Fraud Investigator

Job summary

Do you have an interest in dealing with investigations and/or law enforcement? Are you interested in helping vulnerable people by tackling unlawful activity? Are you motivated to deliver the right outcomes in challenging situations?

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) could be the place for you.

This is a hugely important public service, and our challenge is bigger than ever. DWP's Economic, Serious and Organised Crime team is the arm of DWP’s Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt Directorate that deals with complex and sophisticated attacks on DWP benefits and grants payments – usually by Organised Crime Groups.

DWP are looking for people with experience in investigations and able to analyse complex data to help tackle organised criminality against DWP through prosecution and/or disruption activities.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Counter Fraud Compliance and Debt Directorate (CFCD) on a team committed to tackling fraud, encountered through our Economic, Serious and Organised Crime (ESOC) team. We are looking for both Criminal and Financial Investigators to join our busy teams.

You will be at the forefront of tackling serious and organised crimes against DWP, which often has links into wider criminality of modern slavery, human trafficking, and identity fraud. You will work across multiple law enforcement agencies, on high profile and serious fraud operations involving many suspects in multi-million-pound criminality.

Financial Investigator skills will be used to conduct Confiscation and Civil investigations on behalf of DWP. Specialist training and support will be provided to help you attain a nationally recognised qualification within this field.

As work streams change and DWP reacts to the changing behaviours in criminal activity, investigators must keep pace with modern methods of criminality: this includes the increase in Money Laundering activity and the use of cryptocurrencies to mask monies derived from fraudulent activity.

Any person undertaking Financial Investigation work must be accredited at the appropriate level via the National Crime Agency (NCA), to carry out their duties. In doing so they must attain and evidence knowledge in relation to the legislative requirements as detailed below.

Job description

Your role will be varied with no two days being the same. What will you be doing as either a Criminal or Financial Investigator?

• Lead criminal investigations or financial investigations into serious and organised crime against DWP to a successful outcome.
• Engage and collaborate with colleagues, law enforcement agencies and partners across DWP and Government, on joint operations into organised crime.
• Conduct formal briefings with law enforcement agencies, including senior police officers and leaders on the likely impact of operations. This includes press interest notifications and accurate and timely completion of Advanced Warning reports.
• Organise and participate in arrest, search, and seizure procedures in accordance with Warrant legislation and Departmental guidance.
• Undertake advanced interviews under caution in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE).
• Make informed decisions, as to the appropriate legislation and powers to be used and timelines to be imposed on investigations.
• Work closely with Crown Prosecution Service to develop evidence requirements. Prepare all submissions in relation to prosecution, confiscation, and civil actions for court.
• Carry out the role of the Disclosure Officer and be able to produce accurate Disclosure Schedules and adhere to the requirements of an Exhibits Officer as required.
• Confidently use expert knowledge of the case, engage with lawyers and barristers in investigations, including understanding and progressing directions from Counsel and the Courts at pace.
• Give evidence in Magistrates and/or Crown Court and manage witnesses and victims during the investigation and prosecution process.
• Work with DWP colleagues to reduce and stop further benefit loss.

Person specification

What we are looking for in our Investigators:

• You will have previous experience and/or a qualification from another government body or organisation in Criminal or Financial investigations or law enforcement.
• You have the skills to gather, interpret and analyse complex information and data from various sources, at pace, challenging where appropriate, to reach sound conclusions demonstrating clear decision making, while protecting the public purse and victims.
• You are a confident, inspirational and driven leader, able to take charge of situations and provide direction to those around you, to achieve results ensuring the best use of resources.
• You have the ability to work closely as part of a team, with key partners and stakeholders within and outside of the organisation, navigating complex situations, policies and procedures.
• You can present complex information in a clear and concise manner, drawing conclusions and presenting recommendations where appropriate, outlining the considerations you have made.
• You are proactive in developing and maintaining positive and professional working relationships with diverse groups of people and organisations, prioritising the needs of the business while negotiating best outcomes for all stakeholders.
• You can interpret and work within set rules and processes, setting and monitoring progress against milestones whilst still being able to innovate in an ever-changing environment.
• You have a focus on building your own and others capability, continually reviewing learning needs and development to ensure changing business requirements can be delivered professionally at pace.
• Be flexible and positively embrace creative thinking to prosecute and disrupt criminal activity with good presentation and communication ability with excellent written and drafting skills.
• Have the confidence and ability to deliver strategic operational briefings to large teams of partners e.g. Police, National Crime Agency (NCA) and Immigration colleagues.

Key Criteria

Candidates will be able to demonstrate the following Key Criteria:

• Experience of leading criminal or financial investigations, your decision-making process and how you’ve involved others to consider the wider impact. (Lead Criteria)
• Experience of working collaboratively with internal and external partners, demonstrating your ability to build relationships to agree common objectives, and sharing resources and information.
• Experience of organising and prioritising your workload. How did you ensure progression and take action to address risk to timescales?

Essential Security Criteria

Please note that the role that you are applying requires National Security Vetting (NSV) to the level –Security Check (SC) . You can find more information at United Kingdom Security Vetting: Applicant - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) . If you are successful in your application, you will need to attain SC clearance before you can take up post. This is mandatory and is in addition to completion of Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).

The purpose of the NSV process is to provide a level of assurance about an individual’s trustworthiness, integrity and reliability, and other factors that increase their vulnerability to corruption or risk of committing a security breach. It involves the investigation of an individual’s background and circumstances to achieve this aim.

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