Senior Policy Advisor

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, 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. This is a high-profile post which provides expert advice to Ministers and Senior Officials on the PCC role across the policing and crime landscape. The post aims to protect and strengthen the integrity and effectiveness of the PCC model, and includes leading on the Home Office grant to the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC). The post will also have the opportunity to help take forward key work associated with the Government's ambitions on Safer Streets and police system reform. You will be part of a team responsible for developing policy in a complex environment and making a real difference to policing and crime. Your role will be to act as the senior policy lead for the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) model. Introduced in 2012, directly elected PCCs are the voice of the people and hold the police to account. You will join the Police Strategy and Reform Unit which has responsibility for delivering the Minister's strategic vision for policing, ensuring the system reform agenda is delivered within a strengthened framework of effective governance, accountability, and scrutiny. This role leads on the maintenance and development of the PCC model, the APCC grant and supports key work associated with the Government's Safer Streets mission and reform to the national policing system. Occasional travel may be required including attendance at APCC General Meetings and the joint annual summit held by the APCC and National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC). Key tasks and areas of responsibility include:

• Acting as the senior policy lead for the PCC model, providing expert advice to Ministers and other policy units across the Home Office and Government on the role of PCCs in the wider policing and crime landscape. You will lead on key activities such as briefing, correspondence and PQs within your policy area and you will need to develop a sound understanding of the legislation underpinning the PCC model.
• Supporting senior colleagues in delivering the Government's ambitions related to Safer Streets and reform of the national policing system. This will involve considering the impact on the PCC role and taking forward workstreams, including legislative and non-legislative changes, to strengthen and refocus the PCC model.
• Leading the design, delivery and monitoring of the annual grant to the APCC in compliance with Home Office grant requirements. You will work closely with the APCC and policy units across the Home Office and Ministry of Justice to design the grant objectives and specific deliverables, ensuring the grant supports the overarching missions of Ministers and delivers value for money.
• Leading on preparations for Ministerial and Senior Official attendance and speeches at key external policing events, including the annual APCC-NPCC joint summit.
Secondment: This role is available permanently and also as a secondment option for candidates from other departments. The secondment will be offered for a period of 24 months.