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

2015

The overall intention of this session is to provide prospective

candidates with information about the selection process. It will

include:

- an overview of Senior PNAC/Senior Police Staff

- an update on any changes/developments

- a discussion on preparation activities

- an opportunity to talk through any questions and talk through

myths or rumours

Introduction

Advice for Candidates• Be yourself – don’t try to play a role you think the assessors

want you to be• Read the instructions and the task• Be flexible – especially if the exercise is not exactly as

expected• Use your experience and behave as you would if you faced

this scenario at work• Understand which competencies each exercise assesses• ‘Demonstrating’ not ‘stating’ - In dealing with the exercises

you should naturally be demonstrating the competencies, don’t just repeat the definitions

• Consider how to spend the time between exercises to ensure best possible preparation

“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 PNACAim ...

Senior Police Staff Assessment ProcessAim…

“…to identify those senior police staff who are likely to derive substantial benefit from the SCC.”

Policing Professional Framework: Competencies assessed during the selection process

1. Serving the public

2. Leading strategic change

3. Leading the workforce

4. Managing performance

5. Professionalism

6. Decision making

7. Working with others

• Assessed at least twice across the exercises at Senior PNAC

• At Executive Level

Assessment Centre Overview

• Candidate information letter (approx 4 weeks before the assessment process starts)

• Ryton from 13th – 24th November • Three intakes of two/three days for candidates• Director, Co-Directors and Associate Director • Four/Five candidates in a group• Teams of four Assessors

- Service Assessors (Senior Police Officers)

- External Assessors

Horizon Scanning

Stakeholder Consultation

Shadowing Chief Officers

Initial Exercise Writing

Exercise Consultation

Pilot

Exercise & Marking Guide Writing

Exercise Sign-off

Training Development

Exercise Design

• Management Exercise (2½ hours)

• Presentation (50 mins) & Interview (40 mins)

• Partnership Exercise (1 hour 10 minutes)

• Chief Officer Briefing (2½ hours)

• Media Exercise (½ hour)

Assessment Centre Exercises 2015

Not completed by Police Staff

Management Exercise

• 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.

Partnership Exercise

• In this exercise candidates are provided with a set of briefing materials and you will have 40 minutes to prepare for a meeting.

• Candidates prepare under exam conditions in the same room and start the meeting at the end of the 40 minutes preparation time. The meeting will last 30 minutes.

• There will be 3 role actors/assessors in the meeting.

Chief Officer Briefing

• 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.

Media Exercise

• Candidates are provided with a briefing information about a policing incident which has become the focus of media attention.

• The candidate has 20 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

Presentation & Interview

• 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.

Priority Areas (Future challenges)-Draft

Future challenges facing the Police Serviceover the next 5 years

• Maintaining service delivery during on-going austerity.• Changing types of crime (e.g. cyber, cross border, population

demographics).• Internal organisational change needed (e.g. structure, service

length, low morale, CPD culture).• Need for wider and deeper collaboration (e.g. new partners,

mergers).• Effective use of new technologies by the Police.• Responding to increased scrutiny, accountability, and demands for

transparency.• Increasing influence of the political environment.• Maintaining public confidence.• The need to redefine success (e.g. incentive based Govt funding,

increased victim focus).• Increasing demand beyond just 'cutting crime'.

Priority Areas (Qualities)

Skills, Abilities and Characteristics needed from Future Leaders

Humility and self professional development

Open- minded and willing to challenge existing culture and

practice

Creativity and innovation

Holding a long term, strategic, vision

Able to lead effective organisational change

Able to build integrated strategic partnerships

Internal business and financial skills

Resilience and positivity

Flexible transformational leadership skills

Personal integrity and commitment to public

transparencyPolitical astuteness

Draft 2015 Ex by Comp Matrix

Senior Police National Assessment Centre (Senior PNAC)

Exercise by Competency Matrix – 2015

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CHIEF OFFICER BRIEFING

WRITTEN MANAGEMENT EXERCISE

MEDIA EXERCISE PARTNERSHIP EXERCISE

INTERVIEW AND PRESENTATION

Draft 2015 Ex by Comp Matrix (Staff)

Senior Police Staff Assessment Process for the Strategic Command Course (SCC)

Exercise by Competency Matrix – 2015

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WRITTEN MANAGEMENT EXERCISE

PARTNERSHIP EXERCISE

INTERVIEW AND PRESENTATION

Using Evidence

Supported by Examples of Behaviour

Assessing Performance:ORCE Model of Assessing

Objectively Observe

Record

Classify

Evaluate

Assessing Performance:Competency Grade Scale

ASubstantial positive evidence of the competency observed with regard to the quality and quantity of the evidence, and few or no areas for development observed.

BPositive evidence of the competency observed and some areas for development but on balance more positive evidence with regard to the quality and quantity of the evidence.

CSome positive evidence of the competency observed but on balance more areas for development with regard to the quality and quantity of the evidence.

DSubstantial areas for development identified and little or no positive evidence of the competency observed with regard to the quality and quantity of the evidence.

1Very Effective Task PerformanceThe candidate performed the task very effectively and almost entirely achieved the aims of the exercise. Performance on competencies was exclusively high grades (e.g. mostly As with some Bs).

2Effective Task PerformanceThe candidate performed the task effectively and mostly achieved the aims of the exercise. Performance on the competencies was mostly high grades (e.g. mostly Bs with some As, possible C).

3Satisfactory Task PerformanceThe candidate performed the task to a satisfactory standard and met some of the aims of the exercise although some elements were not satisfactory. On balance performance on competencies was more high grades than low grades (e.g. mostly Bs with some Cs).

4Just Below Satisfactory Task PerformanceThe candidate performed the task to a below-satisfactory standard overall and did not quite meet the aims of the exercise, although there were some areas that were effectively handled. On balance performance on competencies was more low grades than high grades (e.g. mostly Cs with some Bs).

5Ineffective Task PerformanceThe candidate performed the task largely ineffectively and did not meet the aims of the exercise, although there were some areas that were acceptable. Performance on the competencies was mostly low grades (e.g. mostly Cs and Ds, possible B).

6Very Ineffective Task PerformanceThe candidate performed the task very ineffectively and did not meet the aims of the exercise, although there may have been some minor areas that were acceptable. Performance on the competencies was exclusively low grades (e.g. mostly Ds with some Cs).

Assessing Performance:Exercise Mark Scale

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

S Successful, sufficient demonstration of capability to derive substantial benefit from the SCC. 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 Staff

Personal Feedback

• 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

Candidate Preparation

• 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.

• What information do you already have to try to inform these considerations?– Role profile– PDR – Existing PDP– Formal/informal workplace feedback

• Candidates need to be fully aware of the competencies being assessed, but do NOT simply regurgitate at the assessment.

Preparation?What sort of tasks would you expect in the exercises?How would you prepare?

Senior Police National Assessment Centre (Senior PNAC)

Exercise by Competency Matrix – 2015 Draft

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CHIEF OFFICER BRIEFING

WRITTEN MANAGEMENT EXERCISE

MEDIA EXERCISE PARNERSHIP EXERCISE

INTERVIEW AND PRESENTATION

Myths & Misinformation

• 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

Advice for candidates

• 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

SCC 2016 – Module Dates

Module/Activity Duration Dates LocationInduction 2 days 09/12 – 10/12 SunningdaleGold Command for staff and partners

2 days 07/01 – 08/01 Sunningdale

PPS 10 days 11/01 – 22/01 Sunningdale

Break 3 days 25/01 – 27/01  Business 6 ½ days 28/01 – 05/02 Sunningdale

Partnerships 5 days 08/02 – 12/02 Scotland

Break 10 days 15/02 – 26/02  Leadership and Ethics

10 days 29/02 – 11/03 Sunningdale

Tutorials & Graduation

 5 days 14/03 - 18/03 Sunningdale

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Support for SPNAC candidates Before SCC

30

• Preparing for Executive Leadership Masterclasses

(Sept & Oct)• Coaching for under-

represented groups

• If not already attended Gold PO, Firearms, MAGIC or PIP 4 then attend a Gold PO or Firearms before SCC

• Complete all Psychometrics and JI requests including …

• Provide preferences for AO course• 25 - 27 January• 17 - 19 February• 24 - 26 February

Preparing for SCC