Operational Intelligence Service Leader

Job summary

Do you have an inquisitive mind? Do you enjoy engaging with customers? If so, we need you!

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy, and is responsible for helping people move into employment, supporting pensioners and protecting some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt (CFCD) aims to reduce fraud, error and debt within the benefit system, to protect the public purse.

As part of CFCD, you will be at the heart of DWP’s efforts to reduce fraud and error in the benefit system. This is a hugely important public service, and our challenge is greater than ever.

If you want to join an organisation that recognises the importance of work-life balance, where you can develop new skills and progress your career, then CFCD is the place for you.

Job description

Leading a national Directed Surveillance Authority Team, you will be responsible for the authorisation, oversight, and management of surveillance activity across DWP in accordance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000. The role ensures compliance with legislative and regulatory frameworks, supports Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office (IPCO) inspections, and provides expert advice on covert surveillance and Covert Human Intelligence Source (CHIS) activity.

You will lead and develop a national team responsible for delivering all aspects of surveillance authorisation for Serious and Organised Crime, Internal Investigations, Counter Fraud and Compliance operations, and Local Service cases. You will maintain a detailed understanding of surveillance activity, champion the CFCD quality agenda, and drive continuous improvement through robust quality assurance processes. Working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, you will provide accurate management information, support IPCO inspections, and ensure adherence to RIPA, the Data Protection Act (DPA), UK GDPR, the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act (CPIA), and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). You will also coach and develop colleagues to respond effectively to evolving criminal behaviours and emerging threats.

In addition, you will act as the lead for Record Product Management and governance of DWP surveillance records, ensuring compliance across Investigation teams and maintaining effective oversight of all surveillance material in line with legislative, regulatory, and departmental requirements.

What to Expect:

As the leader of a nationally dispersed team, you will play a critical role in ensuring the lawful, effective, and professional delivery of DWP's Directed Surveillance Authority function. You will provide strong leadership, set clear expectations and foster a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.

You will:

• Provide leadership and optimise resources to meet performance objectives and set high standards for leadership across the business.

• Drive resource management as well as colleague engagement, wellbeing, and performance, creating an inclusive environment where individuals and teams can thrive.

• Show innovation and creativity to lead activities that support efficiencies and improvements to service delivery.

• Build individual and team capability through coaching, mentoring and development, maximising the use of professional learning opportunities and promoting a culture of continuous learning.

• Manage performance, quality, and attendance, undertaking regular one-to-one reviews, addressing risks to delivery, and ensuring workloads are effectively prioritised and managed.

• Lead internal governance activity, assurance reviews and reporting, ensuring robust oversight and compliance across all aspects of the service.

• Oversee specialist surveillance-related IT systems, ensuring data integrity, security, and compliance with legislative and departmental requirements.

• Prepare for, support and respond to Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office (IPCO) inspections, driving improvements and implementing recommendations where required.

• Ensure that surveillance activity is conducted lawfully, proportionately, and ethically, maintaining public confidence and supporting DWP's counter fraud objectives.

Due to the geographically dispersed nature of this team, this role may require periodic travel and overnight stays.

Person specification

• Leadership: Proven leadership with clear, confident communication to influence colleagues, partners, and stakeholders.

• Strategic Thinking: Able to present complex information clearly, offering solutions that align with business priorities, as well as make strategic decisions in a fast-paced, governance-heavy environment.

• Relationship Building: Builds trust and strong relationships across internal and external stakeholders, understanding business impacts.

• Performance Management: Uses data to drive performance, maintain quality, and address underperformance constructively.

• Inclusive Leadership: Champions diversity, continuous learning, and innovation. Leads remote, diverse teams through coaching, driving change aligned with DWP’s goals.

• Technical Expertise: A sound understanding of surveillance legislation, governance, and operational practice, with the ability to provide authoritative advice, support decision-making, and ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Essential Security Criteria

Please note that the role that you are applying for requires National Security Vetting (NSV) to the level Security Check. 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 the 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.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Candidates are required to meet the UK residency requirements so that National Security Vetting (NSV) checks can be conducted. Depending on the level of NSV required, you must have resided continuously in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years, 2 of which must have been the immediately preceding years from the point of applying for this job.

The application process will ask for personal details about you, your address history, previous relationships, your parents, your employment history, your financial circumstances, and details of any pending, spent or unspent convictions. This list is not exhaustive.

Please view the Vetting explained - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for more information.

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