The National Crime Agency has launched a recruitment campaign to find a permanent chief operating officer and director general for capabilities – and it is offering a salary of £145,000 to the successful candidate.
According to the job advertisement, the new COO will be responsible for leading the corporate and professional services functions of the NCA, which is a non-ministerial department accountable to the home secretary, as well as for the organisation’s strategic planning.
Claire Smith is the current post holder. She was seconded from the Ministry of Defence on a temporary basis in June 2022. The arrangement – which has already been extended once – is due to end in June this year. The NCA's 2023-24 annual report and accounts brackets her salary for the last financial year as £165,000-£170,000.
Smith's successor will be responsible for managing the agency’s £665.6m resource budget plus a £118.2m annual capital budget and external funding in excess of £230m, the job advertisement says.
The COO and capabilities DG will have specific responsibility for transformation and programme delivery at the NCA, including what are described as "significant" digital, data and technology programmes, estates transformation and corporate services reform.
They will also be accountable for the NCA's people strategy – covering its almost 6,000 staff – and for supporting the agency's legal team.
Writing in the candidate pack for the role, NCA director general Graeme Biggar said the successful applicant would likely already have experience as a chief operating officer or in leading corporate functions.
"To succeed in this role, you will be an outstanding leader, with extensive experience of delivering digital and cultural transformation," he said.
"You will have the ability to forge strong relationships across boundaries. You will be able to manage resources in a highly complex organisation, and be committed to serving the public through the NCA’s values of integrity, agility, alliance and excellence."
He added: "This role is integral to the running of the agency."
The NCA said the SCS Pay Band 3 role could be based in Birmingham, Bristol, London or Warrington.
Applications are open until 23:55 on February 9, with shortlisting due to take place over the following week. Engagement-panel sessions will then take place ahead of final interviews in mid-March.