Senior Police National Assessment Centre & Senior Police Staff Assessment Process for the SCC

1. Senior Police National Assessment Centre &Senior Police Staff Assessment Process for the SCC 2013

2. This presentation is designed to provide key information prior to the release of the specific chief officer selection overview documents later in the year. The overview documents will be available on the Senior Selection web page later in the year. This presentation has been designed to provide you with an overview of the processes, an update on any changes for this year and references to where you can find additional information. The information below is presented in a power point format, with additional explanatory information in the ‘notes’ pane at the bottom of the screen. Introduction

3. “To identify those who are capable of being an effective chief officer.” “This may include highly talented individuals who have some discrete areas for development.” Senior PNAC Aim ...

4. In order to consider being eligible for Senior PNAC candidates should have experience of: Executive Policing Substantial and Challenging Command Professional Policing/Operational Command Policing Operations Business Policing/Business Management Principles Organisational Strategy Financial Management Promoting and Managing, Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Senior PNACEligibility Criteria

5. “…to identify those senior police staff who are likely to derive substantial benefit from the SCC.” Senior Police Staff Assessment ProcessAim…

6. The four core criteria for the Senior Police Staff Assessment Process are: have shown significant knowledge and understanding of policies governing policing have implemented organisational strategy at a local, regional or national level which takes a corporate overview of the force’s development promote and manage equality, diversity and human rights have demonstrated a proven track record of delivery in substantial and challenging leadership Senior Police Staff Assessment ProcessCriteria & Considerations

7. Preparation: Taking stock of where you are now • What information do you already have to try to inform these considerations? • Role profile • PDR • Existing PDP • Formal/informal feedback • You may also wish to consider the questions: • Why PNAC/SCC? how do you think you will benefit? • Why now – what has changed from last year? • Have you the necessary skills and experience? • How do you know this is the right opportunity for you, now? • What about impact on others?

8. Serving the public Leading strategic change Leading the workforce Managing performance Professionalism Decision making Working with others Policing Professional Framework: Competencies assessed during the selection process • Assessed at least twice across the exercises at Senior PNAC • At Executive Level

9. Application 27th March – 28th June 2013 www.college.police.uk via line-manager Structured Reference– Chief Constable Secondees Line manager Chief Constable (seconded organisation) Chief Constable (own organisation) Application Process 2013

10. “Combines a series of job related exercises which are designed to enable a candidate to demonstrate whether he or she has the necessary skills and abilities for a specific role. Performance in the exercises is observed and evaluated by a team of trained assessors using the standardised set of competencies/qualitiesand in many cases a markers guide. The observations are later collated and an objective assessment of the candidate is reached.” Assessment Centre...

11. Candidate information letter (approx 4 weeks before the assessment process starts) Bramshill 20th September – 4th October Three intakes of two/three days for candidates Director, Co-Directors and Associate Director Four/Five candidates in a group Teams of three Assessors - Service Assessors (Senior Police Officers) - Non-Service Assessors Assessment Centre Overview

12. Management Exercise (2½ hours) Presentation (¾ hour) & Interview (¾ hour) Negotiating Exercise (1 hour 50 minutes) Chief Officer Briefing (2½ hours) Media Exercise (½ hour) Assessment Centre Exercises Not completed by Police Staff

13. In this exercise candidates are provided with briefing materials which outline a number of tasks which must be completed in a written format. The pack also contains background information relevant to completing the tasks. Candidates are required to complete a written response to the exercise on a PC rather than hand write. The exercise is set within a policing context and will last approx 2½ hours. Management Exercise

14. Candidates will be pre-allocated a topic at random. Presentation topics are reviewed to ensure they are applicable to candidates from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Candidates have 30 minutes to prepare a presentation to deliver to the assessors. Candidates have 10 minutes to deliver this. Following this, the assessors will have 10 minutes to ask the candidates questions on their presentation. This will then lead into the interview. The interview will contain a mix of past behavioural and future focussed/hypothetical interview questions. Presentation & Interview

15. In this exercise candidates are provided with a set of briefing materials and required to prepare for a meeting. Candidates prepare under exam conditions in the same room and start the meeting at the end of the 60 minute preparation time. The meeting will last between 40 – 50 minutes (depending on the size of the group). All candidates are given the same briefing materials and the same tasks. There will be 3 or 4 candidates in the meeting. Group Exercise

16. In this exercise the candidate is given a briefing pack which contains an operational situation that requires managing within a fictional force. They are given a number of issues to address and must present their strategy for how they would deal with these issues to the assessor panel. Before the briefing, candidates are required to produce a two page summary of issues and proposals. The briefing lasts 20 minutes. Following the briefing the assessors have 20 minutes to ask the candidate questions about their briefing. Chief Officer Briefing

17. Candidates are provided with a briefing information about a policing incident which has become the focus of media attention. The candidate has 30 mins to review the situation and related materials in order to prepare for a ‘live’ media interview with a journalist. Candidates will be in the studio for approx 10 mins and will be assessed for the whole time they are in there. A different media exercise is used at each intake across the Assessment Centre Media Exercise

18. Environmental Scanning Stakeholder Consultation Critical Scenario Interviews Initial Exercise Writing Exercise Consultation Exercise & Marking Guide Writing Pilot Exercise Sign-off Training Development Exercise Design EDHR Advisor EDHR Advisor

19. Workforce engagement and motivation Managing change and cultural change (including understanding and communicating change) Embedding efficiency or value for money initiatives (e.g. continuous improvement) Managing professional standards and integrity Responding to changes in budgets / funding Promoting professionalism across policing Collaboration across forces/shared services Workforce planning and deployment Handling of major and critical incidents Leading across organisational boundaries (e.g. partnerships) Home Office priorities: Empower the public to hold the police to account for their role in cutting crime Free up the police to fight crime more effectively and efficiently Priority Areas 2013

20. The exercises are assessed by trained assessors, all of whom have attended a 3 day assessor training course previously and exercise specific training at the Assessment Centre. Each candidate is assessed independently by at least two assessors on every exercise before an agreement is reached on the scores for the candidate. Each group of assessors comprises a mix of Service assessors (ACPO/ACPOS officers) as well as Non-Service Member assessors. Assessors

21. Assessing Performance: ORCE Model of Assessing Quality Assurance Objectively Quality Assurance Observe Record Using Evidence Classify Supported by Examples of Behaviour Evaluate

22. Assessing Performance:Competency Grade Scale

23. Assessing Performance:Exercise Mark Scale

24. Candidates are notified of their result by email at the end of the intake that they have attended. Notification is also given to Chief Constables, Force HR Directors, HMIC, SCC and SAP. Optional one to one feedback College of Policing Sites Psychologists Results and Feedback

25. S* Successful Exceptional, consistently exceeds the level to demonstrate capability to operate effectively at Chief Officer level. S Successful, sufficient demonstration of capability to operate effectively at Chief Officer level. Recommended to attend the Strategic Command Course. UE Unsuccessful on this occasion but encouraged to return in the future having addressed certain developmental needs. UQ Unsuccessful, question of return left open. Candidate may return in the future once they have addressed their developmental needs. Overall Result – Senior PNAC

26. S Successful, sufficient demonstration of capability to derive substantial benefit from the SCC. Recommended to attend the Strategic Command Course. UEUnsuccessful on this occasion but encouraged to return in the future having addressed certain developmental needs. UQ Unsuccessful, question of return left open. Candidate may return in the future once they have addressed their developmental needs. Overall Result – Senior Staff

27. After the assessment all candidates will receive feedback on their performance in the form of written feedback reports. Written feedback reports will include: Exercise by Competency Matrix – showing grades and marks Overall Summary – highlighting strengths and areas for development Exercise Specific Feedback – write-up, grades and mark In addition to this candidates will have the opportunity for personal one-to-one feedback via the telephone. Personal Feedback

28. Useful preparation for candidates is to be familiar with the role of a Chief Officer; the competencies in the Policing Professional Framework and how these manifest themselves in practice. Other, more accessible leadership courses (Foundation for Senior Leadership, Senior Leadership Programme, Leading Powerful Partnerships) For more information please see the website. www.college.police.uk/leadership Candidate Preparation

29. It’s just a hoop you have to jump through There’s a technique to assessment Training companies will be able to tell me what to do Being good at what I do means I’m ready now – candidate should consider whether they are good at the role assessed during the selection process You just act the part/give them what they want/play the game Buzz words versus evidence Success is down to me; being unsuccessful is down to the process Myths & Misinformation

30. Be yourself – don’t try to play a role of who you think the assessors want you to be Use your experience and behave as you would if you faced this scenario in a workplace ‘Demonstrating’ not ‘stating’ - In dealing with the exercises you should naturally be demonstrating the competencies, don’t just repeat the definitions Read the instructions Be flexible – especially if the exercise is not exactly as expected Consider how to spend the time between exercises to ensure best possible preparation Advice for candidates