Investigations Command is the core crime fighting capability of the NCA. We take an intelligence-led approach and concentrate on tackling the criminals and risks to the public which are beyond the capability or capacity of other law enforcement bodies. Our work is largely focused on investigating Organised Immigration Crime, Human Trafficking, Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Economic Crime, Firearms, Drugs, Kidnap and Extortion and Money Laundering. The Investigations Command provides a flexible, shared operational capability, designed to maximise the impact of the UK's collective resources against serious and organised crime. Our teams respond to a broad range of threats, many of which also remain a responsibility for police forces and other agencies as well as private industry.
Information about the Business Area
This DD area incorporates our response to organised immigration crime (OIC), the Command’s London-based multi-threat and borders teams, and the Special Operations Unit (SOU).
enforcement bodies.
The Investigations Directorate provides a flexible, shared operational capability, designed to maximise the impact of the UK’s collective resources against serious and organised crime, and in specialist support of major crime.
Our teams respond to a broad range of threats, many of which also remain a responsibility for police forces and other agencies as well as private industry.
Our teams lead investigations across the Serious and Organised Crime landscape for example; Organised Immigration Crime, Illicit Finance, Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking, Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation, internal Professional Standards, Economic Crime, Firearms, Drugs including County Lines, Anti-Kidnap and Extortion, Professional enablers and Money Laundering.
The teams provide a national service of specialist investigative skills and expertise to support major crime investigations conducted by police forces, such as abduction, serial sexual crime and no body murder.
Successful candidates will be required to complete Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST).
It is an essential requirement for successful candidates to pass an eight-day Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST). Applicants are urged to consider whether this is achievable prior to applying. The PPST combines cognitive input, armed and unarmed defence theory and practical techniques and, as such, requires a level of physical exertion due to the nature and repetition of the drills. The practical techniques include use of body weapons, movement and positioning, strikes (armed/unarmed) blocks, restraint and control. We will expect officers attending the course to have a standard of physical fitness. Progressive full body warm-ups are conducted each day to minimise risk of injury to the officer. It is expected that the officer is capable of a ground descent and ascent, unaided and within a reasonable timeframe. This is important both individually and in team tactics. Candidates must pass the PPST during the first 6 months of starting in the Investigator role. Failure to do so would mean you would not be able to continue in the operational Investigator role and your employment with the NCA will end. Barring any exceptional circumstances, the NCA would not seek to find you an alternative role within the Agency. An officer who passes the PPST will still be required to successfully pass their 12-month probation period to ensure continued employment with the NCA.
AKEU provides strategic and tactical advice to police forces, law enforcement, government agencies and commercial enterprises across the world in live kidnap matters. We are responsible for deploying incremental, operational support and coordinating NCA assets to aid the investigation of crimes in action.
We are based across the UK and available to provide fast time tactical advice. We also provide training in specialist areas to UK and overseas partners. We liaise with a network of officers across the globe who are also specialists in countering the threat from kidnap and extortion.
All crime-in-action, live offences of kidnap, product contamination and blackmail are reported to us.
We provide data to National Police Chief Council (NPCC), His Majesty’s Government (HMG) and NCA colleagues to inform the threat picture in the UK and impact on the UK around kidnap, extortion and product contamination.
Our role is to contribute to the service delivery of the Agency’s Anti Kidnap and Extortion Unit – enabling the unit to continue to contribute and perform as a centre of national and international best practice and influence in respect of kidnap, product contamination and extortion issues, in live and reactive operations
Life Preservation & Public Protection – Safeguard life, prevent serious injury, and mitigate severe economic harm through the provision of expert advice, intervention, and operational support in kidnap, extortion, and related life-threatening incidents.
Operational Leadership – Provide tactical and strategic leadership in the response to national and international crimes in action, leading the UK’s operational response and investigation where appropriate.
Specialist Incident Management – Coordinate and manage National Crime Agency resources in support of kidnap and extortion investigations, firearms deployments, and Threats to Life operations, ensuring effective delivery of organisational objectives and statutory responsibilities.
Strategic Advice & Coordination – Deliver timely strategic and tactical advice to UK and international law enforcement, government partners, and relevant agencies to support critical decision-making during live and fast-moving incidents.
Partnership Engagement – Foster effective collaboration with domestic and international law enforcement partners, government bodies, and industry stakeholders to strengthen the response to kidnap, extortion, and other high-risk threats.
Training & Capability Development – Design and deliver training, briefings, and presentations to law enforcement agencies and commercial organisations, promoting a consistent, structured, and effective response to life-threatening situations.
Operational Readiness – Undertake on-call responsibilities as directed by Anti Kidnap and Extortion Unit (AKEU) management, providing specialist support and advice during critical incidents.
Unit Support & Governance – Support the AKEU Manager, contributing to unit priorities, operational planning, performance improvement, and organisational objectives.
Specialist Operational Knowledge – Demonstrable knowledge of relevant legislation, policy, and operational tactics relating to kidnap, extortion, threats to life, covert policing, and serious organised crime investigations.
Covert Policing Expertise – Experience of applying covert policing methods and tactics in support of complex investigations and high-risk operational activity.
Communications Data & Surveillance – Sound knowledge of communications data, surveillance techniques, and associated legislation, with the ability to utilise these capabilities to support operational decision-making and investigative outcomes.
Strategic Communication – Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and adapt communication styles to a range of audiences, including senior leaders, operational partners, and external stakeholders.
Partnership Working – Proven ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external partners, fostering collaboration to achieve operational objectives.
Information Technology – Competent user of IT systems and applications, with the ability to effectively manage, analyse, and present information in support of operational activity.
AND one of the below:
OR
Officers joining the NCA on a PIP-equivalent basis must attain the required PIP accreditation in post, this will include taking all relevant exams and could include the requirement to complete an assessed portfolio of workplace-based evidence.
Full guidance and information can be found in the NCA applicant guidance attached to the advert.
To find out more about the role and the application process we will be holding a virtual opening evening via MS Teams on Tuesday 29th September 2026 @ 6.00pm.
This event is by invitation only.
To register, please click on the following link
You will be asked for your name and email address. Please check your answer carefully to ensure you receive your invite.
Registration will close on Monday 28th September 2026 at 12.00pm. You will not be able to register after this date and time.
Invites will be sent on the day of the event. If you do not see the invite, please check your spam filter just in case.
All NCA employees are members of the UK Civil Service and eligible for the Civil Service pension scheme, alongside your salary the NCA contributes £13,630. Further information on the benefits of the scheme is available on the Civil Service Pension Website.
New entrants to the NCA receive 26 days annual leave, rising to 31 on completion of 5 years continuous service, plus 8 bank holidays.
If qualifying criteria is met new joiners from UK Police Forces or the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) will have service with those employers taken into account for continuous service purposes for annual leave entitlement only, this will be up to a maximum of 31 days leave (including 1 privilege day).
Other benefits include:
Further information is available on the NCA Website.
CV
Please include your full career history, training, qualifications, key responsibilities, and achievements. Explain any employment gaps in the last two years. Ensure all accreditation dates are accurate.
Details of what is expected within your CV are as follows: Please submit a CV (maximum three pages) detailing your relevant skills, knowledge, experience, and achievements. Please demonstrate PIP2-equivalent investigative experience, including complex case management, evidence gathering and assessment, interviewing, case file preparation, and stakeholder engagement.
Longlist
In the event of a high number of applications, we may operate a longlist. Applicants will need to meet the minimum pass mark for the lead criteria.
– Good knowledge of the tactics techniques and investigative opportunities to effectively investigate serious and organised crime. .
Candidates who do not meet the minimum pass mark for the lead criteria will not progress to having their other criteria assessed. Applications must meet the minimum criteria to be progressed to the assessment stage.
You will receive an acknowledgement once your application is submitted.
We aim to have sift completed and scores released within 10 working days of the closing date of the advert. For high volume campaigns this timeframe may be extended.
Scores will be provided but further feedback will not be available at this stage.
The format of this assessment will be Interview which will be tested on the criteria listed in the Success Profiles at Assessment section.
In the event of a tie at the assessment stage, available roles will be offered in merit order using the following order:
The National Crime Agency is a law enforcement agency and as such we are part of the Criminal Justice System. Therefore if you are going into an operational role we need to be aware if any of our officers have, either before they join us or afterwards, any of the following:
Any criminal conviction (including Court Martial), or caution or fixed penalty notice for disorder or theft;
Any adverse judicial findings;
Any charges or summonses where the proceedings are not complete;
Any misconduct or gross misconduct findings or where proceedings are not complete.
You will be asked to complete a declaration covering the above if offered a role with the NCA.
Each case will be considered on its merits and a positive declaration does not automatically mean that your application will not be progressed. However, should you fail to disclose a relevant matter then your application or employment will be adversely affected. If in doubt, please declare it at this stage.
Where multiple locations are advertised, appointments will be made in merit order for each location.
Please indicate up to three location preferences clearly. Only your first three preferences will be considered. You may be allocated to any of the locations you select. If you decline an offer for a location you have selected as a preference, a further offer may not be made.
If you choose to reject an offer and no alternative preferred location can be offered, you will not be able to return to the process or be placed on a reserve list.
Only the advertised locations are available; any additional notes added to the application will not be taken into account.
If you meet the criteria for a lower grade, you may be offered that role if not appointable at the advertised grade.
Conversely, if found appointable at a higher grade but no posts are available, you may be offered a lower-grade role.
All offers are made based on merit.
We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and an inclusive, equal opportunities employer.
We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone can be their authentic self. If you’re neurodiverse, have a disability, or live with a long-term health condition, we encourage you to let us know about any reasonable adjustments you may need during the recruitment process.
If you experience accessibility issues with the advert or require reasonable adjustments, please contact our Recruitment Team at Central.Recruitment@nca.gov.uk before the advert closing date.
Please ensure you complete the ‘Equal opportunities’ and ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ sections in the application form to inform us on what support you may need in the recruitment process.
For more on our Disability Confident commitment, visit Disability Confident Scheme | Civil Service Careers.
Visit NCA Benefits and Support for more details.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy
In order to monitor the effectiveness of the National Crime Agency’s Diversity & Inclusion strategy, we require certain personal details about you on submission of your application for statistical and monitoring purposes only. Please note that this will be treated in confidence and will not impact your application.
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit on merit through fair and open competition, in line with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
If you believe your application has not been treated fairly, email: Central.Recruitment@nca.gov.uk (quoting the vacancy reference).
If unresolved, you may escalate your complaint to the Civil Service Commission.
Name : Central Recruitment Team
Email : Central.Recruitment@nca.gov.uk