Record Product Management Manager – M03 in Sidcup

Location: Sidcup

Salary: The starting salary is £48,995, which includes allowances totaling £3,009. The basic salary is £45,986 and will increase annually until you reach £54,863 at the top of the scale. Additionally, a location allowance of £2,009 and a non‑pensionable allowance of £1,000 are paid.

The Role

The role leads a dedicated team responsible for managing and reviewing a large volume of sensitive Covert Human Intelligence Source (CHIS) records, ensuring they are accurate, secure, and compliant with legal and policy requirements. Its primary purpose is to maintain strict compliance with legislation (e.g. RIPA/IPA and data protection laws) while implementing robust systems, audit trails, and review processes to minimise legal and operational risk. The team ultimately supports operational policing by safeguarding sensitive intelligence, protecting CHIS identities, and maintaining public trust in covert policing activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Record Product Management Team to oversee the management and review of Covert Human Intelligence Source records, ensuring effective delivery of the team’s objectives.
• Ensure compliance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, Investigatory Powers Act, and relevant Codes of Practice, maintaining lawful handling of sensitive intelligence.
• Oversee the systematic review and retention of physical and digital records, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and appropriate lifecycle management.
• Safeguard sensitive information, the identities of CHIS, through strict security and access control measures.
• Supervise and support team members, including Detective Sergeants, to ensure consistent standards and professional practice.
• Provide subject matter expertise on covert policing and intelligence management, strengthening decision‑making and operational effectiveness.
• Monitor data quality and compliance performance, identifying issues and implementing improvements to maintain high standards.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure record systems effectively support policing activity while meeting legal obligations.
• Promote best practice in intelligence handling and data protection, reinforcing public trust and organisational accountability.

Essential For The Role

Knowledge

• Sound understanding of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, Investigatory Powers Act, Criminal Conduct Act 2021, and associated Codes of Practice to ensure lawful management of covert intelligence.
• Knowledge of Covert Human Intelligence Source lifecycle management, including recruitment, tasking, review, and retention requirements.
• Awareness of data protection legislation and information governance principles to protect sensitive information.
• Understanding of covert and proactive policing techniques to contextualise intelligence handling and operational requirements.
• Knowledge of risk management principles in a covert policing environment to support safe and ethical decision‑making.

Skills

• Ability to lead and manage teams, providing direction, oversight, and performance management.
• Strong analytical skills to assess records, identify risks, ensuring compliance with appropriate frameworks.
• Effective organisational skills to manage high volumes of records and ensure structured review processes.
• Ability to implement processes and workflows that support auditability and consistency.
• Strong communication skills to provide clear guidance on compliance and best practice.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Excel and other systems to manage, analyse, and report on data.

Experience

• Recent experience operating as a CHIS Controller, including supervision of handlers and oversight of source management.
• Experience managing sensitive intelligence or records within a policing, intelligence, or security environment.
• Demonstrable experience of applying relevant legislation and Codes of Practice in operational settings.
• Experience of identifying, managing, and mitigating operational and organisational risks.
• Experience of working within covert policing or proactive investigation environments.
• Experience of maintaining data quality, audit trails, and compliance processes for sensitive information.

Qualifications

• Accredited CHIS Controller qualification (Level 4).
• Eligibility and willingness to undertake MV / SC vetting.
• Relevant professional development or training in intelligence handling, data protection, or covert policing (desirable).

Disability Confident Statement

The Met is committed to being an equitable and inclusive employer for disabled people, striving to have a diverse and representative workforce at all levels. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and long‑term conditions, ethnic minority groups and women.

As a Disability Confident Leader, the Met has committed to making disability equality part of our everyday practice. We ensure that people with disabilities and those with long‑term conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.

The Met is committed to making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to ensure disabled applicants can perform at their best. If you need any reasonable adjustments or changes to the application and recruitment process, we ask that you include this information within your application form. All matters will be treated in strict confidence.

Please note, if you are applying for a police officer role or to become a police community support officer (PCSO) or designated detention officer (DDO), there is a minimum requirement that you must pass a job‑related fitness test (JRFT) at point of entry. This does not apply to police staff roles.