Role Briefing with: Darren Harding

Date: 31.03.2025

Recruiter: CJ

TEAM PURPOSE:

TEAM STRUCTURE:

6 in the team – 3 teams of 2.  Netley based (near Southampton

(3 in Kidlington and 3 in Hampshire).  Within 2 hours of Netley.

ROLE LOCATION: Hybrid / Netley.  (Less requirement to be onsite in Kidlington, but in Hampshire a lot ,more requirement to be onsite).

Like to be flexible.  But have to expect to be on site throughout the entire shift in many instances.

But classed

Early shift – flexibility but more likely to go onsite.

Late shift – can be delivered from home.

12 days in a 3 week cycle.

ROLE SALARY: £33K + shift allowance (13.5%).   Plus day rate per call out, (typically £2K to 2.5K extra per year).  Around the £40K mark all in.  Plus if called out can get call outpayment and can opt for more rota – almost £45 – 50K, (but not guaranteed).  

HOURS: Per shift pattern

ROLE SUMMARY:

• Any monitoring tools – ideally Azure
• Passion for policing – policing / community pride.
• Physical check of  servers and virtual check
• Patching
• General upkeep of the infrastructure.
• Some kit delivery.
• Drive to site if required (will be sent on a police driving course)
• Keep the datacentre hearts beating – aware of the risks of overheating in the summer.

 TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT:

MS technology, 365, azure, desktop,

Cloud virtual awareness.

Service now beneficial not essential. 

ITSM – incident management.

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE:

• Confidence essential and potentially some tech leadership.  Stand on their own 2 feet. Perhaps a Team Leader type and independent worker.  Lead on a difficult situation. Lots of common sense. (candidates interviewed to date have been too junior). Mature decision maker.
• Be aware of what monitoring and alerting is – come up with ideas.
• Perhaps challenge the status quo – why do we do this this way when it can be done in a better way.
• 2 years minimum in a IT setting.   Not necessarily ops team – often coming from service desk, 2nd line.
• Annual ride a long day,.

WHAT's EXCITING ABOUT THIS ROLE:

• Police sector
• Great team culture – ideas encouraged, Team Leader is the natural step.  They can step into any other area of the TVP IT Team.
• Lots of previous team members have launched therie career into other areas of TVP – need to have worked for a year before moving on.

CV SUBMISSION PROCESS:

CV to Darren and Matt.

1 stage interview.  MS Teams based.

Interview w/c 07.04.2025

“Why do you want to work for the Police”

SEARCH STRINGS / BOOLEAN SEARCHES: 

Role Briefing with: Anthony Alexander (Head of Digital) WYP

Date: 06.02.2025

Recruiter: JC and CJ

Anthony is responsible for Storage, networking, Data, 1000+ virtual servers, Enterprise VMWare, journey to Cloud, DBA/DW, Cyber Security

There is organisational change afoot, however not cost saving based but to get them more cloud ready and ready for planned expansion.

He is doing the briefing as there is another vacancy for the Information Security Manager so he is caretaking the team.

TEAM PURPOSE:   Driving Information security across the Force and all its interactions with National policing organisations / systems.

TEAM STRUCTURE:

Information Security Manager

3 x Cyber Security Analysts (of which one is a vacancy)

ROLE LOCATION:

Wakefield OR Bradford considerably at the start for induction and then may be on average 3 days per week.  Preferred site would be Bradford for induction.

ROLE SALARY:

£35 - 37953 + WYP Pension and Benefits

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE:

 Would suit a 2nd jobber

18 months Information Security experience / compliance.  Ideally Public sector.

Ideally Cyber security qualification, any, but experience is most important

ISO2000

Documentation skills

ITIL

Preferred:  RMADS, CESG, NIST, DPAA etc.

WHAT's EXCITING ABOUT THIS ROLE:

Policing environment, interesting, Policing and UK Government interaction

Great team spirit

Helping to protect communities across WYP ultimately

Lots of interaction across Digital Policing

Good career progression in the long term 

SCOPE FOR CAREER PROGRESSION / TRAINING:

Yes, across the Force, career development supported.

CV SUBMISSION PROCESS:

CV's to be anonymised and sent to Anthony

one stage F2F interview at HQ

ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO KNOW?:

Role closes 10.02.2025 COP

SEARCH STRINGS / BOOLEAN SEARCHES: 

compliance, ISO, documentation, security, cyber

New role Briefing - CJ 14.03.2025
Ashley Kozaczek - Digital Development Solutions Architect

TEAM PURPOSE: Digital Innovation across WYP 9000 Users.  Digital Innovation is the combination of IT and IM functions.
TEAM STRUCTURE:
EMMA - Head of Digital
Neil - Digital Delivery and Analytics Manager
3 x Solutions Development Lead (where Ash sits)
3 x BA's
1 x Development Solutions Architect

There are 8 Devs + 1 contractor + vacancy that sit under the Solutions Development Leads, (3 of the Devs do RPA, 2 of the Devs do .Net)
All Devs are the same tier - in time they might decide to introduce mid and senior Devs.

ROLE LOCATION: Hybrid - 2 days per week on site in Wakefield, (1 day per week after 6 months).
West Yorkshire Police HQ
6 Laburnum Road
Wakefield
WF1 3QP
+ 25 miles
No onsite parking but plenty of off road and NCO Car Parks.
Team tend to come into office on a Tuesday or Thursday.

ROLE SALARY:  £42897 - 45147per annum (with the market factor), offers will be at the BOTTOM of the scale)

HOURS: 37  Core hours are 07:00 - 19:00, a lot of people start early and finish early. 

ROLE SUMMARY: 
The team are responsible for Digital Policing innovation.  Develop, customise and automate many products  that support frontline policing. Cloud is still new and they are at the early stages of moving to cloud (Azure)

TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT: 
.NET OR .Net Core essential
Front end tools - Blazor/React/JavaScript - (Blazor is the main one currently)
Exposure to TSQL and a good understanding of RDBMS
Exposure to Azure Web App Development would be useful (we have a gap)
Good understanding of Source Control fundamentals
 
Other areas that might be beneficial:
 
PowerApps
PowerBi
Azure Fundamentals
Git
Comfortable with NuGet or alternatives

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE: 
JD reads as follows:
•    Demonstrated ability to develop business improving solutions using a variety of toolsets including any of Microsoft 365 advanced tools, Robotic Process Automation, Sharepoint, Power Bi, Azure, .NET or low code platform among others on a large scale infrastructure environment.

.NET ROLE
12 moths OR .Net Core
Any front end tool as long as willing to learn / cross train
Any RDBMS - MS SQL Server (ideally with ETL / SSRS type skills, but not essential) and API principles (REST API's)
Hybrid Agile / Waterfall environment
Driving license as there is an occasional need to travel to other sites.

RPA ROLE
12 + months ,Net
and as much of the above as possible.

TEAM CULTURE:  Embracing ideas / innovation, new ideas welcome, Great team culture, supportive.  Excellent retention.  Only one person left in the last 6 years.

WHAT's EXCITING ABOUT THIS ROLE:
Great Team Culture
Innovation encouraged, ideas listened to, horizon scanning
Hybrid working
Training and Certification available if relevant to the job
Supporting Policing front line - helping support the Police Officers

SCOPE FOR CAREER PROGRESSION / TRAINING:
Lots of training / certification available if job relevant

CV SUBMISSION PROCESS:
Ash and Neil on leave 10.04.2025 = 28.04.2025
Interviews will be held 07.04.2025 - 09.04.2025
Send CV's now though and Ash will conduct 1st stage screening Teams interviews.

CV's anonymised and sent to Neil and Ash
1st stage MS Teams
2nd stage F2F in Wakefield.

ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO KNOW?:

SEARCH STRINGS / BOOLEAN SEARCHES:  

- works in team of 3. They are brining IT back in house from Node4 so a lot of interesting project work to get involved with

- need to be able to work autonomously

- have to have project experience, not just support

- exprerience working in the cloud (Azure or AWS) is desirable

- will be a Cisco engineer - look for Cisco certs - CCNA or CCNP

- hybrid working. need to live within an hour. they will be in the office when needed

- example project - working on a switch replacement

- role is 60% support, 40% project

- will be on the on call rota. 1 week in 4. 7pm - 7am on Weekdays, 24/7 on weekends. worth extra £4k for being on standby, then over time rate at 1.5 salary

Screening questions to ask:

1. What is a NSG and why is it used in Azure?

Answer: It is used as an Access Control List (ACL) to define network rules

2. What is the importance of ordering firewall rules?

Answer: You want the ones hit more frequently to be at the top of the list for performance and blocked rules should be at the top with default block rule at the bottom.

3. When looking to upgrade a network device how would you decide what to upgrade to?

Answer: Latest vendor recommended release level.

4. Describe the 5 TUPLE of a packet?

Answer: Source IP, Destination IP, Source Port, Destination Port and Layer 4 protocol.

5. How would you go about securing a WIFI network?

Answer: Encryption with PSK or certificate.

About TVP:
17,000 Users
Cover Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire Constabularys
Technology driven Police Force

TEAM PURPOSE:
Digital Team - lead - develop digital innovation across the Force

TEAM STRUCTURE:
Report into Tom
8 x Devs
2 x BA

ROLE LOCATION:
Hybrid - just once a month to HQ (Kidlington, Oxfordshire).  Must be flexible though to travel to any site in the TVP region if required.

HOURS: 37

TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT: 
Blue Prism RPA Projects - exposure
Salesforce CRM (ideally "marketing cloud" would be great! Projects - exposure
Visio for flow diagrams or a similar tool

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE: 
Excellent communications, strong stakeholder management skills
Self starter / self managing
Consultative in style
Perhaps ideal is candidate has come from a smaller business and used to wearing many hats, rather than being a BA and a small cog in a bigger wheel and only delivery aspects of the role.

SEARCH STRINGS / BOOLEAN SEARCHES:  
RPA "Robotic Process Automation"
Blue Prism 

Role Briefing with: Andy Dyer
Date: 31.05.2024
Recruiter:  CJ and JC

TEAM PURPOSE: Delivering RPA - process automation to the Force

TEAM STRUCTURE: Reporting into Andy (Automation Manager)
1 xLead Developer (currently fulfilled by ex-IBM contractor till September 2024)
2 x Junior/mid level developers (from within the force)
1 x controller (manages the 24 live processes in hand)
2 x BA's

ROLE LOCATION: Hybrid (though virtually no need to attend sit in Devon so can be delivered from anywhere in the UK
HQ is Middlemoor, Exeter, Devon.

ROLE SALARY: £48K signed off, however with market factor can offer up to £56K (all of which is pensionable)

HOURS: 37 - Flexi working.  Can deliver 8/10 fortnights if necessary, as long as 37 hours' delivered.

ROLE SUMMARY: Lead Developer of 5 person RPA Team, managing work distribution and mentoring / coaching junior RPA Developers.  Preparing BI reporting to deliver to Andy to present to the SLT.

TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT: Blue Prism (some Power BI, Confluence for documentation et.)

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE: 
2+ years RPA delivery / OR 8 - 10 builds previously
Can lead on the workflow, distributing work to the team accordingly
API first approach (to help standardise the way they use API's)
Power BI Desireable
Confluence Desireable
Able to coach/mentor/ train junior developers
Excellent people / soft skills
Strong communication
Good civic pride / motivations
Able to present info. to help Andy deliver presentations to stakeholders for continued funding in automation / robotics.

WHAT's EXCITING ABOUT THIS ROLE:
Great location (if they visit the site)
Lots of growth plans for RPA

CV SUBMISSION PROCESS:
Interview early July - Andy will come back to me next week once he has the green light to start reviewing CV;s

ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO KNOW?:
Would be great to drive diversity in the team and if there are any female candidates they can consider

SEARCH STRINGS / BOOLEAN SEARCHES:  
"blue prism" and "builds" and "developer"

Role:                   IT Security Officer

Location:          Hybrid – mainly home based with very occasional travel to HQ in the South of the UK.

Salary:               £65,000 – 75,000 + a comprehensive range of Employee Benefits.

Key Skills:        ISO 27001, security architecture specialist, cyber security controls, strong infrastructure background (CCNA, MCSE etc.)

Why Apply:   This role will own the IT security function, be responsible for detecting and responding to security incidents and monitoring technical controls in a large UK Police Force.  You will be responsible for providing expert Security Architecture advice to Technical Architects and Project Managers.  You will also be responsible for the supervision, training and development of a small team of IT Security Analysts. 

In addition to joining a great team of people there is great scope for career development in this UK Police Force.  Working in a large UK Police Force is a unique and rewarding career.  This is your chance to take on a fulfilling role that ultimately improves and supports the delivery of critical services to local communities.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

Essential:

• 5+ years practical experience within information security, (ideally qualified such as MSc Information Security, CISSP, CESG etc.)
• Experience in a role at SME level, advising others on information security best practise and information security architecture.
• Deep technical understanding of IT systems and appropriate technical qualifications such as Security+, CEH, CCNA, MCSE. Must be familiar with Cloud and Mobile technologies
• Full UK driving license

** You will need to be able to demonstrate that you have lived and worked in the UK for the last 5 years in order to meet the security vetting required for this role **

Procurement & Contracts Manager - Public Sector

12 Month Contract

Location: Hybrid/Worcestershire (2 days on site)

My Client a leading Public Sector orgnisation based in Worcesterhire, are looking to recruit a Procurement & Contracts Manager to lead a Procurement, Contracts and commissioning team.

This role is hybrid working at home 3 days per week with 2 days per week in the office, which is commutable from Kidderminster, Birmingham, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Hereford, Malvern, Ledbury, Evesham, Redditch, Bromsgrove, Bewdley, Droitwich Spa and Pershore.

Duties:

• Provide leadership to a Procurment/Contracts/Commissioning team in annual budet of £13m
• Maintain leadership and strategic ownership for all aspects of the policy and commissioning business.
• Ensure compliance with relevant statutory requirements regarding commissioned services and deliver the best possible return on investments for the public.
• Ensure outcomes of commissioning activity are appropriately monitored and logged.
• Manage service providers and influence partners to ensure the best possible outcomes are achieved. 
• Build positive relationships and influence with key partners, service providers and stakeholders to further the effectiveness and efficiency of policy and commissioning

Skills Required:

• A provemn tested Stratgic Leader/Manager
• Experience of managing multiple projects & workstreams
• Significant Contract Management and/or Procurment experience, preferably for commissioned servives in the public sector
• Experience Poliuce Governanne, National or Local Government
• Proven experience of influencing decision making at a senior level.
• Substantial and relevant experience of managing resources to achieve best value for money.
• Track record of providing a high quality, customer focused services.
• Proven experience of building effective strategic relationships with multiple stakeholders.
• Strong track record of good management and leadership of staff, preferably in a similar environment.

Head of Policy & Commissioning - Policing Sector

Salary: Upto £68,000

Location: Hybrid/Worcestershire

My Client are on a journey to shape the future of policing and create an inclusive working environment where our employees feel safe to make suggestions and voice their opinions. The main purpose of the Head of Policy and Commissioning role is to lead on supporting the best possible delivery of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) statutory functions and Police and Crime Plan, through the use of effective, efficient, evidence led commissioning and policy and to play a strong role in strategic OPCC leadership and management, good governance and ensuring cohesion across OPCC functions.

This role is commutable from Kidderminster, Birmingham, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Hereford, Malvern, Ledbury, Evesham, Redditch, Bromsgrove, Bewdley, Droitwich Spa and Pershore and

Duties:

• Lead in providing and ensuring the best possible assistance and strategic advise the Police and Crime Commissioner in their responsibilities under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, in particular their responsibilities or powers in relation to commissioning, rehabilitation, diversionary activities and victims’ services, as well as responsibilities to hold the Chief Constable to account and use of robust, evidence-based policy.
• Maintain leadership and strategic ownership for all aspects of policy and commissioning business within the Office of the PCC, including budgets and staffing. Ensure the best use of these resources.
• Ensure compliance with relevant statutory requirements regarding commissioned services and deliver the best possible return on investments for the public.
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements within the area of policy, including (but not limited to) the PCC’s holding to account agenda, and publication of lawfully required information. Develop and maintain an understanding of the main issues affecting policing, crime and community safety, in particular the legislative and regulatory framework relevant to the duties of this post both nationally and locally.
• Develop evidence-based strategies and policies for PCC commissioning and policy activity. Ensure their consistent delivery and best possible outcomes.
• Ensure outcomes of PCC commissioning activity are appropriately monitored and logged. Manage service providers and influence partners to ensure the best possible outcomes are achieved. Where necessary, manage the performance of contracts and commissioned services/ projects. Ensure PCC commissioning projects are properly evaluated.
• Build positive relationships and influence with key partners, service providers and stakeholders to further the effectiveness and efficiency of policy and commissioning, and all wider PCC activity. Enhance the reputation of the OPCC.

Skills Required:

• Experience or sufficient awareness of working in a political environment subject to public scrutiny.
• Experience in designing, implementing and improving new procedures.
• Experience of formulating and implementing commissioning and policy strategies with senior officers/members or equivalent including problem solving for high profile adverse issues.
• Understanding of public or not for profit sectors.
• Understanding of market development and how to influence it.
• Proven experience of influencing decision making at a senior level.
• Substantial and relevant experience of managing resources to achieve best value for money.
• Track record of providing a high quality, customer focused services.
• Proven experience of building effective strategic relationships with multiple stakeholders.
• Project / programme management experience.
• Willing to embrace change and maximise positive outcomes for stakeholders and the community.
• Strong track record of good management and leadership of staff, preferably in a similar environment.
• The ability to demonstrate an understanding of the national and local commissioning framework within which the PCC/ police forces operate.
• An understanding of business change principles including a working knowledge of how to effectively manage change and effectively realise benefits.
• • A level 6 qualification or equivalent
• In depth knowledge and understanding of the PCC’s role, statutory requirements and wider operating environment, including legislation and other factors that impact PCC business.

Why work for us? 

• 28 days Annual leave (increasing to 33 after 5 years service) + bank holidays
• Generous pension scheme
• Health and wellbeing, occupational health services, staff networks and an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Police Mutual, affordable private healthcare and other savings.
• Gym membership discounts.
• Discounts on Electric Vehicles and Cycle to work scheme.
• Register for a Blue light card – over 15,000 discounts from large national retailers. 

Role:                        Contract Finance Business Partner

Location:               Hybrid, nearly all remote working + Oxfordshire Head Office as required

Rate:                        £550 - 600per day Inside IR35

Duration:               6 months – start September 2024

Key Skills: Delivering high quality, effective financial information, and advice and support to the wider organisation.

Our client:   A public Sector organisation with responsibility for National Security and Public Safety.

Key Accountabilities:

• Provision of financial information: provide prompt and accurate budgets for all designated departments or Directorates. Provide up-to-date financial management information to budget holders, using facilitation and interpretive skills and sound judgement.
• Lead Financial Support to projects: provide financial information to support business plans and business cases for projects, lead and direct other finance teams for the provision of detailed technical support.
• Management support and advice: Provide support with financial information and decision-making and business planning. Provide professional expertise and decision-support in those areas for managers across directorates and business partners. Provide technical expertise to generate business information and insight from internal and external sources.
• Planning: Coordinate the financial strategic planning cycle for all designated departments or Directorates and support/influence the wider overall production of the strategic plan covering a 3-5-year timescale. Provide analysis and insight from external and internal sources to assist in the refresh of the finance and wider strategic plan and underpin operational plans. Coordinate stakeholder consultation annually to capture views about the priorities for inclusion in the finance strategic plan. Work closely with the Planning Performance and Risk team to ensure that key strategic and performance measures are understood together with the resource implications and any risks involved. Work with departments and Directorates for development of delivery plans that underpin delivery of the strategic plan. Lead the development of accurate and timely budgets and forecasts to enable delivery of those plans, supported by designated financial analysts/ senior financial analysts as appropriate.
• Stakeholder Relationships: Will act as the lead to manage the relationship with specific senior external stakeholders and senior internal stakeholders (Budget holders), influencing and managing the key finance deliverables requiring external and internal collaboration, Be the lead to ensure external and internal financial reporting needs are met.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate: 

• Current NPPV3, SC or DV clearance would be highly advantageous.

• Recognised professional accountancy qualification appropriate to the role e.g. CIPFA, CIMA, ACCA, etc.
• Minimum of three years’ significant financial management experience at senior level gained from working within a large, complex organisation providing professional expertise in a similar role.
• Able to interpret/ analyse highly complex financial and statistical data, reason, evaluate, draw appropriate inferences to enable innovative problem solving and report and communicate with multiple senior stakeholders with tact and diplomacy.
• Effective leadership, interpersonal, influencing and change management skills.
• The ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
• Some expertise in at least one of the following disciplines: strategic planning, performance management, risk management
• Knowledge of governance and assurance frameworks.

***You MUST be a full time Resident of the UK and have the right to work in the UK without the need for VISA sponsorship.  You need to have lived and worked in the UK for the last 5 years without any extended periods outside of the UK in that time to be eligible for the required level of security vetting, (NPPV3) ***