Roles and Responsibilities

After decades of falling crime, since 2014 we have seen increases in the most serious offences. In addition, developments such as exponential innovations in technology and the proliferation of social media have created and enabled new opportunities for crime. 

Fortunately, in recent years, we have seen the emergence of new public policy tools to help the Government and police forces to tackle these issues: behavioural insights, data science and an evidence based approach have established a foothold in crime and policing. BIT’s Crime, Justice and Home Affairs team is at the heart of this drive to come up with new, smarter and more effective ways to help make the UK safer. We are looking for an exceptional candidate to join us as a Senior Advisor.

In this role, you will use behavioural science, data and evidence to help make the UK safer and more secure. Your work could involve: 

• Designing, implementing and evaluating interventions to find out what works to prevent young people from becoming engaged in violence;

• Improving communications to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents;

• Working with banks to stop vulnerable customers falling victim to fraud;

• Collaborating with forces to improve the recruitment and diversity of their police officers; 

As a Senior Advisor you will be expected to:

• Develop a portfolio of innovative projects by identifying new opportunities, writing proposals and leading pitches to prospective clients;

• Project manage existing BIT projects, ensuring work is delivered to a high standard and meets client expectations;

• Line managing one or more junior colleagues, with responsibility for coaching, mentoring, and developing their skills and expertise; and

• Shape government policy by writing briefings for ministers and senior civil servants.

You will need to work with a range of partners, such as Government departments, police forces, academics and the private sector. To become a trusted advisor to these partners, you will need to know how to navigate each of their worlds. You will need to have existing knowledge of Home Affairs and stay up to date with the latest policy, academic and tech developments in the sector. 

Working closely with the Director and Principal Advisor you will be expected to make substantial contributions to BIT’s thinking, developing powerful new insights. You will also develop new project opportunities in Home Affairs, either with the UK Government or other organisations in the sector. 

Ideally, you’ll have a background in home affairs and criminal justice, but this is not essential; we are looking for curious people who like to solve problems.

Essential

All candidates must be able to demonstrate:

• An ability to think critically and come up with creative and innovative solutions to difficult problems;

• An interest in crime and/ or the criminal justice system in the UK and/ or internationally;

• Exceptional written and verbal communication;

• A keen sense of personal impact - a courteous, diplomatic yet (when needed) assertive manner when dealing with partners;

• Strong project management skills and experience- the ability to lead projects with a high degree of autonomy; and 

• Strong leadership alongside a clear focus on collaborative working, including experience line managing and supporting team members to develop their own skills and expertise.

Desirable 

Finally, it would be desirable if you have:  

• A good understanding of the behavioural science literature

• A background in the criminal justice system, policy making or academia; 

• Experience of bidding for and winning competitive consultancy tenders; 

• The ability to support the design and implementation of rigorous evaluations, including but not limited to randomised controlled trials;

• A Masters or PhD in a relevant subject area (including, but not limited to criminology, behavioural economics, public policy, psychology, design thinking)

• Experience presenting to large and/or influential audiences and/or facilitating workshops with policy professionals