Forensic Review Officer

Salary: Band 8, £34,611 - £39,372 (Please note it is Northumbria Police policy to appoint at the beginning of the band)

Location: Ashington and Agile across Northumbria Police Locations including Peterlee.
Hours/Contract: 37 hours, 14 month Fixed Term Contract / Secondment

Working for #TeamNP

Our purpose at Team NP is simple: to keep people safe and to fight crime. But it takes more than officers alone to do the job – and that’s where our 2,000-strong team of police staff and 200 volunteers come in.

As one of the largest police forces in England we have a huge variety of departments and specialisms offering you endless opportunities. From mentoring and coaching schemes and online soft skills courses to leadership development programmes; we’ll give you the support, training and time to carve out the career you always wanted.

As one of the top 50 UK inclusive employers and a disability confident employer, we promote a culture of respect in the workplace so everyone can feel seen, heard and valued.

Whether you’re a member of staff or a volunteer, you can also expect first-rate support to manage your health and wellbeing. With year-round events, a 24/7 welfare support hotline and a leading approach to neurodiversity, our initiatives enable you to be at your best.

Above all else, here at Team NP, we can offer you a career that is so much more than just a job, it’s a chance to be part of something that really matters.

Learn about our full benefits package

The role

Our Forensic Services team provide essential forensic support to all investigations, relying on the skill and teamwork of all our professional practitioners. If you think you have what it takes to make a real difference, this could be the perfect time for you to join our department as a Forensic Review Officer.

This new and exciting role enables you to apply your specialist forensic knowledge and skills to a unique opportunity, where you will be providing critical forensic support to colleagues in our Crime Department in the review, and investigation, of undetected homicides and other major crime. You’ll be responsible for co-ordinating the identification, retrieval and continuity of documentation and exhibits, following forensic strategy review and assessment process.

What you’ll do

You will work closely with internal departments and external stakeholders, attending regular meetings to report on progress and ensure compliance.
Co-ordinate the identification and collation of all relevant forensic documentation and exhibits as well as the retrieval of information, case files, retained and frozen material from the national forensic archive (Forensic Archives Ltd.) ensuring appropriate force storage.
Undertake the initial forensic documentation assessment of any undetected major crime case files and investigative paperwork to support the outsourcing of forensic material to the forensic service provider for a full scientific review.
Produce documentation relating to the location of exhibits and forensic material once located/retrieved and minutes of meetings and briefings attended, enabling full continuity to be included in any agreed further forensic strategies and reports for the investigative teams.
Liaise with teams across the force including CSIU regarding re-packaging and storage of exhibits and Forensic Submissions to ensure co-ordinated management of an appropriate forensic submission strategy.
Ensure you have up to date and relevant knowledge through continuous professional development and building relationships with subject matter experts.

Sound interesting? For further information, and to support your application, please view the job description

What you’ll bring

Undergraduate qualification in a relevant discipline or at least five years vocational policing forensic experience.
You will have a thorough understanding of the Criminal Justice System.
Excellent organisational and administrative skills, enabling you to organise your own workload, prioritising when required and ensuring time is managed.
Able to communicate with a wide variety of customers and stakeholders, ensuring physical and emotional resilience when dealing with distressing or upsetting material.
You will be a team player, working effectively with the team to achieve successful outcomes.

We know it's important for you to feel that you're not only part of a great team, but part of a community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Harnessing these differences creates a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, and their talents are fully utilised. Appointments are based on merit alone.

Interested to learn more? For further information about the role please contact Jacqueline Leadbitter (Identification Manager) by email at jacqueline.leadbitter@northumbria.police.uk

What we offer

26 days’ leave (increasing to 30 days for 5 years+ service) plus 8 bank holidays
NHS Fleet Solutions Car Lease Scheme
Enhanced maternity, shared parental and adoption leave
Flexi time - allowing you to fit your working hours around your individual needs
Fantastic market-leading public sector pension scheme with up to 16% employer contribution
Corporate travel schemes – local rail, bus services and metro discounts
Access to private healthcare and eye test vouchers
Discounts on shopping and eating out thanks to the Blue Light Card and Blue Light Tickets
We’ve invested in extensive paid sick leave, trained mental health first aiders on-site, an employee advice service for the times you need that additional support.
Access to gyms in some stations
Sports & Social Club – join our thriving sports scene at Team NP and enjoy further exclusive discounts on days out and travel
Cycle to work scheme
Opportunity to volunteer in local community

Just so you know

Our application form will help us understand how your work, education and life experience has prepared you for the role of a Forensic Review Officer with #TeamNP. To help support your application research what makes us tick here at Northumbria, the role you’re applying for and the values and behaviours that contribute.

The recruitment process will consist of the initial application form followed by a face to face interview and a presentation. Just so you know, you can save your application and come back to it any time prior to the closing date on the advert.

We are proud members of the Business Disability Forum, with whom we collaborate with to improve the lives of disabled employees. We are also a Disability Confident Employer, therefore if you demonstrate that you meet the minimum criteria for this role as stated in the advert, we will progress your application and offer you an interview.

If you tell us that you have a disability, we can make adjustments to support you through the recruitment process (for example we can arrange extra time for tests or provide a sign language interpreter) You can get in touch with us via careers@northumbria.police.uk for any support regarding the application process. Please provide us with plenty of notice so we can ensure your visit goes smoothly.

Use of AI in Applications: At Northumbria Police, we embrace innovative technologies to enhance our recruitment process. We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While AI can be a valuable resource, we encourage applicants to ensure their submissions accurately reflect their personal qualifications, experiences, and skills. Our selection process includes thorough evaluations to verify the authenticity and suitability of all applications. We value genuine and thoughtful responses that showcase your unique strengths and perspectives.

If your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a Management Vetting (MV) form and Biometrics Vetting, therefore you must be a resident of the UK for a minimum period of 5 years to ensure vetting checks can be successfully performed. A job offer will be dependent upon vetting clearance, medical information, Biometrics and references.

Terms of appointment

This is a fixed term role subject to a six-month probationary period

If you are successful in your application, you will have a six-month probation period with us where you will be unable to apply for any other post advertised internally or externally.

Please note if you are interested in applying for this secondment opportunity, please discuss this with your Line Manager and gain agreement prior to applying.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.