35861 - Head of Intelligence Operations

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Overview of the job

• The National Intelligence Unit is a growing function of 150 staff, comprising a 5 Regional Units and 6 National Units.
• The post holder and will be responsible for the management of the 5 Regional Intelligence Units, the National Intelligence Assessments Centre and the Head of Probation Intelligence each led by a B9 (Grade 7 / Band A equivalent) Head of Unit. The post holder will work alongside the Head of National Intelligence Services and Assessments and may be required to deputise for the Head of intelligence.
• The Unit provides an intelligence service to HMPPS and partners to inform decisions on managing and mitigating risks and threats posed by offenders under our statutory supervision. Our ambition is to reach all parts of HMPPS and to change the culture of our organisation so that asking for the intelligence picture is second nature.
• Our purpose is to help prisons, probation offices and Approved Premises stay safe and secure. We want to give offenders under our supervision in custody and in the community the best possible chance of turning their lives around. To do this we need to use intelligence so we can take action to make it harder for offenders to commit crime whilst under our supervision and reduce the likelihood that they will commit further crimes when they complete their sentence.
• The NIU has an Agency-wide remit and works with public and private sector prisons, the National Probation Service, headquarters resource in the ‘regions’ (aligned to threats of Counter Terrorism, Corruption and a new capability to manage the highest risk Serious and Organised Crime offenders), as well as law enforcement partners based in Regional Organised Crime Units (including National Crime Agency staff), Counter Terrorism Units and local forces.
• The NIU is responsible for the HMPPS-wide operating model for intelligence and for providing professional support and advice to intelligence managers and analysts in HMPPS operating at local levels.
• The post holder will report to the Head of Intelligence, who in turn reports to the Head of National Security Group in the Security, Order and Counter Terrorism Directorate.
• The post may be based at Headquarters (London) or in any of the Regional Intelligence Unit offices in England and Wales. Frequent travel to headquarters (approx. twice a week) and extensive travel to the 5RIUs will be expected, as well as other HMPPS sites and law enforcement partners’ offices.
• The post has no operational requirement. However knowledge of prisons and probation operations and/or law enforcement operations is required.
• The post holder should also have experience of managing an intelligence service or acting as a senior customer for intelligence.

 Summary

• This post would suit a candidate with a strong track record in managing geographically dispersed teams to deliver a high quality and consistent level of service.
•  The post holder will need to provide leadership and direction for the 5 Regional Intelligence Units (RIUs), the National Intelligence Assessments Centre and the development of intelligence in the probation setting. This leadership post will capture the best of our operating practice and mould it into our core service offer, from which we can test and then embed further services or new ways of working.
• The post holder will need to quickly get to grips with the varied and evolving intelligence capabilities and functions within HMPPS and in law enforcement partners. An ability, therefore, to hold a significant degree of complexity and ambiguity will be required as the National Intelligence Unit and wider HMPPS Intelligence operating model is developed.
• The post holder will need to work in partnership with a wide range of internal and external partners to overcome both practical and cultural barriers to joint working. The post holder will therefore require excellent communication skills to engage with a wide range of partners at senior levels within HMPPS, with law enforcement partners, and the wider intelligence community.
• The post holder will have line management responsibility for 7 Heads of Intelligence Unit (B9) and act as countersigning manager for.c.20 Band 7 & Band 8 managers. Staffing levels may increase over time, subject to funding and re-structuring within the Directorate, which could increase capacity or require the addition of new intelligence-related functions and capabilities.
• The post holder must act with the highest levels of personal and professional integrity and champion these qualities in others. They must be vetted to Developed Vetting (DV) standards and the post is reserved for UK nationals.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Responsibility for Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU)/National Intelligence Assessment Centre (NIAC)service delivery. Embed the standard operating model for the RIUs. This will need to capture and assure consistent process, practice and the quality and timeliness of output.
• Ensure all RIUs & NIAC are operating to a work plan which gives appropriate weight and attention to the responsibilities in each unit to deliver intelligence products, support delivery of the Intelligence Professionalisation Programme and contribute to the delivery of the NIUs objectives.
• Support Heads of Unit and their teams in their engagement with regional and national customers and stakeholders, to ensure our service is responsive to their needs and we manage expectations.
• Support RIU and NIAC to ensure consistent and coordinated engagement with HQ based NIU and wider Directorate functions, ensuring units take advantage of expertise and professional guidance available to them.
• Work with the Joint Extremism Unit to support the alignment of the CT analyst structure and practices with the RIUs.
• Work with CCPU to support our operational engagement with the developing capabilities coming on stream (Serious and Organised Crime/ Corruption)and to respond to developing policy for Corruption and Serious & Organised Crime.
• Work with the Long Term High Security Estate to ensure the RIUs complement the central intelligence capability in this Directorate.
• Represent RIUs at national tasking and coordination meetings, managing the escalation of regional tasking to national level, receiving national tasking on behalf of RIUs and ensuring delivery of tasked work.
• Manage resource across Units, to ensure coverage on the highest threats – this includes coordinating rapid response at regional level to ‘critical incidents’ as well as work in slower time.
• Line management of 7 Heads of Unit and counter signatory to c.20 staff.
• Deputising for the Head of the National Intelligence Unit, as required.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The role is new and developing. The Job holder is therefore expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the Job Holder.

 Behaviours

For the purposes of selection, the following behaviours will be measured:

• Changing & Improving
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Collaborating and Partnering
• Leading and Communicating

Experience

Knowledge of intelligence structures, working practices and operating environment of HMPPS and law enforcement partners.