Student Placement - Communications – Counter Terrorism Policing HQ
Closing Date: 15 November 2026
Location: West London. CTPHQ operates a hybrid way of working arrangements, details of which will be discussed with the business. Some roles may also involve occasional travel across the UK.
Salary Range: £27,705.60
Contract Type – Fixed Term
Information About the Role
Working as part of the Counter Terrorism Policing communications network and reporting directly to one of our communication managers, you will support, and in some cases lead, priority communication programs and projects. You will directly contribute to our mission to protect the UK and the public from terrorism and other national security threats.
This could be by crafting content for our social media channels that helps people know what to do if they are caught up in a terror attack; providing colleagues with vital information about a new system that will help them save lives; planning advertising campaigns that encourage people to report something that doesn’t feel right; planning and running training exercises so that we are as prepared as we can be if a terror attack happens.
You will be part of a highly motivated communications team, with the chance to learn from senior colleagues and work on one of the most important issues to the public. You’ll also have the chance to put forward your own ideas for communications activity that supports wider organizational and operational aims.
You will help to plan, manage, evaluate, and continually improve our communications. You’ll help us to make best use of our communication channels, supporting the team in telling the story of our work to keep communities safe from terrorism and state threats.
People who have done this role before have gone on to complete their studies and then start their careers in policing roles, including working in police press offices or as analysts. Some have even returned to our team as communication officers. You’ll get a unique experience of being at the cutting-edge of high stakes police communications, working on some of the most high profile and interesting police work in the country.
Essential Criteria
- Ability to manage your own work against plans and milestones, ensuring deadlines are met, even when priorities change quickly.
- An interest in how communications activity is planned, delivered, and evaluated, and a drive to really understand our different audiences.
- Competent writer, with good attention to detail and grasp of grammar, including an ability to adhere to our house style and inclusive language guidelines.
- Willingness to work with a range of colleagues, not only in the communications pillar but across our national network and within our key partners, including government departments, and suppliers such as creative and digital agencies.
- A positive and curious approach to continual improvement – if you’re curious about the way things are done and why, and aren’t afraid to suggest better ways, your fresh perspectives will be encouraged and welcomed.
Application & Security Guidance
In line with CTP and vetting security expectations, candidates should exercise discretion when discussing their application. Please ensure that your personal email address is used primarily throughout the application process – this includes CV/Cover Letter submissions and all security clearance checks. This is important because personal email addresses are the most secure and reliable way to keep you reachable throughout the process. University email accounts can be institution-managed and may be filtered, restricted, or deactivated, which can interrupt access to secure links and updates. You can still provide your university email as a secondary contact. Using a personal email helps protect confidentiality, ensures you remain in control of account recovery/Multi-Factor Authentication, and reduces the risk of missed time critical messages or sensitive information being sent to an account you may later lose access to.
All candidates must be undergraduate students in a sandwich year course returning to study in Autumn 2028.
Sectors
Sectors
Closing Date: 15 November 2026
Location: West London. CTPHQ operates a hybrid way of working arrangements, details of which will be discussed with the business. Some roles may also involve occasional travel across the UK.
Salary Range: £27,705.60
Contract Type – Fixed Term
Information About the Role
Working as part of the Counter Terrorism Policing communications network and reporting directly to one of our communication managers, you will support, and in some cases lead, priority communication programs and projects. You will directly contribute to our mission to protect the UK and the public from terrorism and other national security threats.
This could be by crafting content for our social media channels that helps people know what to do if they are caught up in a terror attack; providing colleagues with vital information about a new system that will help them save lives; planning advertising campaigns that encourage people to report something that doesn’t feel right; planning and running training exercises so that we are as prepared as we can be if a terror attack happens.
You will be part of a highly motivated communications team, with the chance to learn from senior colleagues and work on one of the most important issues to the public. You’ll also have the chance to put forward your own ideas for communications activity that supports wider organizational and operational aims.
You will help to plan, manage, evaluate, and continually improve our communications. You’ll help us to make best use of our communication channels, supporting the team in telling the story of our work to keep communities safe from terrorism and state threats.
People who have done this role before have gone on to complete their studies and then start their careers in policing roles, including working in police press offices or as analysts. Some have even returned to our team as communication officers. You’ll get a unique experience of being at the cutting-edge of high stakes police communications, working on some of the most high profile and interesting police work in the country.
Essential Criteria
- Ability to manage your own work against plans and milestones, ensuring deadlines are met, even when priorities change quickly.
- An interest in how communications activity is planned, delivered, and evaluated, and a drive to really understand our different audiences.
- Competent writer, with good attention to detail and grasp of grammar, including an ability to adhere to our house style and inclusive language guidelines.
- Willingness to work with a range of colleagues, not only in the communications pillar but across our national network and within our key partners, including government departments, and suppliers such as creative and digital agencies.
- A positive and curious approach to continual improvement – if you’re curious about the way things are done and why, and aren’t afraid to suggest better ways, your fresh perspectives will be encouraged and welcomed.
Application & Security Guidance
In line with CTP and vetting security expectations, candidates should exercise discretion when discussing their application. Please ensure that your personal email address is used primarily throughout the application process – this includes CV/Cover Letter submissions and all security clearance checks. This is important because personal email addresses are the most secure and reliable way to keep you reachable throughout the process. University email accounts can be institution-managed and may be filtered, restricted, or deactivated, which can interrupt access to secure links and updates. You can still provide your university email as a secondary contact. Using a personal email helps protect confidentiality, ensures you remain in control of account recovery/Multi-Factor Authentication, and reduces the risk of missed time critical messages or sensitive information being sent to an account you may later lose access to.
All candidates must be undergraduate students in a sandwich year course returning to study in Autumn 2028.
