About the job

Job summary

The Investigation and Enforcement Services Directorate (IES) aims to deliver and promote a range of investigation and enforcement activities both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets, and promote high standards of corporate behaviour. IES plays a key role in enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes to maintain public confidence, and to tackle the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity.

The Forensic Computer Unit (FCU) provides digital forensic capability to the business, in particular supporting civil and criminal investigation into financial misconduct and Official Receivers acting as Liquidator and Trustee in insolvency cases.

FCU will secure, capture, and process digital data from outside the organisation in accordance with the provisions of statute, including the Insolvency and Companies Acts, the Data Protection Act, and the guidance issued by the UK Forensic Science Regulator. The data captured and processed provides key evidence to underpin the work of investigators and insolvency caseworkers and needs to be both evidentially sound and secure as it may be used in legal proceedings.

The Insolvency Service is a leading Government agency which plays a crucial role in providing essential services to the public and to business. The work we do is important to the proper functioning of markets, the economy in general and support for thousands of people each year who are in financial difficulty.  

Inclusive and diverse teams are important to us. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups underrepresented in our workforce. The Insolvency Service strives to ensure that the agency is a safe, inclusive and welcoming place for everybody to bring their true self to work and to help the agency to achieve its diversity objectives. We have 10 active employee network groups available to join or become an ally, these include, Carers Network, Disability & Health, FACES Network Group, Grass Roots, LGBT+, Mind Matters, No Limits, Part Time Workers, The Shed, and Women’s Network Group. 

We offer full-time, part-time, job share and flexible ways of working. We value capability, technical skills and experience and we place great emphasis on lifetime development to support our people. We encourage our employees to become more involved in areas they feel strongly about, whether it be for the benefit of the agency, though our Engagement network or in their own local communities via volunteering opportunities.  

The Insolvency Service is a great place to work, learn and grow your career! 

Job description

As a Forensic Evidence Administrator, your role will fit into the core of the Forensic Computing Unit (FCU), working closely with and assisting the FCU's forensic technicians and operational team, ensuring the safe and accurate management and record keeping of exhibits relating to civil and criminal investigations. As the Forensic Evidence Administrator you will have overall responsibility for all exhibits coming in and out of the FCU for forensic assessment and examination and using a variety of different forensic software's and databases such as the LIMA Case Management System.   

Responsibilities 

As the Forensic Evidence Administrator your key responsibilities are to:

• Receive, Log and Document all items submitted to the FCU by Insolvency Service Officers and third party contractors, companies, insolvency practitioners into the FCU Case Management System.
• Review of paperwork to ensure accuracy of items submitted.
• Keep the Evidence Management System up to date.
• Preparation of documentation for the outsourcing of items.
• Ensure all items received to the FCU maintain their chain of custody.
• Arranging the return of items back to Insolvency Service Officers.

On the FCU Database you will:

• Generate numbers for each Request.
• Add new clients as and when required.
• Update once media is received in the FCU.
• Ensure that evidence handling, and chain of custody forms are attached to all FCU requests.

The post holder will also be required to undertake various other administrative tasks, as required by the Manager of the Unit – many of which involve working closely with other FCU colleagues. This role may require the post holder to be flexible and open to travel for on-site operational duties at a variety of locations within the United Kingdom.

Person specification

Required skills

• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Use of Microsoft office.
• Able to pick up new software and processes with ease.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills and be able to recognise patterns and trends and draw key conclusions to the range of data you will be working with.
• The ability to build and establish positive relationships with a range of stake holders and senior management colleagues to support the FCU’s operational delivery.
• Excellent and clear communicator.

 Advantageous:

• Knowledge of ISO17025 and Forensic Science Regulator Codes of Practice.
• Understanding of Chain of Custody principles and/or Digital Forensics.
• Experience of working within, or on behalf of, a law enforcement or regulatory agency Digital Forensic team would be advantageous – especially in an evidence-handling role.

Educational knowledge relating to law enforcement activity

• Some knowledge of the Insolvency Act 1986, Companies Act 2006 and other relevant legislation relating to Data Protection and Data Handling.

You will have an aptitude for (and keenness to develop) skills in the technical elements of IT; particularly PC-based hardware and software systems – to assist the Forensic Technicians as required.

Post holder will be expected on occasion to travel to various sites to take custody of high profile and sensitive evidence & exhibits.

Post holder will be required to be in-office 5 days a week. 

Essential Criteria

Experience of using software such as MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and databases), to produce analyses, reports and presentations; and to carry out administrative tasks.

Any working patterns to be agreed with the line manager before taking up post. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £25,809, Insolvency Service contributes £6,968 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV, 750 word personal statement, and behaviours. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. 

Your personal statement should be no more than 750 words and should explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria and our values within the person specification. 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

We will test your behaviours and experience as part of the sift process, and if successful, you will be invited to a short interview where we will test your behaviours, experience, and strengths. Full details of the selection process will be made available to shortlisted candidates once the sift has been completed.

Expected timeline

Sift – w/c 06/08/2024 

Interview – w/c 26/06/2024

Location - Stratford Office, 16th Floor, 1 Westfield Avenue, Stratford, London, E20 1HZ.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Insolvency Service from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Transforming Workplaces

The Insolvency Service is currently delivering an exciting five-year transformation project that started in April 2022 which will define our future direction supporting a gradual migration to a Regional Centre model combined with smarter ways of working. As part of this, transforming our estate will align us with the government modernisation programmes making The Insolvency Service a great place to work.  

We are letting you know about our future plans because if you are joining the Insolvency Service and are recruited into an office over the next five years that is not one of the Regional Centres, you will be expected to move to one of the Regional Centres in the future. This move would not attract financial assistance.   

The 11 Regional Centres are : Birmingham, Cardiff, Croydon, Edinburgh, Exeter, Ipswich, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Stratford.

Hybrid Working

Insolvency Service operates a hybrid working policy subject to business need, giving people the flexibility to choose when and where they work and collaborate with others.

Individuals are expected to work from one of the office locations stated in the advert to connect with their colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs. There is flexibility to split the working week, spending a minimum of 60% in the workplace, which includes the office, site visits, court etc.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via InsolvencyRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.