Wanted: a Chief Executive to continue to build the Society of Evidence Based Policing
Policing makes a difference in millions of people's lives. The question we ask at SEBP is simple: what actually works, and what does not? Our job is to help policing answer it, by using, producing and communicating the best available evidence, and by doing that from within policing itself.
The Society has grown into a membership of police officers, staff, researchers and others who want policing guided by reliable evidence. We run regional and national conferences, we translate research into forms that are useful at the front line, and we connect with sister organisations around the world.
What we now need is the capacity to match our ambition. That is why we are recruiting our first Chief Executive Officer.
The role
The Chief Executive will secure income beyond our current grants, build a small team and speak for evidence based policing with authority and honesty, including about what evidence cannot tell us. Our grant funding runs for a limited period, so securing income that outlasts it is the first priority. The role suits someone who wants to build an organisation.
You will report to the Board of Trustees through the Chair, and lead a committed volunteer Executive Committee. You will work closely with our Head of Engagement, who leads on conferences, membership and communications.
What we are looking for
Credibility with policing: the ability to command the respect of chief officers and front line staff alike, and to understand the pressures under which policing operates
Senior leadership: accountability for the performance, finances and people of a similar organisation
A track record of raising significant income, especially through grants, philanthropy, partnership or sponsorship
Fluency in what constitutes good evidence, how it is produced, what its limits are, and how it is translated into practice
A track record of building and sustaining productive relationships across organisational and sector boundaries
Direct experience of policing or the wider criminal justice system, senior experience in a charity, and experience of commissioning or applying social research would all be welcome. Policing experience is desirable, not essential. You do not need to have served in policing, but you do need to understand it, and to earn the respect of the people who do the work.
The details
Salary: £70,000 per annum, plus a 5% employer pension contribution
Contract: permanent, full time
Location: home based, with regular travel across the UK and potentially occasional international travel
Annual leave: 25 days plus bank holidays
Start date: January 2027, or earlier if possible
Applying
Send your CV (no more than two pages) and a covering letter setting out your suitability and motivation to ben.linton@sebp.police.uk by 6pm on Friday 13 November 2026. Every application will be acknowledged. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online evening interview with the panel between Monday 23 and Friday 27 November, including a short presentation.
We particularly encourage applications from people under-represented in policing leadership, including women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds and disabled people. If you need any adjustments to the application or interview process, please tell us.
The full candidate pack, including the job description, person specification and our selection process, is available here:
