Systems Manager (IT) (Kent/Essex/ Home Based)

Location of Role: Kent/ Essex/ Home Based 

Advert Closing Date: 05/11/2026 

Starting Salary: £43,320.00 (pro-rata for part-time vacancies)

Part/Full Time: Full Time 

Contract Type: Secondment/Temporary 

Working Pattern: Mon-Fri 

Weekend/Evening Working: No 

A unique opportunity to become a Systems Manager for one of the most critical operational systems supporting Kent Police and Essex Police. We are looking for someone with a curious and analytical mindset who enjoys solving problems, building relationships and improving services. You do not need a formal IT background; we welcome applications from system leads, super-users, business champions and administrators who are recognised as the "go-to" person for a business-critical system within their department.

The role will initially focus on the Contact Routing System (CRS), one of the most critical operational systems used across Kent Police and Essex Police. CRS is fundamental to the delivery of frontline policing, supporting call handling, incident management, officer deployment and Airwave communications 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring this vital service remains resilient, effective and fit for the future.

Working within IT Services, the role will coordinate incident and problem management, change and release activity, supplier engagement, service improvements, business continuity planning and user adoption. The successful candidate will work closely with operational colleagues, senior stakeholders, suppliers and partner organisations to ensure this vital service remains resilient, effective and fit for the future. This role offers an exciting opportunity to broaden experience, develop technical expertise and become a recognised lead for a critical service used across both forces.

Kent Police and Essex Police support flexible and hybrid working arrangements. This role is primarily home-based but with travel to Kent Police and Essex Police sites for collaborative working, workshops, supplier or stakeholder engagement. The role will be for a fixed term of 2 years. 

To assist with shortlisting, please structure your supporting statement using the headings listed below and provide your evidence under each heading. Candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the criteria are more likely to progress to interview.

Essential Criteria:

Candidates should be able to demonstrate the following:

• Change and Supplier Management - Experience of supporting change and improvement initiatives, working effectively with external organisations and partners, and ensuring agreed actions and commitments are delivered
• Relationship Building & Collaboration - Ability to build positive working relationships with colleagues, stakeholders and partners, bringing people together to improve services and achieve shared goals
• Governance and Communication - Experience of preparing reports, presenting information and contributing to management, governance or project discussions to support informed decision-making
• Planning and Organisation - Ability to effectively organise and prioritise workload, balancing multiple responsibilities and delivering outcomes within demanding timescales
• Incident and Issue Resolution - Ability to remain calm under pressure, coordinate responses to unexpected issues, and work with others to achieve timely and effective resolutions

Desirable Criteria:

Whilst not essential, candidates may be able to demonstrate experience or knowledge in the following areas in their application:

• Systems and Technology Awareness - Experience of using, supporting or becoming proficient in business-critical systems and applications, with the ability to quickly learn new processes, technologies and ways of working
• Operational Knowledge - Understanding of contact management, incident management or similar operational environments, including the processes, procedures and challenges involved in delivering frontline services to the public

For the full job description for Essex Police please click here.

For the full job description for Kent Police please click here.

Your application for this role will be shortlisted on the content you provide within the “reason for application” question, within the application form itself. CV’s, covering letters or attachments are not included in the shortlist. Within your “reason for application” answer, please refer to any experience, skills, and abilities you feel you have that will make you suitable for this role, based on the role criteria stated in the job advert or job description. Please provide as much detail as possible as insufficient content may mean you do not meet the shortlisting criteria, however please note this question is limited to 9000 characters and this system will count spaces and blank lines as characters. This count may differ from the Microsoft Word word count function therefore you may wish to use a different online character counter to check the characters used.

Depending on your current vetting level and security clearances, you may be required to complete additional vetting information during the recruitment process.

Kent Police and Essex Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status.

Please let us know if you require extra support at any stage of the application process, or for further information regarding this position, please email us at recruitment.business.services@ecis.police.uk stating ‘Application Support and Adjustments’ in the title of your email. Alternatively, you can call us on 01245 452833. Where appropriate we will make adjustments to the selection process, working arrangements and/or the working environment provided it is reasonable in all the circumstances to do so.

If you’re not from the UK, you must be a resident in the UK and have lived here continuously for the last three years. You must also be free from restrictions with indefinite leave to remain. If you’re from the UK you must have lived here continuously for the last three years. This doesn’t apply to those serving abroad in the British Armed Forces.

As a Disability Confident Leader we:

• Have subjected our Disability Confident self-assessment to external challenge and validation
• Are taking an active leadership role in encouraging and helping other employers on their journey to becoming Disability Confident

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion are central to the values of our organisation. At Essex Police we value and embrace the unique experiences, identities and abilities that each of us bring to our roles. We strive to empower everyone to bring their authentic self openly and safely to work.

Through the dedicated commitment of our support networks, DE&I team and wider HR departments, we are on a journey to embed our DE&I commitments, ensuring Essex Police is an employer of choice; where everyone feels included.

Essex Police and Kent Police are an equal opportunities employer. Communications may be recorded for monitoring purposes.