West Midlands Office for Policing and Crime

Information for applicantsfor the part time role of

Assistant Auditor

Contents

  1. Welcome
  2. About the West Midlands and West Midlands Police
  3. The role of West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner
  1. Strategic priorities
  2. Job description

6.Appointment and selection process

7.Benefits and conditions

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner

Closing date for applications: noon Monday 23 June 2014

Dear Applicant

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in the part time role of Assistant Auditorfor West Midlands Office for Policing and Crime. This job is offered on the basis of 14.5 hours per week.

You will be the Assistant Auditor assisting the Head of Internal Audit in the implementation of the audit plan. The work is varied, hence our requirement for someone able to work on their own initiative within clearly defined timescales.I hope you find this information pack, which includes the job description, helpful in understanding the nature of the role we are looking to fill.

You will be able to play your part in our Internal Audit team’s continual search for the highest levels of audit performance and service delivery to the Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable. In so doing, as a member of our Audit team you will be comfortable providing procedural advice and guidance to Police Staff and Officer Colleagues on internal control issues.

You must be able to provide clear reports and working papers and to assist in the investigation and testing of systems.

The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner has the challenging role of ensuring that the 2.74 million people of the West Midlands are served by an efficient and effective police service. The Force is the largest provincial force in the country with a budget in excess of £600m and around 7,700 police officers and 3,800 police staff headed by the Chief Constable, Chris Sims.

Please do contact Ben Jarrett on 0121 626 5324 should you wish to discuss the post further.

I look forward to receiving your application.

Kind regards


Jacky Courtney

Chief Executive

2. About the West Midlands and West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police is the second largest police force in the country after London’s Metropolitan Police Service. It covers an area of 384 square miles and serves a population of 2.74 million (over 1 million households). The region sits at the very heart of the country and covers the three major cities of Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton. It also includes the busy and thriving districts of Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Dudley. The majority of the area is densely populated but there are some rural areas.

The region’s economy has diversified from its historic heavy industry roots of the Industrial Revolution. With the decline in traditional manufacturing, both the public and private sectors have rejuvenated the area. Birmingham now has a commercial and shopping area that is among the largest in Europe. This is complemented by a wide range of social amenities such as the National Exhibition Centre, National Indoor Arena, the International Convention Centre, theatres, galleries and many large conference facilities. The area boasts a thriving nightlife, centred around Birmingham City Centre. West Midlands hosts a number of Premiership and Championship football clubs together with many others in the other leagues.

The region is well served by rail and road links. Road and rail travel is supplemented by significant air traffic through Birmingham International and Coventry airports. The area is proud of its academic institutions, being home to a number of universities located in Birmingham, Coventry, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

The population of the West Midlands is diverse. At approximately 18%, the percentage of the population that are black and minority ethnic is significantly above the national average. Approximately 10% of the population were born outside of the UK. The average earnings and house prices for the region are lower than the national average.

There are seven local authorities within the area; Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Since taking up his office in November 2012, the Commissioner has worked with each of the statutory crime and disorder reduction partnership/community safety partnership to establish community lead local policing and crime boards to ensure that policing priorities are determined more effectively at a local level. The area is also served by three Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust and a number of NHS structures, adding complexity to the partnership landscape.

West Midlands Police is one of the best performing metropolitan police forces in the country. Significant and sustained reductions across volume crime have been achieved. At the same time, through headquarter departments and formal collaborative arrangements with other forces and law enforcement agencies, resources and expertise have been focused on a range of inter and cross-force activities.

Local policing is delivered through ten local policing units (LPUs). Other than Birmingham, which because of its size has four LPUs, the other six LPUs are coterminous with local authority boundaries. Each LPU is headed by a Chief Superintendent. The work of the local LPUs is supported by a number of specialist central and support departments.

West Midlands Police has a reputation for continuous improvement, innovation and empowering leadership with a talent to continuously evolve and meet changing needs. The Force aims to deliver policing that is accessible and responds to the needs of local people. Neighbourhood policing provides a named team of local officers who can influence the policing priorities within their neighbourhood. They work with colleagues and partner agencies to address the concerns of their communities.

In the summer of 2013 the Commissioner commenced an EU procurement process to enter into a ground breaking innovation and integration partnership. This process is nearing completion. The commercial partner will hopefully be appointed this summer and will work with WMOPC and West Midlands Police to develop a target operating model to enhance the delivery of services for those that live and work in the West Midlands underpinned by technological improvements. This will provide unique experience for the successful candidate.

Further information about West Midlands Police can be found on the Force website at

3.Role of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner

There are 41 police and crime commissioners in England and Wales covering each of the 41 forces outside of London. The governance of the Metropolitan Police Service is a duty of the Mayor of London and the City of London Corporation governs the City of London Police. Together with the Home Secretary and chief police officers, police and crime commissionersare responsible for policing in England and Wales.

Bob Jones was elected as the first West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner in November 2012. He is supported in this role by his Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Cllr Yvonne Mosquito. The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner is the local governing body for policing in the West Midlands.The Commissioner has an over-arching duty to secure an effective and efficient police force. The Commissioner has a number of statutory roles, which include:

  • representing all those who live and work in the communities in their force area and identifying their policing needs
  • setting priorities that meet those needs by agreeing a police and crime plan
  • holding the Chief Constable to account for achieving theCommissioner’s priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible
  • setting the force budget and setting the precept
  • hiring and, if necessary, dismissing the Chief Constable

Tofulfill these roles, the Commissioner has a range of powers and responsibilities.The Commissioner:

  • must produce a police and crime plan
  • must set the policing "precept", which is the part of local council tax that goes to policing
  • appoints and, if necessary, dismisses the Chief Constable
  • makes Crime and Disorder Reduction Grants
  • has oversight of how complaints against the police are managed
  • must keep under review opportunities for collaboration
  • has duties relating to national criminal threats, safeguarding of children, and consulting the public
  • has a role in ensuring the effectiveness of the wider criminal justice system

To assist him meet his statutory responsibilities the Commissioner has established a Strategic Policing and Crime Board. As well as assisting in holding the Chief Constable to account the Board provides strong links with the diverse communities across the West Midlands. The Board meets monthly in public and its agendas, minutes and reports can be found on the Commissioner’s website together with its terms of reference. In addition the Commissioner and Chief Constable are supported through a Joint Audit Committee. This Committee comprises the four non-executive members from the Strategic Board together with an independent Chair, Susan Davis.

The membership of the Strategic Policing and Crime Board is:

  • Bob Jones, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner
  • Cllr Yvonne Mosquito, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner
  • Cllr Faye Abbott, Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner
  • Cllr Judy Foster, Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner
  • Cllr Mohammed Nazir, Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner
  • Brendan Conner, Non-Executive Board Member
  • Cath Hannon, Non-Executive Board Member
  • Ernie Hendricks, Non-Executive Board Member
  • Cllr Tim Sawdon, Non-Executive Board Member

The Commissioner has also worked with partners in the seven local authority areas to take forward his manifesto commitment to develop local policing and crime boards. These boards comprise partners from the bodies that make up the statutory community safety partnerships/crime and disorder reduction partnerships together lay members, one of whom chairs the local board. The Commissioner has asked these boards to develop local policing and crime plans which are used to underpin the Commissioner’s West Midlands’ wide police and crime plan. Information about these local boards can be found on the seven constituent local authority websites.

The Commissioner has a duty to consult with all those that live and work in the West Midlands and undertakes an extensive range of consultation activities. To assist him in this aspect of his work the Commissioner has developed a Youth Commission comprising two youth commissioners from each of the seven local authority areas. The Commissioner is also working to establish a Victims Commission to help him meet his statutory responsibilities in respect of victims of crime. These structures are supplemented by a Women’s Forum supported by the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner.

The Commissioner is supported in his work by an executive team headed by the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer, Jacky Courtney. The team also has the Commissioner’s Chief Finance Officer, Mike Williams together with a policy and administrative team

The Commissioner is supported and scrutinised by a separate Police and Crime Panel. The Panel is made up of twelve councillors from across the West Midlands and two independent members. Information on the work of the Panel can be found at The Panel is set up under the provisions of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

Further information on the work of the Commissioner and the statutory framework in which the Commissioner works can be found on the Commissioner’s website.

4.Strategic priorities

Under section 5 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 the Commissioner is required to issue a police and crime plan (the Plan). The Plan covers the period until March 2017 and sets the Commissioner’s police and crime objectives. A copy of the Plan can be found on the Commissioner’s website

The Plan has been built to take account of the:

  • Commissioner’s manifesto commitments
  • assessment of the Chief Constable of the priorities for West Midlands Police
  • strategic assessments carried out by each of the seven community safety partnerships within the West Midlands
  • Home Secretary’s Strategic Policing Requirement which sets out the national requirements to which both the Chief Constable and Commissioner must have regard
  • medium term financial prospects for revenue and capital funding for West Midlands Police (further details on the Commissioner’s finance can be found on the Commissioner’s website)
  • views of local people, including victims of crime

The Plan sets out the Commissioner’s objectives across his term of office which ends in May 2016. The Commissioner reviews his Plan on an annual basis.

The Commissioner has identified the following as his key areas for focus:

  • improving public confidence in policing
  • creating stronger partnerships
  • developing greater local identity across the West Midlands
  • demonstrating West Midlands Police’s commitment to social responsibility
  • delivering better value for money
  • reducing crime and offending
  • better protecting people from harm
  • improving the service the public receive from the police
  • supporting stronger communities
  • ensuring a more effective contribution to national policing

5.Assistant Auditor

West Midlands Office for Policing and Crime

Post Title / Assistant Auditor
Post No / B3003SS006
Grade / Band C £18,909 - rising to £25,704 through annual increments (Pro rata)
Purpose
To assist in providing a continuous audit of West Midlands Office for Policing and Crime and West Midlands Police. To also assist in the undertaking of Value for Money audits and the application of Business Improvement principles.
Main duties and responsibilities
1. / To assist the Head of Internal Audit, under the guidance of the Principal Auditor with the implementation of the planned audit coverage.
2. / To assist in the preparation of clear reports and comprehensive working papers in relation to work done, including recommendations for the improvement or amendment of systems.
3. / To assist in the investigation and testing of systems with a view to securing increased efficiency and effectiveness.
4. / To assist in the undertaking of special Value For Money projects and Best Value reviews
5. / To carry out any other duties commensurate with the purpose and grading of the post that may from time to time be determined
Qualifications / Experience
The postholder should be a Qualified Accounting Technician
Or
  • Part qualified Accounting technician with approximately two years relevant experience
Or
  • Actively studying for an Accounting Technician qualification with at least three years relevant experience.

Knowledge
  • An understanding of the role and work of Internal Audit within the Public Sector
  • An understanding of the work of police and crime commissioners and police forces.

Skills and abilities
  • Evidence of effective communication and presentation skills
  • Ability to prioritise and manage own workload as well as working as part of the Internal Audit team.
  • Must be able to demonstrate the ability to work on their own initiative.
  • Must have experience in MS Office Suite software, together with reasonable keyboard skills
  • Hold a current, valid driving license with access to a vehicle suitable for business use.

Supervisory responsibility
May occasionally supervise other staff in the conduct of audits.
Supervision received
Reports to the Principal Auditor.
Contacts
The post holder will have extensive contact with Police Officers and Police Staff throughout West Midlands Police.
Working Base
The work base will be the Commissioner’s offices in Lloyd House, Birmingham, but the post holder may be required to work from any of the Commissioner’s places of employment.

6.APPOINTMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS

In line with the West Midlands Office for Policing and Crime’s Police policies, we guarantee to interview all applicants with a disability, as detailed in the application form.

No applications will be accepted after the closing date. The recruitment process will be as follows:

  • Closing date for applications – noon Monday 23 June 2014. Completed application forms can be emailed to or posted to Jo Tayler, West Midlands Office for Policing and Crime, Lloyd House, Colmore Circus Queensway, Birmingham B4 6NQ.
  • Notification to candidates of selection for first interview will be following shortlisting, which will be completed by Thursday 26 June 2014. Applicants will be asked to complete some additional forms providing financial, security and medical information to meet the requirements of WMOPC’s vetting policy.
  • Interview – early July 2014. The interview panel will include Ben Jarrett, Head of Internal Audit, WMOPC.

Benefits and conditions

WMOPC has a wide range of policies to support a positive, productive, fair and safe working environment. Copies of all of these policies can be found on our website

WMOPC is independent of West Midlands Police but as it is a small organisation and co-located with the force it does share and make use of Force resources. Therefore a number of the checks that are carried out on police staff and police officers prior to appointment are also required of WMOPC staff, including vetting of applicants.

Hours and salary

The standard working week is 36.5 hours. This post is offered on a part time (14.5 hours per week) permanent basis.

Holiday

A full time post holder will have 26 days leave rising to 31 days after 5 years service. In addition, staff receive a further 8 days leave through Bank Holidays. The above leave arrangements will be pro-rated accordingly

Pension

The post holder will be entitled to join the contributory Local Government Superannuation Scheme that provides a number of benefits including: