Job Title: National Police Chiefs Council - Graphic Design Officer - Hydrant Programme
Salary: The starting salary is £48,995, which includes allowances totalling £3,009.
The salary is broken down as £45,986 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale £54,863. Plus, a location allowance of £2,009 and a non-pensionable allowance of £1,000.
Location: Remote working nationally within UK. The Hydrant Programme is currently based in Moss Way Police Station, Sheffield S20 7XX and therefore frequent travel will be required to this premise and other Police locations across the UK. We encourage applications from candidates living across the UK. Further details on flexible arrangements will be discussed at interview stage.
Contract – Fixed Term Contract until 31/03/2027 (with the potential for further extension subject to funding and performance). This role is not available as a secondment opportunity.
THE NATIONAL POLICE CHIEFS’ COUNCIL (NPCC)
Policing is operating in a time of global change and uncertainty, the public and our staff need a service which is responsive, able to tackle future challenges and embrace opportunity.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) brings UK police leaders together to set direction in policing and drive progress for the public.
We achieve this through:
- Coordination – by joining up the operational response to critical national policing issues to deliver policing today and shape the future.
- Collaboration – by working in partnership as part of the whole policing system and beyond to improve public safety.
- Communication – by sharing the collective expertise, views and action of UK police chiefs.
NPCC HYDRANT PROGRAMME
The Hydrant Programme is a national policing programme supporting the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Child Protection and Abuse Investigation Working Group. Originally established in 2014 to coordinate the response to non-recent child sexual abuse but now supporting forces across all child protection and abuse investigation issues.
Hydrant develops policy and strategy on behalf of the NPCC, develops and delivers best practice advice including a learning, review and improvement function, provides a strategic analysis capability and partnership engagement with key stakeholders and partners.
THE ROLE
To deliver high quality, professional, and innovative graphic design services to meet Hydrant Programme and Child Protection Abuse Investigations (CPAI)communications priorities, including innovative creative solutions to convey information clearly, accurately, and with impact across a range of platforms and products.
The successful candidate would need to have the following experiences and skills:
- Effective inter-personal skills, and the ability to influence, engage, inform, and advise a wide range of people within and without policing, including strategic leads and practitioners
- Excellent keyboard and copywriting skills with an attention to detail and quality
- Recognised qualification in graphic design to degree level or equivalent
- Fully proficient in Adobe, Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat Professional, Dreamweaver, or other relevant graphic design and creative content systems
- Excellent writing and editing skills across a range of visual and written content, and via a variety of platforms including written and multi-media, and the ability to proof to a high standard.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS - If you join and work for us, you will get access to:
- A competitive salary with yearly increments.
- Support networks, free Employees' Assistance Programme, Occupational Health and wellbeing services.
- Flexitime, with the ability to undertake your hours flexibly and in line with business need.
- Hybrid working, with the ability to work remotely dependent on role.
- Competitive pension scheme.
- Company sick pay.
- Job related equipment supplied
- Specialist equipment supplied, under Occupational Health referral
- Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme for discounts and services (requires a one-off payment of £5).
- Development, coaching and mentoring opportunities available.
- Supportive and flexible onboarding plan, including regular check-ins throughout your initial period of joining us to ensure you are up to speed with the role and getting the support you need.
VETTING
This post requires access to the most sensitive intelligence material on a daily basis. Applicants must hold or be prepared to undergo National Security Vetting (NSV) Security Check (enhanced) (SC(e)) level before taking up the post
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Please provide a CV and evidence against the following competencies, (350 words maximum per competency) which are based on the knowledge, skills and experience set out in the job description and the competencies in the Competency and Values Framework (CVF).
Please note, CV’s will not be assessed within the initial application, answers to the CVF questions alone determine next steps. Once candidates identified for interview has been confirmed, CV’s will then be shared with the appropriate Hiring Manager.
Please note, the job description is used as a framework to review and manage performance when an individual is in post, and therefore not all knowledge, skills and experience are required from the outset. We are looking for someone who can demonstrate some of these and is willing to learn and achieve objectives set.
- We take ownership, Level 3 - Tell us about a time when you were responsible for delivering a design project from brief to completion. How did you ensure it met deadlines, stakeholder expectations, and organisational standards? What challenges did you face, and what was the outcome?
- We are innovative and openminded, Level 2 - Describe a situation where you introduced a new idea or creative approach into your design work. How did you convince others to support your idea, and what impact did it have?
- We analyse critically, Level 3 - Give an example of a time when you used data, feedback, or user insights to inform a design decision. How did you analyse the information, and how did it shape the final outcome?
Should you want to know more about the role, we would strongly encourage you contact hr-recruitment@npcc.police.uk to arrange an informal conversation.
- Please do not attach 2 copies of your CV.
REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS
With all recruitment processes, we support reasonable adjustments. This aligns with the Equality Act 2010 and reflects best practice in inclusive recruitment. Please let us know in advance so we can support you appropriately. See the following examples of adjustments recommended by Optima Medical Team for prior candidates.
- Assistive technology e.g. transcription software
- Advance access to interview questions
- Extra time for assessments and interviews
IMPORTANT NOTICE FAIR RECRUITMENT COMMITMENT / INTERVIEW CONDUCT
To ensure a fair and authentic recruitment process, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools during the interview process is strictly prohibited. We ask all candidates to complete interviews and assessments independently, without the use of AI, automated tools, or external assistance.
However, we recognise that AI can be a helpful tool in the preparation phase of the application process. Candidates may use AI to help structure their thoughts and refine their CVs providing the content remains truthful and accurately reflects their own experiences and capabilities.
Should you require assistive technology as part of a reasonable adjustment (e.g. transcription software), please let us know in advance so we can support you appropriately.
Any candidate found to be using unauthorised tools during the interview process will be withdrawn from consideration. We value honesty, integrity, transparency, and personal accountability. Demonstrating these qualities throughout the recruitment process is essential.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Occasional national travel may be required. Travel expenses will be paid if location allowance is not being received, or when travel falls outside of the home to work journey. NPCC will pay for overnight accommodation if required.
The Metropolitan Police manage HR for NPCC recruitment.
Completed applications must be submitted by 23:55 on 19th July 2026.
Once received, your application will be reviewed against eligibility criteria, following this, your application will be reviewed by the hiring manager. The application review for this vacancy will commence 20th July 2026.
Following application review, successful candidates will be invited to interview. Interview dates are to be confirmed.
This role is open to external candidates as a fixed term contract, anyone who is an existing Met employee will be processed as a fixed term contract.
If you are external to policing, please ensure you apply through the External link available via - https://www.met.police.uk/police-forces/metropolitan-police/areas/c/careers/police-staff-roles/police-staff-vacancies/.
The Met is committed to being an inclusive employer with a diverse and representative workforce at all levels. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from ethnic minority groups and females.
As a Disability Confident employer, the Met has committed to making disability equality part of our everyday practice. We ensure that people with disabilities and those with long term health conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.
If you consider yourself to have access, workplace or reasonable adjustment requirements that need to be accommodated, we ask that you include this information within your application form. All matters will be treated in strict confidence and will not affect any recruitment decisions.
