Digital Forensic Investigation Unit Manager

Digital Forensic Investigation Unit Manager

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Hertfordshire Constabulary Digital Forensics Investigation Unit (DFIU), as a Digital Forensics Manager. We are looking for a driven, flexible, and enthusiastic individual to work as part of a leadership team, driving efficiency and managing a team of Digital Forensic Specialists. 

Purpose of the Role

To manage the Digital Forensics Investigation Unit, Overseeing day-to-day activities of accreditation and quality of all Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Digital Forensics Services. Work with the Forensic Services Quality Manager and Technical Lead to oversee the provision of technical expertise and ongoing conformity across all Digital Forensic disciplines. Ensure the unit is compliant to the relevant legislation, ISO quality standards and the Forensic Regulators Statutory Code. Ensure that Research and Design is led by customer requirements, to ensure that the DFIU are keeping pace with the changes in technology.

It will therefore be a demanding but exciting role with the opportunity to make a real difference to the effectiveness of investigations and safeguarding. You will report into the DCI of Digital Forensics, but will need to be able to work unsupervised and show self-motivation and innovation to ensure the unit remains both efficient and affective. 

Key responsibilities

• Devise, implement, review, and monitor contracts such as Service Level Agreements & Memorandum of Understanding including the collection and analysis of management and performance information on turnaround times and customer satisfaction through managing and monitor work requests. To include setting forensic strategies, risk assessment, prioritisation, distribution & coordination of work, ensuring the unit has the capability and capacity to conduct their activities and that work meets the requirements of the customer and where required facilitate and coordinate outsourcing. To liaise and work collaboratively with other digital forensic units and maintain further develop appropriate strategies for the submission of items.
• Identify opportunities for increasing productivity and maintaining financial efficiency, evaluating and risk assessing all opportunities, including managing a finance budget. Develop business plans to support the implementation and realisation of benefits and positive outcomes including successful delivery of project milestones and being the force lead for business change in the DFIU
• Implementation, maintenance, and improvement of unit activities to ensure they are efficient, effective and comply with the Quality Management System upholding impartiality and confidentially. This includes regular review of procedures for improvement and change, managing participation in proficiency tests and interlaboratory comparisons, management and monitoring of data, records and information generated such as archives and storage
• To drive and support improvements in DFIU management skills (personal development, DFTL, Kiosk Manager), knowledge and professional development to enable supervisors to deliver effective levels of performance. To oversee unit personnel training and competence to conduct their activities including liaising with the Technical Lead on training requirements and suitability of the technical training programme. Leading on training of non-technical processes and procedures including conducting continued assessments and reviews.
• Oversee research and development of new techniques, new technology and new threats to ensure the unit is focused and matched fit for a constantly changing environment
• Managing DFIU facilities, environment and equipment, ensuring suitability, functionality and performance through regular maintenance and service schedules, including purchasing, conducting supplier reviews to ensure optimum value for money and performance whilst identifying positive options for change.
• Working with the Quality Department to ensure activities are conducted to Quality Standards (ISO17025, ILAC-G19 and the Forensic Science Regulator’s Statutory Code of Practice) and any Police Regulation, Legislation or best practice guidelines, including adhering to any updates and amendments. Ensuring the unit achieves and maintains accreditation including facilitating and taking part in internal and external audits and assessments, and identifying dealing with deviations and non-conforming work
• Manage A5 and second line manage  A4 staff within the unit, monitoring performance against KPI’s and standards by conducting dip samples, quality checks and peer reviews of work. Develop, produce and implement plans to maintain and improve performance. 

These key duties and responsibilities are intended only as a guide to the main responsibilities of the post and are not intended to restrict the scope of the post holder to perform other duties. Additional responsibilities for the post holder may be agreed on an individual basis and recorded as part of the annual performance review role requirement. 

Entry Requirements

• Educated to degree level either within Forensic Computing/Computer Science or a similar and a minimum of 5 years relevant experience in digital forensics, preferably in policing
• Knowledge of ISO17025 and experience of working within an ISO accredited environment or one that is working towards this
• Extensive experience and proficiency in the use of digital forensics hardware & software (either digital media or mobile devices)
• Experience of leading people with the skills to motivate, support and inspire development
• Experience of managing workloads, meeting demands within tight timescales and working within a high-pressure environment
• Experience of decision making and taking ownership
• Excellent communications skills and the ability to effectively report at management level
• Experience of problem solving and negotiation
• Ability to strategize, plan and prioritise according to operational demand
• Ability to continually and effectively seek and gain understanding of any new advancements within digital forensics.

Salary £44,310 - £52,815 (inclusive of discretionary increment. Market rate supplement to be agreed)

Occupational Health Warning

Due to the nature of the Work undertaken within this unit, it is imperative that applicants are aware they will be exposed to extreme and disturbing images as part of this role, but will be supported by our Occupational Health Unit.

For an informal chat about the role please contact the Digital Forensic Investigation Unit  -  htcu@herts.police.uk

Additional Information 

All internal applicants must have successfully completed their probationary period to apply for this role. 

Internal applicants within Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire Constabulary or Hertfordshire Constabulary (BCH), should upload either a CV or provide relevant skills, experiences and qualifications on Word/PDF document. 

This vacancy is live to those at risk of redundancy and will remain open to redeployees until the conditional offer stage throughout the recruitment process. Redeployees will take priority over other applicants at any point during the recruitment process up until conditional offer. If a redeployee is successful and accepts an offer, they will remain on their home force’s terms and conditions. 

As a Disability Confident leader, we take personal responsibility to help create an inclusive workplace, where police officers and staff respect one another, feel valued for their differences and can be themselves. We are committed to providing workplace adjustments, wherever needed so everyone feels welcome and can flourish. If you have a disability and you meet the minimum criteria for the position you are applying for, you will be entitled to an interview under the ‘Offer an Interview Scheme’. 

It is recommended that you download and store a copy of the role profile as this will no longer be available once the advert has closed.