Learning Design Specialist – College of Policing
Salary: £36,520 per year
Location: Remote working, anywhere in the UK
Employer: College of Policing
Job Grade: Senior Executive Officer / 2B Inspector
Contract: Fixed-term / Secondment
Duration: Until March 2027
Working Pattern: Full-time, flexible working
Vacancies: 1
Reference: 481153 / Vacancy reference 7324
Closing Date: Sunday 27 September 2026 at 11:55 pm
Important eligibility: This vacancy is restricted to existing officers of a UK police force or UK policing organisation. Applicants must also meet the College of Policing’s nationality, UK residency, right-to-work and vetting requirements. The advert states that applicants must have indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and provide five years of UK address history.
About the College of Policing
The College of Policing supports police officers, police staff and volunteers across the UK by promoting high-quality leadership, consistent standards and continuous performance improvement.
The organisation works with national policing organisations, local forces and other policing partners to support frontline professionals and improve the service delivered to the public.
This role joins a specialist learning design team working on an important programme for child abuse investigators.
About the Role
The College of Policing is seeking a Learning Design Specialist with recent relevant experience of working in child abuse investigations.
The successful candidate will help design a new specialist child abuse investigator programme, contributing throughout the learning design process from research and planning through to evaluation and final handover to trainers.
The team is predominantly home-based and operates across the UK. Travel may be required for projects and departmental meetings.
The role involves working in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines. You will be expected to produce accurate, relevant and impactful learning content that meets the needs of specialist child abuse investigators.
Key Responsibilities
The Learning Design Specialist will:
- Design, develop and maintain high-quality learning products for face-to-face and online delivery.
- Apply innovative learning design solutions to specialist policing education.
- Research, analyse and identify appropriate learning needs.
- Work with colleagues, subject matter experts and stakeholders to develop effective learning resources.
- Build strong working relationships across the organisation and policing partners.
- Analyse information and evidence to support recommendations and improvements.
- Ensure learning content is accurate, relevant and aligned with the needs of specialist child abuse investigators.
- Apply adult-learning principles when developing educational solutions.
- Use project management principles to monitor progress, manage risks and deliver high-quality outcomes.
- Support the evaluation and handover of completed learning products to trainers.
- Translate complex technical and academic information into clear and appropriate learning content.
Requirements / Person Specification
Applicants should have:
- Recent relevant experience of working in child abuse investigations.
- Experience in research, consultation and analysis of information from multiple sources.
- Experience creating learning materials or learning products.
- Strong communication and stakeholder-engagement skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- The ability to translate technical and academic language into appropriate formats for different audiences.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Knowledge of adult learning principles.
- Experience using Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365.
- Experience with learning design software.
- Knowledge of remote learning platforms such as Microsoft Teams.
- The ability to work effectively under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
Selection Criteria
The College of Policing will assess candidates against the following behaviour:
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills will also be assessed, including:
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, particularly the ability to translate technical and academic language into suitable formats.
- Attention to detail when analysing evidence and information and making recommendations for improvement.
The recruitment process uses the Success Profiles framework.
Salary & Benefits
The salary for this position is £36,520 per year.
The College of Policing states that it contributes £10,579 towards membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, representing an employer contribution of 28.97%.
Other benefits include:
- Defined benefit pension scheme.
- Up to 30 days’ annual leave, plus 8 public holidays and 2.5 privilege days.
- Educational funding and study leave.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
- Flexible working hours.
- Flexi-time for certain grades.
- Childcare vouchers.
- Benenden Healthcare.
- National Dental Plan.
- Employee discount scheme.
- Free employee support line.
- Interest-free travel loans.
- Access to employee staff networks.
Working Pattern
This is a full-time role with flexible working.
The position is advertised as remote working anywhere in the UK. However, successful applicants may be required to travel for projects and departmental meetings.
Visa / Right-to-Work
This is not a general visa-sponsorship vacancy.
The vacancy has specific eligibility restrictions. Applications are limited to existing officers of a UK police force or UK policing organisation.
The College also states that applicants must have the Right to Work in the UK with indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and must provide an address history covering the preceding five years in the UK.
Applicants must meet the required nationality, residency and security-vetting conditions.
The role requires NPPV3 and SC vetting, with additional vetting forms potentially required where an applicant does not already hold the necessary clearance.
Secondment Eligibility
The position is available as a fixed-term appointment or secondment opportunity for eligible serving police officers.
Applicants must be:
- Serving police officers substantive at the rank of 2B Inspector, or
- Officers suitably qualified for temporary promotion at the rank of 2A Sergeant.
Applicants must have the support of their Chief Officer, at NPCC rank — CC, ACC or DCC — and this support must accompany the application.
A secondment approval form must also be submitted with the application or sent to recruitment@college.police.uk.
Application / Selection Process
Applications must be submitted through the official College of Policing/Civil Service Jobs recruitment process.
Candidates should ensure that their application demonstrates their relevant policing and child abuse investigation experience, learning design capability, communication skills and ability to deliver work at pace.
The advert states that AI tools may be used to support an application, but all examples and statements must be truthful, factually accurate and based on the applicant’s own experience. Applications may be withdrawn where plagiarism is identified.
The anticipated interview dates are 9 October 2026.
For further information about the role, applicants can contact Claire Smith, Head of Learning Design, at claire.smith@college.police.uk.
Recruitment enquiries can be directed to recruitment@college.police.uk.
Deadline
The closing date is 11:55 pm on Sunday 27 September 2026.
The College of Policing reserves the right to close the vacancy early if it receives a high volume of applications, so eligible candidates should apply before the deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this Learning Design Specialist job remote?
Yes. The vacancy is advertised as remote working anywhere in the UK. However, travel may be required for projects and departmental meetings.
What is the salary?
The salary is £36,520 per year, with an employer pension contribution of 28.97%.
Who can apply for this vacancy?
Applications are restricted to existing officers of a UK police force or UK policing organisation who meet the stated eligibility requirements.
Can applicants from outside UK policing apply?
No. The advert specifically states that applications are restricted to existing officers of a UK police force or UK policing organisation.
Does this job offer visa sponsorship?
The vacancy should not be treated as an open visa-sponsorship opportunity. The advert specifically requires applicants to have the Right to Work in the UK with indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and limits applications to existing UK policing personnel.
What security clearance is required?
The role requires NPPV3 and SC vetting. Candidates who do not already hold the required level may need to complete additional vetting.
When is the closing date?
Applications close at 11:55 pm on 27 September 2026. The employer may close the vacancy earlier if it receives a high volume of applications.
How long is the position?
The vacancy is advertised as a fixed-term appointment or secondment opportunity available until March 2027.
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Apply: Search for Learning Design Specialist – College of Policing, reference 481153 / vacancy 7324 on Civil Service Jobs and complete the application before the deadline.
Source: Civil Service Jobs / College of Policing.