Proceedings Support Unit (PSU) Specialist

Main Responsibility

As a Proceedings Support Unit Specialist, you will provide support and specialist knowledge to Operational teams for coronial, criminal, and misconduct proceedings.

Tasks include: 

• Plan the IOPC response to cases in the proceedings stage.
• Provide expertise, advice, guidance and coaching to operational colleagues to raise standards, improve operational delivery and working practices.
• Examine and assess all material gathered in criminal, misconduct and coronial investigations by applying relevant legislation and IOPC policy and guidelines and produce schedules.
• Liaise with the Crown Prosecution Service, ensuring the IOPC meets its responsibilities, including requisition and charge, disclosure, possible Public Interest Immunity, and response to defence arguments.
• Lead the effective delivery of all high-risk processes relating to an officer or police member of staff being charged with a criminal offence. This will include requisitions, PNC updates and biometric samples.

Please refer to the Job Description for full role responsibilities. 

The Ideal Candidate

The Ideal Candidate:

Essential

• A sound knowledge and understanding of the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020; Home Office Guidance; Criminal Procedures Investigations Act 1996 and relevant amendments to disclosure requirements. 
• The post-holder will need to be an accredited IOPC investigator, or have equivalent experience, with knowledge and technical ability gained through extensive experience in relation to misconduct, criminal and coronial investigations 
• Experience of undertaking the role of Disclosure Manager and building case files in criminal investigations. 
• Experience of creating schedules for criminal, coronial, and misconduct disclosure. 
• Experience of criminal, misconduct, and coronial procedures, including attendance and participation. 
• Experience of, or the necessary knowledge to lead IOPC quality assurance processes in respect to proceedings work.  
• Experience of persuading and negotiating with internal and external parties to complete tasks successfully and deal with problems as they arise.
• Experience of engagement to understand service user needs and issues and to build effective working partnerships. 
• Proven experience of making decisions and problem solving in challenging, time pressured circumstances.
• Proven experience of having worked with multiple time demands and deadlines, exercising judgment on time management.
• Analytical skills with the capacity to absorb/organise new information to represent the IOPC.
• Ability to work to high level of detail and an ability to work accurately.
• Ability to identify and mitigate operational and organisational risk.

Desirable

We believe that diverse perspectives contribute to a more innovative and dynamic workplace. We actively encourage applications from individuals who are typically under-represented or disadvantaged in society. This includes women, people from ethnically diverse backgrounds, parents and carers, and disabled candidates, including neurodiverse candidates. 

We are committed to providing equal opportunities for all applicants and creating an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and supported.

The role requires clearance to BPSS

National security vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Reasonable Adjustments:

The IOPC is a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we want to help you demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. 

Please refer to our Reasonable Adjustment guidance document linked to this job advert on how to access Reasonable Adjustments with us. 

Package Description

What we Offer:

• 27.5 days paid annual leave (increasing with service to 32.5 days) 
• The option to buy, sell, or carry over annual leave is reviewed each year and offered when possible
• Voluntary Health Cash Plan provided by BHSF
• Civil Service pension
• Civil Service maternity leave package
• PAM employee assistance programme
• Access to Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC) membership
• Cycle to work scheme
• Opportunity to enjoy the latest home and electronics in a more affordable way provided by Vivup
• Car Leasing Scheme
• Staff Networks focussed on each of the protected characteristics - run for staff, by staff: Enable Network, Age Network, Welsh Network, Pride and LGBTQ+ Network, Sex and Family Network, Race, Religion and Belief Network
• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Additional Information:

Any move to the Independent Office for Police Conduct from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

In line with the IOPC recruitment and Selection Policy, we recommend that the internal colleagues make an early application within the first seven days, so that we can see if there is enough interest within the organisation to keep the role internal for the full advert live period. We will review the number of applications after the first seven days and the role may be advertised externally after this period. Please see the Recruitment and Selection Policy Guidance, which is available on the Hub, for further information.

Emotional Consideration:

In performing this role, you will have regular exposure to distressing material which will likely be impactful, traumatic and challenging. Given the nature of the work, it is also possible that you will have contact with individuals who are experiencing extreme distress. The IOPC recognises this and offers all staff a range of wellbeing provisions, including TRiM (Trauma Risk Management), peer-to-peer support, a dedicated Wellbeing Advisor, and access to free confidential counselling. All staff are strongly encouraged to proactively access and engage with the support available. If you would like to speak about this element of the role with somebody already doing similar work at the IOPC please contact recruitment@policeconduct.gov.uk and this can be arranged. 

Rydym yn croesawu ymgeiswyr i ymgeisio am rolau trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg fel eu dewis iaith.

About the Company

Be yourself:

The IOPC is committed to promoting equality and valuing diversity in everything we do. Our vision is to be, and to be seen as, a leader in inclusive employment and services, demonstrating this ethos in everything that we do. 

• Being a Disability Confident employer, the IOPC is dedicating to removing the barriers for disabled people to thrive in the workplace. Please refer to our Reasonable Adjustment guidance document linked to this job advert on how to access Reasonable Adjustments with us. 
• Our Staff Networks are constantly working to make the IOPC the leaders of inclusive employment, from our Allyship Programme to Welsh Language Standards and our Know the Line Policy, we are constantly seeking new ways to create an environment for all to develop and thrive.

Positive action as detailed in the Equality Act 2010, allows us to use measures designed to help improve equality in the workplace, and create a level playing field for all, whilst still employing everyone based on merit. Our workforce profile data shows that people who identify as black, Asian and minority ethnic are under-represented at the IOPC.  

For this role – should we have a situation where multiple candidates have achieved the highest score and one identifies as black, Asian or minority ethnic, by using positive action, we can select that candidate for the role, therefore improving this area of under-representation at the IOPC. We will only use positive action in this way where the highest scoring candidates have all scored equally, at the final assessment stage, and above our required threshold. 

Working Conditions

The IOPC operates a hybrid working policy which requires all staff to work an average of 40% of their contractual hours at their office base (or another office for business reasons). Office attendance time includes in-person training, meetings with stakeholders and families, and attending events.