Job Description

The Bank of England is the UK\'s central bank. Our mission is to deliver monetary and financial stability for the British people.

The Bank of England is a diverse organisation. Each of its 4,000 plus people are committed to public service and dedicated to promoting the good of the people of the United Kingdom by maintaining monetary and financial stability.

The Notes Directorate fulfils the Bank\'s obligations as the sole issuer of banknotes in England and Wales. With staff across Head Office, Debden and Leeds, we rely on expertise in fields as diverse as economic and quantitative modelling, risk analysis, operations and science. In fulfilling this important and highly visible public role, in maintaining confidence in the currency, it is important that we ensure:

• The right note - the public has access to genuine, high-quality banknotes of a range of denominations
• The right place - a well-run cash industry exists to supply banknotes cost effectively across the country
• The right time - the Note Circulation Scheme ensures peaks in public banknote demand e.g. Christmas are met consistently

In addition to our role in relation to Bank of England notes, Notes Directorate fulfils the Bank\'s statutory responsibility to ensure public confidence in banknotes issued by Scottish and Northern Ireland banks.

The Banknote Security and Design (BSD) team is based within Notes Operations at our Debden Cash Centre in Essex. The team comprises a diverse mixture of technical specialists including product design, scientists and engineers that supports:

\xc2\xb7 pioneering design and development of banknote security features

\xc2\xb7 banknote product design for the next generation of banknotes

\xc2\xb7 technical support for the continued manufacturing and quality control of existing banknotes

\xc2\xb7 counterfeit threat assessment and support for law enforcement

\xc2\xb7 a framework for the testing the efficacy of automatic cash handling machines

The team works collaboratively with its contracted supplier of banknotes, specialists and technical suppliers from around the globe, academia, other Central Banks, law enforcement agencies, such as the National Crime Agency and banknote equipment manufacturers.



This is an exciting technical role for a senior scientist to make a real impact within the BSD team to:

\xc2\xb7 lead on our Counterfeit Threat Assessment including encompassing interaction with law enforcement agencies,

\xc2\xb7 lead on our Machine Testing Framework, working with the global community of banknote equipment manufacturers.

As part of the BSD team, you will also participate and lead on technical projects as part of the research and development of innovative next generation security features and banknote designs. As a scientist you will also provide technical support for the operational teams that carry out quality inspection of new banknotes, counterfeit and mutilated note analysis, inspection of used banknotes and testing of cash processing machines.

You will also act at a Technical Expert Witness. This is a high-profile external facing function working with law enforcement to support criminal proceedings, representing the Bank in prosecution cases. This includes providing guidance on technical matters related to banknotes and counterfeits, examining police evidence, preparing statements for court and, where required, attending courts to give oral evidence on demand across the United Kingdom, sometimes at short notice. Training will be provided for suitable candidates to be qualified in the role over several months.

You may be assigned staff in a more junior role to support your work on an ad-hoc basis.

Role Requirements

Minimum Essential Criteria

\xc2\xb7 Scientist (Chemistry or Physics) with a proven project management track record in a previous technical or scientific role

\xc2\xb7 Demonstrable experience of being a specialist or subject matter expert in secure printing or a related field

\xc2\xb7 Problem solving. Judgement and critical thinking based upon evaluating multiple sources of information, internal and external, prioritising and analysing potential solutions

\xc2\xb7 Interpersonal skills. Strong communication and diplomacy skills to persuade and influence

\xc2\xb7 An ability to work collaboratively with peers to achieve project goals

\xc2\xb7 Capability to undertake the expert witness role and represent the Bank in criminal prosecution procedures (with training). This means:

\xc2\xb7 Confidence in public speaking; able to present technical information to non-technical people and ensure their understanding clearly, concisely and with authority

\xc2\xb7 Able to answer questions on the spot and handle the situation calmly, be clear on their answers and be authoritative on their reply

\xc2\xb7 Ability to attend any UK court on demand - this is occasional but can sometimes be at short notice

Desirable Criteria

\xc2\xb7 Experience in being a specialist or subject matter expert in banknotes, counterfeiting and cash machine technologies

\xc2\xb7 Chartered status within a related and recognised professional institution

\xc2\xb7 Project manager in security document or anti-counterfeiting feature design and development

\xc2\xb7 Expert knowledge of commercial printing processes and substrate technology

\xc2\xb7 Experience with graphic design software such as Photoshop

Qualifications

Our Approach to Inclusion

The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve.

At the Bank of England we want all colleagues to feel valued and respected, so we\'re working hard to build an inclusive culture which supports people from all backgrounds and communities to be at their best at work. We celebrate all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. We believe that it\xe2\x80\x99s by drawing on different perspectives and experiences that we\xe2\x80\x99ll continue to make the best decisions for the public.

We welcome applications from individuals who work flexibly, including job shares and part time working patterns. We\'ve also partnered with external organisations to support us in making adjustments for candidates and employees in the recruitment process where they\'re needed.

For most roles where work can be carried out at home, we aim for colleagues to spend half of their time in the office, with a minimum of 40% per month. Subject to that minimum requirement, individuals and managers should work together to find what works best for them, their team and stakeholders.

Finally, we\'re proud to be a member of the Disability Confident scheme. You can find more information on what this means . If you wish to apply under this scheme, you should check the box in the \xe2\x80\x98Candidate Personal Information\xe2\x80\x99 under the \xe2\x80\x98Disability Confident Scheme\xe2\x80\x99 section of the application.

Salary and Benefits Information

This specific role offers a salary of circa \xc2\xa362,700 - \xc2\xa379,000 per annum (depending on skills and experience) on a full-time basis. We encourage flexible working, part time working and job share arrangements. Part time salary and benefits will be on a pro-rated basis as appropriate.

In addition, we also offer a comprehensive benefits package as detailed below:

• A non-contributory, career average pension giving you a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/95th of your annual salary for every year worked. There is the option to increase your pension (to 1/50th) or decrease (to 1/120th) in exchange for salary through our flexible benefits programme each year.
• A discretionary performance award based on a current award pool.
• A 7% benefits allowance with the option to take as salary or purchase a wide range of flexible benefits. (Note that from April 2023 and for the Benefits year 2023/24, this will increase to 8%)
• 26 days\xe2\x80\x99 annual leave with option to buy up to 12 additional days through flexible benefits.
• Private medical insurance and income protection.

National Security Vetting Process

Employment in this role will be subject to the National Security Vetting clearance process (and typically can take between 6 to 12 weeks post offer) and the passing of additional Bank security checks in accordance with the Bank policy. Further information regarding the vetting and security clearance requirements for the role will be provided to the successful applicant, and information about how the Bank processes personal data for these purposes, is set out in the Bank\xe2\x80\x99s Privacy Notice at

The Application Process

Important: Please ensure that you complete the \xe2\x80\x98work history\xe2\x80\x99 section and answer ALL the application questions fully. All candidate applications are anonymised to ensure that our hiring managers will not be able to see your personal information, including your CV, when reviewing your application details at the screening stage. It\xe2\x80\x99s therefore really important that you fill out the work history and application form questions, as your answers will form a critical part of the initial selection process.

The closing date for applications is 25th July 2023.

The assessment process will comprise of two stages.

The assessment will comprise two stages, a first interview and a second interview that will encompass a short presentation on a technical topic of your choice. We expect to hold the first assessment round w/c 31st July.

Please apply online, ensuring that you complete your work history and answer ALL the application questions fully and in detail as your application will not be considered if all mandatory questions are not fully completed.

Bank of England