Policy & Engagement Lead (Professionalism)

• Policy & Engagement Lead (Professionalism)
• Vacancy Reference Number
• 22647
• Number of Vacancies
• 1
• (B) OCU
• Professionalism Headquarters
• Location
• Westminster
• Building
• COBALT SQUARE , NEW SCOTLAND YARD
• Band
• Band B
• Part/Full Time
• Full Time
• Hours per Week
• 36 hours per week
• Type of Contract
• Permanent
• Job Advert
• Job Title: Policy & Engagement Lead (Professionalism)

Salary: The starting salary is £62,310, which includes allowances totalling £3,009.

The salary is broken down as £59,301 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale £72,254. Plus, a location allowance of £2,009 and a non-pensionable allowance of £1,000.

Location: New Scotland Yard, Cobalt Square and other locations across the Met with a Professionalism presence

Job description

We are looking for an ambitious policy or engagement professional to join the Met’s Professionalism Strategy, Policy, and Performance Unit. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to work at the heart of the Metropolitan Police, developing your policy expertise alongside operational insight into misconduct, vetting and wider police integrity matters by leading a growing team for the Professionalism directorate.

This role will be based in Professionalism, but will also work closely with other internal teams including the Met’s strategy team, external relations and other communications colleagues. This is a fast-paced role in an incredibly rewarding part of the MPS. You will be our subject matter expert on key policy issues relating to high-profile topics like officer conduct, vetting, anti-corruption measures, cultural improvement and diversity and inclusion, and lead a team of Policy and Strategy Advisers.

This role will be responsible for three broad areas:

Policy and Strategy Development – You will oversee, in partnership with subject matter experts, the review and drafting of current and new external and internal policy positions on behalf of the organisation. This will include leading internal and external consultation on key issues and legislation, and proactively developing thought leadership content. You will also manage a policy library of all matters of professionalism and integrity policy. As part of this you will regularly engage with the College of Policing, the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and the Home Office.

Briefing and Advice – You will be responsible for ensuring that Chief Officers are briefed appropriately ahead of key engagements, you will hold the pen on key documents and you will also bring your expertise to supporting the development of an effective but simple briefing regime across professionalism that meets the thirst for information from internal and external stakeholders who are driving our reform as an organisation.

Engagement – You will lead engagement with internal and external partners to gain buy in from stakeholders on the reforms that are underway in the Met. This will include leading co-creation activity with stakeholders to support the Met to address key issues.

The Met’s Professionalism Strategy, Policy and Performance Unit has been established to support the Chief Officer Group for the Professionalism Business Group, ultimately answering to Assistant Commissioner Rachel Williams. The team are responsible for driving a range of strategic workstreams and projects that support the Met’s mission of more trust, less crime and high standards, in a fast-paced environment.

You will be a leader in the unit, responsible for making it the kind of empowering, safe to challenge and collaborative team that we want it to be. You will be expected to support and guide colleagues, stretching their development. You will also be expected to work flexibly across the wider Unit as needed – the Unit is expected to pick up priorities for the chief officers and support across a range of work at the MPS. We are looking for individuals who are comfortable challenging themselves to work on a range of issues often at pace.

You will work regularly with senior Met officers including the Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Assistant Commissioners and Commanders as well as police staff equivalents. The role provides an opportunity to gain a unique operational insight, at the heart of the UK’s biggest police force.

You will link in with senior policy contacts on Police Integrity in government and wider partners to secure their support for the Met’s approach to reform. You will provide valuable insights and access to Whitehall decision-making, priorities, governance and current challenges, identifying opportunities to advance the Met’s role in influencing national policy development, strategy and evidence gathering.

Key responsibilities:

Working as part of a multi-disciplined team, you will:

Coordinate policy development and implementation on police integrity matters across the Met and leading a small team of policy experts to draft, develop and lead thematic policy areas including counter corruption and vetting.

Lead the professionalism directorate’s input into briefings ahead of key strategic meetings (e.g. National Policing Board), scrutiny meetings (e.g. MOPAC Oversight Board and London Policing Board) and key papers.

Liaise with external stakeholders including Home Office, MOPAC, College of Policing and other police forces to develop the evidence base, scope best practice, identify and implement improvements to policy and practice nationally, and across the business group.

Provide direct advice to senior leaders including the Assistant Commissioner ahead of key meetings with senior officials and stakeholders.

Support the creation of an enhanced briefing regime in response to increased scrutiny and requests for information from internal and external stakeholders

Support and provide advice to senior leaders on the management of high-profile misconduct cases involving Met officers and staff.

Undertake all relevant line management activities for your Band Cs including leadership, performance management, attendance management, coaching and learning and development advice and support to establish a high performing team.

Be a leader in the team, directorate and business group, bringing a can-do attitude, focus on developing yourself and others, and contribute to creating an empowering and supportive environment.

Line Management Responsibility: Band Cs as required, although this will remain flexible as our target operating model is embedded.

This role does not attract Shift Disturbance Allowance. If you are currently in a shift-working role, SDA should cease upon appointment to this job.

How to apply:

To begin your career at the Met, please click the "apply button “. The application process requires a comprehensive CV, a Personal Statement, and an online application form. In your Personal Statement, you should explain your interest in the position and illustrate how your skills and experiences make you a suitable candidate. Please note that you should not submit two copies of your CV, and ensure that your documents are saved in either PDF or Word format, clearly labelled as CV and Personal Statement.

Completed applications must be submitted by 23:55 on 4th October 2026.

Once received, your application will be reviewed against eligibility criteria, following this, your application will be reviewed by the hiring manager.

Following application review, successful candidates will be invited to interview.

www.metpolicecareers.co.uk

Essential For The Role

Essential Criteria

A successful track record in giving high level professional advice on complex policy matters and sensitive issues.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with proven experience of writing papers and briefing materials to influence senior decision making.

Ability to manage competing demands and prioritise at pace.

Experienced at leading collaborative work including leading consultation activity to build consensus and promote service change and development.

Proven ability to own, influence and manage relationships with senior leaders (Director/BB2/SCS2 level and above) and their teams.

Excellent strategic and critical thinking skills, with an ability to interpret different information at speed and effectively influence decision-making.

Well-developed analytical and problem-solving skills and an ability to devise creative solutions to complex problems and issues. Personal resilience to work confidently with minimal supervision and direction.

An ability to engender maximum trust and confidence both internally and externally of the Met through the highest level of personal and professional integrity.

Desirable

Experience drafting policy and/or aligning policy with broader strategic objectives within legislation and regulatory frameworks.

An understanding of the policy context and challenges facing policing.

• Required Languages
• English
• Reports To
• Band A

Additional Information

CVF Staff Band.pdf – 971KB Opens in a new window

The following competencies will be tested against during sift:

• We collaborate at level 3
• We are innovative and open-minded at level 3
• We analyse critically at level 3

Disability Confident Statement

The Met is committed to being an equitable (fair and impartial) 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. Find out more about police fitness standards.

Read our full disability confidence statement.