26946 - Counter Terrorism Researcher

£18,499 - £20,565
1
12 Months
North East, Yorkshire and the Humber
Durham
FOREST HOUSE DURHAM, DH1 5TS
AO
Band 3
Permanent
Full Time, Flexible Working
Administration / Corporate Support, Intelligence, Operational Research, Analytical

Counter Terrorism Researcher – Her Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) National Intelligence Unit

Do you have what it takes to help HMPPS develop its intelligence function? To help us make effective use of intelligence and deliver an intelligence service function, providing direct intelligence support to prisons and probation?

This exciting and challenging roles sits within the Directorate of Security, Order and Counter-Terrorism (SOCT). The objective of SOCT is to support prisons and probation to recognise, understand and manage threats to operational and national security, prison order and safety, and to support our partners in upholding the rule of law. SOCT, and within it the National Intelligence Unit (NIU), exists to support HMPPS in its mission to prevent victims by changing lives. Therefore, intelligence is at the heart of our work and will inform our decisions at every level. Working with law enforcement, the wider intelligence community and through our relationships with front line staff, we will develop a picture of threat and deliver and support strategic, operational and tactical responses, with both national and local impact.

The Counter Terrorism Researcher role provides administrative support to the Regional Counter Terrorism Team. Achieved by maintaining administration systems within specified timescales for the Joint Extremism Unit in supporting the delivery of the PREVENT agenda 2015 and CONTEST, The United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering Terrorism.

HMPPS’s efforts to tackle Counter Terrorism are integral to delivering a safe and secure Prison and Probation Service. We remain resilient to this key operational threat and adequately equipped to tackle threats and/or risk as they arise.

We have one Counter Terrorism Researcher vacancy based as follows:

1 x North East, Yorkshire & Humber Hub at Forrest House Durham.

Overview of the job

This is a an administrative job in Headquarters

Summary

The job holder will provide administrative support to the Regional Counter Terrorism Team (up to four Regions) by maintaining administration systems within specified timescales for the Extremism Unit in supporting the delivery of the NOMS counter terrorism strategy.

The post holder must act with the highest levels of personal and professional integrity and must be vetted to Security Clearance (SC) standards with a further STRAP accreditation.

The job holder will report to the Regional Counter Terrorism Coordinator.

This is a non-operational job with no line management responsibilities.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

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

  • Collate, process and allocate all intelligence disseminated to their allocated RCT Team, including Intelligence Reports for further investigation.
  • Populate Case Records with all relevant associated information for their RCT Team/s.
  • Have responsibility for the Regional Extremism database making certain an accurate record of all associate information is kept and maintained, across multiple RCT Teams.
  • Carry out quality assurance checks for the Extremism database, both at a national and regional level.
  • Assist the Intelligence Analyst by researching trends/commonalities in Regional intelligence reports (IRs)
  • Support Regional Analysts in generating the six weekly Regional Intelligence Briefing
  • Organise and prepare all documentation for establishment Pathfinder Meetings: typically one meeting per month across each RCT Team covered.
  • Organise and prepare all documentation for meetings with partner agencies including the MAESM (MultirAgency Extremism Screening Meeting).
  • Organise and prepare all documentation for meetings with law enforcement agencies.
  • Manage the completion of actions from the various meetings you are responsible for organising and preparing documentation for.
  • Build and maintain good working relationships with partner agencies in line with the MoU between NOMS, Police and Security Services supporting the sharing of quality terrorism and extremism related intelligence with law enforcement agencies.
  • Build and maintain good working relationships with all NOMS RCT Teams ensuring all associated documentation and information affecting other regions is shared promptly.
  • Disseminate reports to relevant stakeholders
  • Coordinate the training requirements for Establishments across the Region, and organise training delivery in response to demand.
  • Collate the national training returns for all Extremism training delivered across HMPS.

Undertake other administrative tasks including:

  • Organise, produce and maintain accurate records for area of work
  • Act as contact point for all communications to the team. Prioritise and distribute communications to the appropriate person or relevant department in establishment
  • Complete monitoring returns for area of work
  • Input requisitions on to the finance database and process requisitions for defined area of work
  • Corordinate any awareness sessions for area of work
  • Prepare paperwork for checking by manager, conducting initial checks as required
  • Correspond with relevant stakeholders and agencies to ensure that they are aware of information so that information is adequately shared
  • Maintain and check regional and national databases, manual filing systems and logs of information, responding within agreed timescales and producing reports as required
  • Act as secretary to meetings as required including organising agenda, taking and, distributing minutes and action points

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is 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

Competencies

For the purpose of selection the following competencies will be measured:

  • 2. Changing and Improving
  • 4. Leading and Communicating
  • 5. Collaborating and Partnering
  • 9. Managing a Quality Service
  • 10. Delivering at Pace

What will you do?

The role is interesting and varied, but tasks will typically include:

  • Collate, process and allocate all intelligence disseminated to the regions RCT team
  • Populate Case Records with all relevant information for the RCT Team/s.
  • Have responsibility for the regional extremism database making certain an accurate record of all associated information is kept up to date and maintained.
  • Carry out quality assurance checks for the extremism database, both at a national and regional level.
  • Assist the Intelligence Analyst by researching trends/commonalities in regional intelligence reports (IRs)
  • Support Regional Analysts in generating the bi monthly Regional Tactical Assessment.
  • Organise and prepare all documentation for establishment Pathfinder Meetings.
  • Organise and prepare all documentation for meetings with partner agencies.
  • Support Regional Analysts in completing commissioned analytical products.
  • Build and maintain good working relationships with partner agencies in line with the MoU between HMPPS, Police and Security Services supporting the sharing of quality terrorism and extremism related intelligence with law enforcement agencies.
  • Have the opportunity to complete various courses and training for personal development and develop skills that will enable progression to the analyst role.

Who are we looking for?

Experience

  • Background knowledge of front line operations.
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Briefing skills
  • Good IT and presentation skills
  • An understanding of prisons, probation and/or law enforcement operating environments would be an advantage, but is not essential.

Person specification

  • Strong communication skills (written and verbal)
  • Good attention to detail
  • Ability to think critically and creatively

Transferable Skills

  • Strong numerical and written skills and an eye for detail so that information is presented accurately.
  • Able to build productive relationships with a range of internal and external partners in order to obtain relevant information when it is needed to manage and respond to expectations of customers.
  • Possess strong administrative skills and the ability to manage and prioritise their own workload.
  • Can obtain and work with large volumes of information in both written and numeric form, some of which will be held in bespoke databases. You should be confident in organising information and using software where appropriate to do this.
  • Able to act with the highest levels of personal and professional integrity and champion these qualities in others.

Vetting

If you are successful at interview you will be required to go through a process of national security vetting at either Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). Both of these require scrutiny of all aspects of your personal and professional life and carry with them residency criteria as follows:

  • SC: you must have been resident in the UK for at least five consecutive years prior to the date of the interview.
  • DV: you must have been resident in the UK for at least ten consecutive years prior to the date of the interview.

If you do not meet this criteria or are unwilling to disclose intimate personal information, please do not apply

Apply if you think you may be who we are looking for!!

Working Arrangements & Further Information

Some of MoJ’s, including HMPPS, terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Standard working hours for this post are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Benefits

Annual Leave

-The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays

-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment

Pension

-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance

HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ

Season Ticket Advance

-After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work

Childcare Vouchers

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

Training

HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes

-There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts

-All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles

Eligibility

-All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post

-All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS

-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.

There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

See HMPPS competency framework to learn more about the competencies we are looking for.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/497684/NOMS_competency_framework.pdf

And you can download positive Competency writing samples for Band 2 and Band 3 applications.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/500804/Competency_writing_samples.pdf

Interviews are expected to take place on Wednesday 10th July 2019
Assessment will take place on the same day as the interview

20/06/2019, 23:55 hours.

If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk. Please quote the job reference - 26946.
Security Clearance (SC)

Candidate Information

You may be required to provide statements describing your skills and experience relevant to each of the selection criteria. We recommend that you structure any examples as Situation, Task, Action and Result. For more information about the recruitment process and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

In the event of a large number of applications, we reserve the right to undertake the following processes:


  • An automated online test where a benchmark must be passed to progress;
  • A sift on the lead selection criteria. If this happens, the lead criteria will be the first one listed in the advert.

During the selection process, you may be asked to undertake an additional assessment (such as written test). If this is applicable you will be notified of this when you are invited to interview.



if you feel that your application has not been treated in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance
Managing a Quality Service
Delivering at Pace
Collaborating and Partnering
Leading and Communicating
Changing and Improving

We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.


Application form stage assessments

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families

· 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

This Vacancy is closed to applications.