Head of Service Management

Location: Agile, Forth Banks Police Station and homeworking

Hours/Contract: Full time, permanent

Working for #TeamNP

Our purpose at Team NP is simple: to keep people safe and to fight crime. But it takes more than officers alone to do the job – and that’s where our 2,000-strong team of police staff and 200 volunteers come in.

As one of the largest police forces in England we have a huge variety of departments and specialisms offering you endless opportunities. From mentoring and coaching schemes and online soft skills courses to leadership development programmes; we’ll give you the support, training and time to carve out the career you always wanted.

As one of the top 50 UK inclusive employers and a disability confident employer, we promote a culture of respect in the workplace so everyone can feel seen, heard and valued.

Whether you’re a member of staff or a volunteer, you can also expect first-rate support to manage your health and wellbeing. With year-round events, a 24/7 welfare support hotline and a leading approach to neurodiversity, our initiatives enable you to be at your best.

Above all else, here at Team NP, we can offer you a career that is so much more than just a job, it’s a chance to be part of something that really matters.

Here at Northumbria Police, we think our region is amazing! It takes a great deal of people from different backgrounds, with diverse skills and experience to serve our force area effectively, think you have what it takes to help us make a difference? This could be the perfect time for you to join us in our Digital Department as a Head of Service Management.

Reporting directly to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and serving as a key member of the Digital Policing Senior Management team, the Head of Service Management is entrusted with the oversight of the delivery and management of digital services across the Force.

The Head of Service Management will lead a team of IT professionals, overseeing all aspects of Service Design and Transition, and spearheading continuous improvement initiatives to enhance service quality and operational effectiveness. Furthermore, this role places a strong emphasis on risk management, audit, and compliance to uphold the integrity and security of IT services.

This role is pivotal to the continuous enhancement of digital policing and the services it provides to the Force. It encompasses comprehensive oversight across the entire value chain, ensuring robust governance and seamless integration across planning, design, build, and operational functions. The role mandates the establishment and maintenance of effective policies and procedures, the meticulous recording of operational and delivery metrics, and the timely fulfilment of customer commitments to the highest quality standards.

What you’ll do

• Structure all Digital services within a Service Catalogue defining ownership, accountability, service users, technical components, commercial elements, and SLAs, supported by service recovery and disaster recovery plans.
• Develop and implement IT service management strategies aligned with the Force’s goals, collaborating with senior leadership to integrate IT service management principles.
• Oversee IT service delivery to meet Force needs and comply with SLAs, identifying and delivering process improvements and best practices.• Ensure IT services comply with regulations and standards, including data protection and cybersecurity, by conducting risk assessments and implementing controls.
• Oversee audit processes to ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and internal policies, addressing findings promptly and maintaining documentation for transparency and accountability.

Sound interesting? For further information, and to support your application, please view the job description

What you’ll bring

• The ideal candidate will have excellent technical, analytical, and project management skills, proven experience in leading IT service management (preferably in policing or public sector), degree-level education or equivalent experience, strong understanding of ITIL and other service/quality management frameworks, knowledge of digital transformation techniques, and proven experience in service catalogue management.
• You will have demonstrable experience in influencing and stakeholder management, the ability to persuade effectively at various organisational levels, a good understanding of IT service delivery and project management, and experience in partnership working.
• Ability to see the strategic landscape, exploit opportunities for technology and the wider organisation, and manage enterprise risk.
• Evidence of creativity and innovation, excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, line management experience with fixed and dynamic teams, and experience with budgeting and license management.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, ability to adapt materials to resonate with multiple stakeholders, and influence senior stakeholders to gain buy-in and adoption of service management principles and their value.

We know it’s important for you to feel that you’re not only part of a great team, but part of a community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Harnessing these differences creates a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, and their talents are fully utilised. Appointments are based on merit alone.

Interested to learn more? For further information about the role please contact Paul Mclauchlin, Chief Technology Officer by email at paul.mclauchlin@northumbria.police.uk

What we offer

• 26 days’ leave (increasing to 30 days for 5 years+ service) plus 8 bank holidays
• NHS Fleet Solutions Car Lease Scheme
• Enhanced maternity, shared parental and adoption leave
• Flexible working (we are happy to discuss options such as compressed hours)
• Agile working – option to work from home, your team zone, and spaces across the force
• Fantastic market-leading public sector pension scheme with up to 16% employer contribution
• Corporate travel schemes – local rail, bus services and metro discounts
• Access to private healthcare and eye test vouchers
• Discounts on shopping and eating out thanks to the Blue Light Card and Blue Light Tickets
• We’ve invested in extensive paid sick leave, trained mental health first aiders on-site, an employee advice service for the times you need that additional support.
• Access to gyms in some stations
• Sports & Social Club – join our thriving sports scene at Team NP and enjoy further exclusive discounts on days out and travel
• Cycle to work scheme
• Opportunity to volunteer in local community

Just so you know

Our application form will help us understand how your work, education and life experience has prepared you for the role of a Head of Service Management with #TeamNP. To help support your application research what makes us tick here at Northumbria, the role you’re applying for and the values and behaviours that contribute.

The recruitment process will consist of the initial application form followed by a face to face interview. Just so you know, you can save your application and come back to it any time prior to the closing date on the advert.

We are proud members of the Business Disability Forum, with whom we collaborate with to improve the lives of disabled employees. We are also a Disability Confident Employer, therefore if you demonstrate that you meet the minimum criteria for this role as stated in the advert, we will progress your application and offer you an interview.

If you tell us that you have a disability, we can make adjustments to support you through the recruitment process (for example we can arrange extra time for tests or provide a sign language interpreter) You can get in touch with us via careers@northumbria.police.uk for any support regarding the application process. Please provide us with plenty of notice so we can ensure your visit goes smoothly.

If your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a Management Vetting (MV) form, therefore you must be a resident of the UK for a minimum period of 5 years to ensure vetting checks can be successfully performed. A job offer will be dependent upon vetting clearance, medical information, and references.

Terms of appointment

This is a permanent role subject to a six-month probationary period.

If you are successful in your application, you will have a six-month probation period with us where you will be unable to apply for any other post advertised internally or externally.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

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