Assistant Chief Constable

This profile has recently been reviewed and updated, including the CVF 2024 and core skills, and the new version can be found on College Learn by entering the Profile title in the search function.

The Assistant Chief Constable is responsible for contributing to the creation of the vision and setting direction and culture for the Force as part of the Chief Officer Team that builds public and organisational confidence and trust and enables the delivery of an effective policing service.The Assistant Chief Constable contributes to the development and implementation of the Force’s Delivery Plan. They are responsible for reviewing and driving performance and culture within their designated area of responsibility in order to provide a professional, effective and efficient policing service in line with the direction and vision of the Force.
The Assistant Chief Constable is directly responsible for leading and commanding the operational policing responses within their area of responsibility.
The Assistant Chief Constable contributes to the development of regional and national policing within a specific area of expertise and may be accountable for national operations or standard setting.

• Support the setting of the organisational and operational strategy for the Force, in alignment with wider plans and objectives such as the Police and Crime Plan and Strategic Policing Requirement, in order to provide an effective and efficient policing service that meets current and future policing demands.

• Represent the Force, adhering to the principle of operational independence, and liaise with the Office of the Police Crime Commissioner to provide operational information in relation to their area of responsibility to enable the PCC to provide public assurance.

• Support the Chief Constable to lead the Force, embedding the organisational culture and promoting values, ethics and high standards of professional conduct to enable an effective and professional service.

• Liaise with the Chief Officer Team to develop operational plans to enable the effective and compliant implementation of the Force Delivery Plan within their area of responsibility.

• Lead, motivate and engage a team of senior policing professionals, promoting workforce wellbeing, facilitating impactful professional development and performance management to create an empowered team effectively contributing to the achievement of Force objectives.

• Responsible for the delivery of Force operational strategies and policing responses/investigations across own area of responsibility to ensure an efficient and compliant policing service which enables effective law enforcement and public protection.

• Lead responses to particularly high risk and/or cross-Force major events and serious investigations, setting strategic objectives and priorities, assessing and managing threat and risks and directing the deployment of resources to ensure an appropriate and effective response in line with legal and Force requirements.

• Set and manage budgets and resource plans across their portfolio in line with the wider budget framework to maximise the efficient use of resources, ensure the effective use of public spending and maximise value for money.

• Effectively measure, evaluate and report on performance within own area of responsibility utilising findings to drive improvements in service delivery.

• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with local and regional partners, effectively influencing and collaborating to enable the achievement of objectives for the area of responsibility, to improve public safety and build trust and confidence in policing.

• Represent the Force at a local, regional and national level to the public, media and other external stakeholders to support the Chief Constable to promote visibility, connect with the public and build confidence in policing.

• Effectively manage and encourage development, change and innovation, ensuring enhanced productivity, value for money and continuous improvement in problem solving and evidence based policing.

Prior education and experience:
• Successful completion of the Police Leadership Programme: Stage 5 (Executive Leaders) or successfully completed the strategic command course prior to 2023.

• Wide ranging operational law enforcement experience.

• Authorising Officer Training.

• A demonstrable track record of successful experience of working at a strategic level, including the leadership of law enforcement officers and staff.

• Experience of successfully engaging with and influencing multi-agency partnerships.

• Experience of embedding an effective performance management framework.

• Experience of implementing successful organisational development, change and innovation.

• Experience of management of significant budgets.

• Up to date operational/technical policing knowledge.

• Knowledge of developing political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors and an understanding of the implications for strategic planning.

• Knowledge of relevant local, regional and national policies, strategies and initiatives and an understanding of the implications within the policing context.

Policing Education and Qualification Framework (PEQF):

The education provision for the ranks above Police Constable has still to be confirmed. Should an educational requirement be agreed for the Chief Officer ranks, the expectation is that this would be set at Level 7. Information will be made available in due course by the College of Policing. Any new requirements agreed with the Service will require development before implementation. Consequently existing promotion requirements will continue to apply for the foreseeable future.

Skills:
• Able to manage substantial financial, people and material resources, demonstrating commercial acumen to balance complex, competing resource demands by making appropriate risk-based decisions within the available budget.

• Able to manage strategic organisational change that reshapes the services or functions delivered by the Force, to deliver appropriate responses to emerging trends and issues.

• Able to analyse a wide range of information to identify emerging trends and issues and use these to inform strategic planning.

• Able to operate with sound political astuteness, able to negotiate the internal and external political landscape effectively.

• Able to use a wide range of highly effective communication and influencing techniques and methods to successfully negotiate, collaborate and influence change at senior levels and across a diverse range of stakeholders.

• Skilled in building and maintaining stakeholder and partner relationships, being able to apply problem solving approaches and methodologies to resolve issues and to reconcile conflicts of interest.

• Skilled in leading, developing and inspiring people, engaging a diverse range of teams with strategic priorities, values and behaviours.

• Able to apply or devise problem solving methodologies or specialised concepts and methods of analysis (or commission them from others), to clarify and/or solve multifaceted and complex problems.

• Able to reflect on and hold themselves, individuals and the organisation to account for performance and behaviours.

• Able to identify, commission and implement new or improved technologies/services that have a transformational impact on Force service delivery and/or cost.

A senior leaders CPD Framework has been developed that identifies three important elements Chief Officers should consider when planning their CPD.
Chief Officers should reflect upon their existing knowledge, skills and experience to identify and plan their professional development alongside the following examples. Below are some suggested examples but are by no means exhaustive:

Personal Skills
• Role model continuing professional development and lead by example by sharing learning and reflections to support the professionalisation of the police service.

• Maintain knowledge of strategic leadership and management theory and continually reflect on practical application in the operational policing context.

• Consider participation in secondment opportunities to gain differing perspectives on leadership and management, where appropriate.

• Participate in coaching and/or mentoring opportunities for self and others to use and share the learning to inform own and others’ approach to leadership, management and policing.

Business Skills
• Maintain commercial awareness and build financial acumen by working closely with partners and multi-agencies at a local and national level, where appropriate taking advantage of shadowing and/or secondment opportunities.

• Maintain knowledge and understanding of performance management processes, including data analysis methodologies and how performance can be benchmarked locally, regionally and nationally.

• Contribute to evidence based research by conducting research and analysis of operational policing issues to solve problems and support the professionalisation and transformation of policing.

• Build and participate in peer networks and action learning sets to enable approaches to joint problem solving, share learning locally, regionally and nationally to support business process modernisation, efficiency and continuity.

Professional Skills
• Maintain knowledge of College of Policing Guidance, best practice and national and local initiatives and policies applicable to the strategic policing context.

• Maintain and update key knowledge and understanding to effectively apply legislation, policy and practice across all functional policing areas of operational responsibility.

• Maintain knowledge and understanding of political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors and developments to inform strategic policing plans and enable an efficient and effective approach to policing and ensure the force is able to tackle new and evolving crime, threats and priorities.

• Work with national policing agencies and bodies, such as Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), National Crime Agency (NCA) and the College of Policing to ensure the force maintains professional standards.

• Complete all annual and mandatory training to retain occupational and operational accreditation.

• Not applicable.

• Chief Constable