National Senior Careers Advisory Service

Aims to ensure that there is a wealth of capable officers and staff able to meet the growing leadership challenges at the top of the service.

NSCAS is a career and leadership development service designed to support senior police officers and police staff operating at Superintendent level and above.

Modern policing puts heavy demands on its leaders but with excellent leadership, police forces will be able to meet the transformational objectives set for the future of the service and for the communities they serve.

NSCAS can help by offering advice on a range of highly focussed, tailored leadership activities and tools allowing you to develop in a way that suits you.

How NSCAS can work for you?

We provide personal development advice from experienced leadership specialists. If you are assessed as having the potential, desire, and commitment to reach Chief Officer level within four years we can help. You will work with a professional Development Adviser to help you produce a Personal Development Plan - and put it into practice.

Your Personal Development Plan might include:

  • Development attachments to organisations both inside and outside the police service;
  • Executive coaching;
  • Leadership academy programmes;
  • Management development programmes;
  • Membership of action learning sets;
  • Mentoring;
  • Opportunities to work with leaders in other sectors;
  • Potential next steps within the police service; and,
  • Other activities to meet your own development needs.

Through a combination of these activities clients receive focussed leadership development support that:

  • Gives insight into effective management practices from public and private sectors;
  • Advances knowledge and understanding of key issues and challenges facing modern policing;
  • Encourages lateral development; and,
  • Generates new perspectives.

Personal information on NSCAS clients will be treated as confidential and will not be shared without their consent.

Who are the NSCAS Development Advisers?

NSCAS Development Advisers have been chosen because of their proven track record in senior management development across many sectors. They are dedicated to working with you in a way that reflects your needs and the realities of police leadership.

For further details of the NSCAS Development Adviser team please see the Development Adviser page.

Eligibility to become an NSCAS client

The opportunity to become an NSCAS client is open to the following members of police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland;

  • All officers of substantive ACPO rank;
  • Police staff at equivalent level; and,
  • All qualified to apply for chief officer level roles

To request our services e-mail us, giving your name, force and substantive rank (police officers only), or job title (police staff only). We will verify your eligibility and allocate you to an Adviser. We request that applicants complete a biographical monitoring form for our records.

Diversity Agenda and Positive Action

NSCAS will work to address the under-representation of members of minority groups at the senior levels of policing. NSCAS processes and policies are designed and implemented with this goal as an explicit driver. The NSCAS programme incorporates positive action initiatives at all levels and stages.

How much does NSCAS cost?

All costs relating to Development Advisers, assessment tools and the creation of the Personal Development Plan will be free to you and your force.

However, the activities identified in Personal Development Plans may create financial demands. NSCAS will fund half of the costs of the activities and your force will be asked to contribute the other half.

NSCAS Level 1 Update

The web-based tools that comprised NSCAS Level One are being migrated to form part of the revised Senior Leadership Programme (SLP) and will no longer be made available through NSCAS. Utilisation of these tools has been low, as they are of more benefit when a user has an opportunity to discuss and interpret the results of the self-assessment involvement. The revised SLP will provide this opportunity. Details will be released in Spring of 2010.

NSCAS Programme 2009

2009 Assessment Process

The deadline for submission of application forms for NSCAS services closed on the 14th August 2009. Future opportunities for applying for NSCAS will be advertised on this webpage.

PDP Support Service

Officers and staff who are not currently NSCAS clients and have the support of their Chief Officer for the 2009 Senior PNAC process will be eligible to utilise the Personal Development Plan (PDP) Support Service. The service will support these individuals to develop a PDP and undertake any developmental diagnostic tools required as preparation for Senior PNAC and the SCC. This assistance will be provided by NSCAS Development Advisers through 1:1 meetings and remote support.

For further information please go to the PDP Support Service Page.

If you would like to access please e-mail the NSCAS team who will provide any further information required and allocate an NSCAS Development Adviser to work with you.

BME Chief Inspectors - "Releasing Potential Pilot"

As part of the role of NSCAS in the diversity agenda and positive action, we are currently delivering a pilot development programme for BME chief inspectors. This will include both group work, 1:1 development and the facilitation of action learning sets.

Senior Women's Action Learning Set Network

Also a part of NSCAS's role in the diversity agenda and positive action, NSCAS, along with the ACPO Women's Forum, are undertaking a network of facilitated action learning sets for senior women in policing. Please email us to find out more information, or how you can be a part of this initiative.

2009 Assessment Process - Results and Analysis Report

The Results and Analysis Report for the 2009 Assessment Process is now available for download. You can also download the Executive Summary if you wish.