Proceedings Support Unit Specialist - Secondment until end September 2025

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.
• Represent the organisation at coronial, misconduct and criminal proceedings, making quick time decisions to respond to issues/requests in high pressure environments.
• Represent the organisation at CPS briefings, misconduct case conferences and PIRHs.
• Mentor and support operational staff when they are required to attend coronial, misconduct and criminal proceedings to improve operational delivery and colleague welfare.
• Act as a point of contact for complainants, bereaved families, interested parties and other external stakeholders to improve the experiences of service users.
• Lead on improving the standards of the updates we provide to external stakeholders and influence process improvements in relation to witness care.

• Provide regular, meaningful updates on the progress of proceedings to the investigation team, senior managers and external stakeholders.

• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team with decision makers, lawyers, press officers and others.
• Liaise with Presenting Unit to provide support as required.
• Record decisions and actions on relevant databases.
• Monitor and report the outcome of proceedings to relevant internal stakeholders, external agencies and interested parties to improve joint working.
• Conduct exhibit audit during review of material for disclosure schedules and handle exhibits appropriately for court processes (if no exhibit manager in place)  
• In conjunction with the Lead Investigator, manage the closure of the investigation to ensure that the procedural processes and continuity needs are met in accordance with relevant legislation and policies
• Promote and co-ordinate the post-proceedings debrief processes, by liaising with internal and external stakeholders to ensure learning and good practice is identified, shared, and implemented.
• Contribute to organisational quality assurance process by providing feedback on proceedings related tasks, to operational colleagues and promoting the use of existing quality assurance measures.
• Identify to PSU Manager areas of organisational improvements/ gaps in guidance and contribute to identifying solutions.
• Identify areas of risk in coronial, misconduct and criminal proceedings to operational staff and provide advice on how risks can be mitigated.
• Problem solve and be accountable for making decisions in respect to proceedings related issues and stakeholder requests

These main duties and responsibilities are intended only as a guide and are not intended to restrict the scope of the post holder to perform other duties. Additional responsibilities for the post holder may be agreed and recorded. 

The Ideal Candidate

• 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

• Knowledge of Common Law Disclosure Guidelines.

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. We are open to providing you with the tools you need to succeed. Whilst this list is not exhaustive, please see potential reasonable adjustments below that we can provide:

• Extra time for presentations or interview questions
• Formatting changes such as colours for text or background on written assignments
• Questions presented in writing during interviews

If you require any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process, please email recruitment@policeconduct.gov.uk

Package Description

• 27.5 days paid annual leave (increasing with service to 32.5 days) 
• Options to carry over, buy or sell annual leave
• 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 focused on each of the protected characteristics – run for staff, by staff:

- Age Network

- Enable Network

- Welsh Network

- Pride and LGBTQI+ 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 behaviours

Additional Information:

The IOPC is not eligible to participate in the Civil Service transfer process, therefore successful candidates will not be able to transfer to the IOPC on their existing terms and conditions.

The IOPC does not participate in the UK Visa Sponsorship Scheme therefore, candidates will have to provide evidence of their Right to Work in the UK if offered a role with us.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, therefore a standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out for the successful candidate during the pre-employment process.

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

Although we are currently unable to guarantee a longer or more permanent contract, if the role can be extended or made permanent, the successful post holder may be offered the role firstly without further interview.

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.

#IND

About the Company

As a completely independent organisation, the IOPC seeks to uphold the rights of the public and investigate the most serious matters, including deaths following police contact, to promote learning and influence change in policing. The IOPC is an organisation steeped in history, influenced by significant figures such as Stephen Lawrence and Sir William Macpherson. We are looking for people to uphold our core values, and in return we will give you a supportive and inclusive work environment to flourish in.

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.

• As a silver standard Stonewall employer, we continue to commit to being a LGBTQ+ employer through the work of our Pride LGBTQ+ Staff Network, creating welcoming environments for lesbian, gay, bi and queer people.
• We are pleased to share that we are a signatory of the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. The Charter is composed of five calls to action for leaders and organisations across all sectors. 
• Being a Disability Confident employer, the IOPC is dedicated to removing the barriers for disabled people to thrive in the workplace.
• 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.