualitative data about users to turn user focus into outcomes.
+ Commercial management: You have a strong understanding of commercial management and how to develop strategies that are commercially astute. You can own and manage a budget, track progress and delivery against the budget and hold suppliers to account.
+ Working with Emergency Services & Government. You have experience of working with operational organisations that provide public safety and security services. You also have experience of service management within the public sector, including creating an effective stakeholder network across multiple departments and agencies.
Desirable Criteria:
+ Experience of working with Emergency Services or other public safety organisations; including a good understanding of mission critical services for the Emergency Services (repeated above in the last essential criteria perhaps).
+ Experience of working in or with the telecoms industry.

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:
+ A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
+ In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
+ 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
+ Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
+ Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.