Safer Communities Lead

Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria

The Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) Susan Dungworth has a team of staff and volunteers who work hard to ensure her priorities, as set out in the Police and Crime Plan, are delivered. We are an equal opportunities employer who values and encourages diversity and are committed to building a team that fully reflects the communities we serve. We work hard to provide an accessible and inclusive working environment which enables our staff and volunteers to thrive.

Roles at the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner (OPCC) can range from delivering education sessions in schools as part of the Violence Reduction Unit to supporting the Commissioner’s drive to provide support services to victims of crime. The OPCC is a rewarding place to work: no two days are ever the same but we can always guarantee a great working environment. We will work with you to ensure your transition to your new career is as smooth as possible and we will support you every step of the way.

The Safer Communities Lead will be part of a team responsible for developing and implementing a transformational work programme to build safer streets and stronger communities across Northumbria. You will contribute to the delivery of the PCC's Police and Crime Plan and support the PCC to lobby and influence national policy and legislative development, whilst promoting a problem-solving, prevention and public health approach to building safer and stronger communities. The role will cover a wide range of community safety themes including hate, cohesion and equality, diversity and inclusion.

What do I need?

• A relevant degree or extensive experience of working in a community safety multi-agency or policy context to achieve common goals and transformational change.
• Up to date knowledge and/or experience of effectively dealing with a range of community safety issues and problem-solving methodologies.
• Experience of leading work in relation to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Understanding of the governance and scrutiny role of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
• Ability to conduct sound research, handle complex information, analyse it and present to a range of audiences.
• Excellent communication skills and confidence in listening and advocating for communities and leading inclusive meetings.

Vetting Level - Recruitment Vetting (RV). Applicants must be a resident of the UK for a minimum period of 3 years to ensure vetting checks can be successfully performed. A job offer will be dependent upon vetting clearance, medical information and references.

Benefits

• A minimum of 26 days' leave, excluding bank holidays, increasing to 30 days for 5 years+ service.
• We support our people inside and out of work - offering a very competitive pension scheme, car leasing scheme, discounts on shopping and eating out thanks to the Blue Light Card.
• Extensive paid sick leave, trained mental health first aiders available, an employee advice service.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

We want our team to represent the communities we serve - this ensures that everyone's voice is heard. We therefore welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all areas of the community as appointments are based solely on merit. We particularly welcome applicants from disabled and ethnic minority candidates, as they are currently under-represented within the OPCC for Northumbria. We are proud to be a Mindful Employer and are registered as Disability Confident Committed - you will be joining a team where you matter.

This post is subject to a satisfactory six-month review. All staff roles within the OPCC are 'politically restricted', which means that staff employed in these posts may not undertake political activities either in or outside the workplace. Some roles may require DBS clearance. Interviews are expected to take place on 24 and 25 November 2025.