Vacancy Information
This role is within a unit where Surrey Police and Sussex Police work in collaboration, whilst continuing to be two separate legal entities/employers with different terms and conditions.
Both Surrey Police staff and Sussex Police staff are employed in this unit on their own force terms and conditions.
Successful candidates may be appointed on the terms and conditions of employment of either Surrey Police or Sussex Police, depending on organisational requirements. A discussion will be held with the successful candidate to confirm the details of location, salary, allowance and hours.
Division / Department - Operations Command
Status - Full Time and Part Time Available
Contract Type - Permanent
Grade - Surrey Police Grade H / Sussex Police Grade 11
Salary Grade Range - Surrey Police £35,028 - £41,464 / Sussex Police £35,223 - £38,856
Politically Restricted -
Unsocial Hours Allowance -
Location - Gatwick
The starting salary for this role will usually be at the bottom of the salary range and will be pro-rata if the working hours are less than full time.
The Role
This is a niche role and you will have spent a number of years in armed policing to be considered for it.
This important role exists to support and deputise the CFI role with the delivery and maintenance of the Firearms Training Curriculum in line with the College of Policing awarded Training Licence. The position holder will manage the training policies and procedures, and the Chronicle firearms and armoury recording systems to ensure that all firearms officers receive the training they require in order to remain operationally deployable. The holder will also manage the Police ranges owned by Sussex and Surrey Police ensuring they are maintained and serviced in line with their certifications issued by the College of Policing. The holder will also be required to remain operationally/occupationally competent in their current firearms skill sets to support operational resilience and deployments as directed. They will also support firearms training sergeants and the Command training team with the delivery of the annual training calendar as required.
Key Responsibilities
• To carry out supervisory functions to the Force Armourers and Compliance officer and provide supervisory support to the training team Sgts as required.
• To assist in the development of the annual Firearms Training Plan and to monitor, review and update it as appropriate.
• To initiate and manage Firearms Training Development plans as identified for the training Sgts and ensure that they are completed in the identified time frame and recorded correctly on Chronicle.
• To provide Gap Analysis for all Transferees, re-joiners and long-term absentees and work with Training Sgt to ensure achievable plans to facilitate required training can be achieved.
• Work with Occupational Health to ensure all officers attend and maintain required medicals, eyesight and hearing tests. Support any development plans in this area as required.
• To manage the compliance and achievement of the annual accreditation and peer assessments process of Firearms Instructors to ensure their continued competency in line with the Firearms Licence Process.
• To oversee the management of all Surrey and Sussex ranges in line with the College of Policing Handbook of Police Range Safety. Support the Armoury inspections process to ensure compliance with the Firearms Licence process and the Armoury procedures.
• To support the compliance officer with the review of firearms training event packs prior to submission to the CFI for sign off and authorisation.
• In the CFI’s absence, or at their request, sign off and authorise firearms training event packs prior to delivery of training.
• To manage the Policies, Compliance and Health & Safety for Firearms Training and Firearms Command Training on behalf of the CFI.
• To manage and the develop the Firearms Training, Range and Armoury Procedures, as appendixes to the Force Firearms Policy, to reflect organisational currency and College of Policing updates.
• To manage the set-up and currency of the firearms and armoury modules within Chronicle.
• To manage the set-up of all training events within Chronicle.
• Have oversight of the booking of firearms officers for their required mandated refresher training, carried out by the Compliance officer/Base administrators.
• To manage the updating of Firearms Training records on Chronicle and the preventative maintenance regime to enable all firearms officers remain authorised.
• Through Chronicle, oversee and support the monitoring of all training to ensure all firearms officers achieve all training requirements for their roles.
• To manage updates to the National Police Firearms Training Curriculum (NPFTC), Knowledge HUBB updates, NPCC Circulars and National best practice that impacts on Firearms Compliance.
• Bring to the attention of the CFI all NPCC updates where action is required, along with proposals.
• To assist the CFI with the preparation of the annual College of Policing Firearms Licence self-assessment process on PSQMS and the four yearly College of Policing formal Firearms Licence Inspection process.
• To produce or assist with compiling reports for the Senior leadership team (SLT) in support of Operations Command Firearms and Gatwick.
• To identify and support more efficient ways of working to promote safer and cost-effective methods including income generation opportunities to offset local costs for training.
• Work and liaise with Regional and National partners as required to contribute to ensure best practice and Regional parity is achieved.
• To maintain their own DCFI accreditation to deliver firearms training in line with College of Policing Firearms Licence requirement.
• Provide support and supervision as required to Firearms Training and Firearms Command Training for Surrey, Sussex and Gatwick Airport.
Skills & Experience
It is essential that the post holder has:
• Qualified and accredited as a Firearms Instructor with as proven understanding of the current design, planning, delivery, assessment and evaluation of Firearms Initial Courses, Specialist Training programmes.
• Training Qualification to level 3 (Award in Education, Diploma in Education, C&G 7407 Stage III Certificate in Further Education and Training or equivalent) and be prepared to work toward ssuccessful attainment of a level 4 qualification within 12 months.
• Qualified to IOSH Managing Safely, Health & Safety standard.
• A sound knowledge and understanding of the following roles: Armed Response Vehicle Officer and associated additional skills of Close Protection, Rifle officer.
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of Authorised Professional Practice for Armed Policing, National Police Firearms Training Curriculum and the Codes of Practice for Firearms and Less Lethal Weapons.
• Excellent skills in planning and organising on an individual and team level.
• Ability to plan and manage own workloads proactively and independently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent resilience and problem-solving skills, with the ability to challenge issues, identify solutions and to see them through to resolution.
• Good IT skills in the use of Chronicle, SharePoint, MS Window based Outlook and Office applications of Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
• Meet security level vetting standards.
• Current occupational competence in the ARV role and any specialist roles currently trained in.
• Police Range Safety Inspector (PRSI ) qualification or be willing to be trained in this role.
Other relevant qualifications include:
• Qualified to Certificate level Health & Safety standard. (NEBOSH or IOSH)
• Hold A1 Assessors Award or equivalent with ability to progress to gain V1 Internal Verifiers Award if required.
• Lead or support experience in the delivery of Command training of ITFC, OFC and Firearms Tactical advisor roles.
it is expected that the successful candidate will:
• Work where required in the collaborative area and Gatwick Airport as directed by the Chief Inspector Firearms in support of the delivery of Firearms training and the Firearms Training Plan.
• Travel to Regional and National meetings with overnight stays as required.
• Expected to be flexible with working time in support of operational and training demands.
• Hold a current permit to allow Driving permit capable of driving Firearms Training vehicles.
Further Information
For further details please contact: CI Steve Biglands via steve.biglands@sussex.pnn.police.uk
We recognise that our people are balancing demanding careers with commitments and interests outside of work. We welcome applications and discussion with candidates who want to work full-time or part-time/flexible hours.
Additional Information
Following submission of your application you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your application attached. Occasionally emails from this address can fall into spam/junk folders so please ensure this is checked regularly. You may wish to consider adding noreply@surreysussexpolice.as.recruitmail.com to your address/contact list to ensure you receive all communications.
Surrey Police and Sussex Police work together in collaboration for this role, however they remain two different employers, with differing pay scales, allowances and terms and conditions including hours of employment.
If you are an internal candidate and are conditionally offered the role your attendance record and any reasonable adjustments already in place will be discussed with yourself and your current line manager. If you are successful in your application, you may be required to resign and transfer your employment, taking on the Terms & Conditions and pay scales of the Lead Force (if this is not your existing Home Force).
This post is being advertised in parallel with Force redeployment processes. Any redeployees who are identified will be given preference. This may result in the post being withdrawn at any point during the recruitment process.
Surrey Police and Sussex Police Special Constables, Volunteers and Agency Staff (excluding self employed workers) covered under the Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) are eligible to apply for internal advertised posts.
Diversity Statement
We are only as good as our people. It's really important that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we know that as an organisation we'll grow from the variety of thinking, approach and skills that diversity brings; all of which help us deliver a better policing service. We strive to ensure how we deliver our services, provide information and how we recruit is open and accessible to all.
We have multiple staff support groups who help to improve our understanding of minority issues and ensure they are reflected in our work. We are proud members of the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and Disability Confident, a signatory of the Race at Work Charter and aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement.
We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities. Regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status or religious beliefs, we would love to hear from you.