Investigations Manager

Job summary

Do you have extensive experience leading complex criminal or regulatory investigations from referral through to prosecution?

Can you provide strategic leadership to a national team, balancing operational delivery, performance and staff wellbeing?

Would you like to play a key role in protecting people, the environment and the UK's maritime sector through effective regulation and enforcement?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is seeking an Investigations Manager. You will join theRegulatory, Compliance and Investigations team (RCIT) who work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders to ensure the effective enforcement of the Merchant Shipping Act 1996 and other maritime legislation, including undertaking proactive compliance activities and investigating and prosecuting offenders where appropriate. In line with MCA’s Vision: To be a world-leading organisation, accelerating the transition to sustainable shipping with non-negotiable safety standards. We put our people, our customers, and our planet at the heart of everything we do.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at: Maritime and Coastguard Agency - Department for Transport Careers.

Job description

As the Investigations Manager, you will lead our Regulatory, Compliance and Investigations Team, working closely with the Assistant Director of Regulatory, Compliance and Investigations to deliver a responsive, effective service which delivers the highest standards in line with the team’s objectives.

You will lead on all criminal investigations under the guidance of the Assistant Director of RCIT in relation to significant breaches of Merchant Shipping legislation. You will need to apply maritime knowledge and specialist investigative and management expertise to the work of the RCIT, to include working with a variety of internal and external stakeholders to ensure the effective enforcement of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 and other maritime legislation, including undertaking proactive compliance activities.

You will manage a team of investigators, oversee c. 300 incidents per year and lead the associated prosecution activities of the MCA where appropriate and deputise for the Assistant Director of RCIT where necessary.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

1. Leading all RCIT investigations and enforcement activity, ensuring timely, proportionate outcomes aligned with MCA Enforcement Policy.
2. Overseeing complex, high-profile and sensitive investigations, setting strategy and directing Senior Investigators.
3. Managing day-to-day investigation operations, ensuring deadlines, service levels and performance standards are met.
4. Allocating, prioritising and progressing live investigations, aligning resources to risk, harm and organisational priorities.
5. Ensuring investigations comply with CPIA, RIPA, PACE and relevant codes of practice, including pursuit of all reasonable lines of enquiry.
6. Overseeing preparation of robust case files that meet national standards for legal review and prosecution.
7. Line managing Senior Investigators, supporting effective case management, delivery, resource planning and staff wellbeing.
8. Driving RCIT performance, continuous improvement and GRP referral decisions, deputising for senior leaders when required.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills they need. We aim to empower line managers to create teams where people can flourish and deliver excellent outcomes for the public.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

Essential Qualifications/Licenses:

1. A valid passport for international travel
2. A full UK driving license or equivalent motoring licence

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications/licenses at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.

Required Experience:

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

1. Significant experience in an enforcement management investigatory role.
2. Extensive practical experience of leading complex investigations of Regulatory Health & Safety criminal offences and of case file preparation in conjunction with lawyers of those cases for criminal court.
3. Working knowledge of PACE, CPIA, RPIA and relevant code of practice and experience of monitoring and managing their implementation in an enforcement context.
4. Extensive experience within Coroners Courts and Fatal Accident Inquiries.
5. Proven ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships.

Additional Information

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

This role is on a 9-day fortnight rota.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

• Travel on official duty around the United Kingdom sometimes to remote locations and at short notice is a requirement which may involve overnight stays.
• On occasions, there will be a requirement to work outside of normal conditioned hours. Short-term visits abroad are an occasional requirement.
• Participation in the on-call duty Enforcement Officer Roster

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa where a role has been deemed