2 x Firearms Licensing Administrative and Enquiry Officers (37 hours per week)

Salary: Band 5, £26,280 – £27,351 (37 hours per week post)

Location: Bedlington

Hours: 2 x 37-hour, permanent posts

The role

Here at Northumbria Police, we think our region is amazing! It takes a great deal of people from different backgrounds, with diverse skills and experience to serve our force area effectively; think you have what it takes to help us make a difference? This could be the perfect time for you to join us in our Force Coordination and Operations Department as a Firearms Licensing Administrative & Enquiry Officer.

As a Firearms Licensing Administrative & Enquiry Officer you will be part of a small and unique team who undertake all firearms and explosives licensing services, enhancing public safety, managing risk, and ensuring firearms are issued and used responsibly and within the law. You will be responsible for the assessing and scrutiny of Firearms Licensing applications; this will include the interrogation of relevant police computer systems and social media sites, identifying risk and offences of non-disclosure and/or certificate breaches.

You will continually evaluate and assess new incidents, intelligence and notifications of change linked to certificate holders, identifying any risk to public safety and the peace and take appropriate and timely action where required. You will be responsible for conducting regular reviews with certificate holders and complete rationale reports to inform the decision-making process. You will be required to attend court as appropriate.

You will visit applicants and certificate holders at their home addresses to interview them to assess their suitability/continued suitability to possess firearms and inspect the storage and security facilities, making recommendations and advising on security improvements where required.

You will provide and enforce advice to internal and external customers, stakeholders and outside agencies in relation to firearms legislation, relevant acts, the application process, firearms definitions, classifications and safe shooting.

What you’ll do

Be responsible for the assessment and scrutiny of Firearms Licensing applications.
Visiting applicants and certificate holders at their home addresses to interview them and inspect security arrangements in line with legislative guidelines.
Evaluate and assess information to inform the decision-making process.
You will be required to attend a nationally recognised accredited training courses and engage in continuous personal development.
Provide specialist advice to internal and external customers in relation to firearms legislation.

What you’ll bring

Knowledge of a variety of computer systems including Microsoft Office applications.
You must possess outstanding written, communication and organisational skills.
Ability to manage and prioritise your own workload, be self-motivated and able to work individually but also as part of a team in a fast-paced and busy environment.
Ability to risk assess and identify areas of concern, with a proven investigative ability.
You will have proven decision-making skills and an ability to apply legislation.
You will need to possess a full UK driving license.

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.

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 Firearms Licensing Administrative & Enquiry 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, paper sift, followed by a face-to-face interview and scenario based exercise for those applicants successful at the paper sift. 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.

If your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a Recruitment Vetting (RV) form, therefore you must be a resident of the UK for a minimum period of 3 years upon vetting clearance, medical information, and references.

Terms of appointment

These are permanent roles subject to a six-month probationary period.

If you are successful in your application, you will have a 6-month probation period with us where you will be unable to apply for any other post advertised internally or externally.

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.