At a Glance
- Tasks: Become a vital Emergency Contact Handler, responding to calls and supporting the community.
- Company: Join Northumbria Police, one of the largest police forces in England, dedicated to safety and inclusivity.
- Benefits: Earn while you learn with competitive pay, extensive leave, and a fantastic pension scheme.
- Other info: Enjoy a supportive environment with opportunities for growth and development.
- Why this job: Make a real difference by helping people in their time of need and gain valuable skills.
- Qualifications: No formal qualifications needed; strong communication and typing skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 23636 - 25459 £ per year.
Start Date: 11th January 2027
Location: Ponteland or South Shields (Please note, we are unable to guarantee which of the two locations you will be based at). This role will be moving to Cobalt in early 2027.
Please note: The initial 9 week training programme will be Mon-Fri, 8-4.
Salary: Band 6 30 hours – £23,636 - £25,459 (Plus you will be entitled to shift and enhanced allowance, making potential earnings £30,217 - £32,547).
Working for #TeamNP:
- Our purpose at Team NP is simple: to keep people safe and to fight crime.
- We have a huge variety of departments and specialisms offering you endless opportunities.
- We promote a culture of respect in the workplace so everyone can feel seen, heard and valued.
- You can expect first-rate support to manage your health and wellbeing.
This could be the perfect time for you to join us in our Communications Department as an Emergency Contact Handler. Do you want to be the voice that can help in someone’s time of need? As the first point of call, we rely on your ability to stay calm, focused, and professional in your response.
You’ll have the opportunity to earn while you learn whilst playing a critical role in our ability to respond to emergencies. You will receive structured on and off the job training, personalised tutoring and all the encouragement and support you need through our comprehensive Emergency Contact Handler Apprenticeship programme.
What you’ll do:
- Working towards a level 3 apprenticeship you will be trained as an Emergency Contact Handler.
- You will gather information from callers by using your excellent communication skills, recording key messages whilst maintaining a professional manner.
- You will be trained to accurately input data into various police IT systems and gather information from force databases to support our frontline police officers.
- Using your experience, training, and judgement you will assess vulnerability and provide a high quality of service.
- Calls will include 999 emergency, 101 non-emergency, and contact made through our digital platforms.
Successful candidates will work a range of day, late and night shifts as per the documented patterns. No formal qualifications are required. However, applicants must demonstrate competent typing and listening skills as well as strong written communication abilities.
Skills and Experience:
- Excellent communication and listening skills.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport quickly.
- A passion for problem-solving.
- The ability to assess and understand key information.
- Confidence to multitask, recording information accurately with attention to detail.
- IT competence across a range of applications.
We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community. Appointments are based on merit alone.
Benefits:
- 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.
- Fantastic market-leading public sector pension scheme with up to 16% employer contribution.
- Access to private healthcare and eye test vouchers.
- Discounts on shopping and eating out thanks to the Blue Light Card and Blue Light Tickets.
- Access to gyms in some stations.
- Cycle to work scheme.
Just so you know: You must be 18 or older to apply for this role. Our application form will help us understand how your work, education and life experience has prepared you for the role of an Emergency Contact Handler with #TeamNP.
If your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a Recruitment Vetting (RV) form, therefore you must be a resident of the UK for a minimum period of 3 years to ensure vetting checks can be successfully performed.
Terms of appointment: This is a permanent role subject to a 24-month commitment to post. Continued employment is dependent upon completing both the training course and CHAMPS phase without taking annual leave in this 15-week period.
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.
Emergency Contact Handler Apprenticeship (30 Hours) - January 2027 employer: Northumbria
Northumbria Police is an exceptional employer, dedicated to fostering a supportive work culture that prioritises the professional development of its staff. As a Training Specialist, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on community safety while benefiting from comprehensive training programmes and career advancement opportunities in a dynamic environment committed to protecting vulnerable individuals.
