About the job

Job summary

Do you have experience dealing with criminal investigations or experience in dealing with complex investigation work?

Have you got excellent organisational skills?

Are you someone who is happy to communicate at all levels?

If so, we would like to hear from you!

Job description

The Counter Fraud Investigator is responsible for the day-to-day investigations across the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) Driver/Rider/Vehicle environments.

The successful candidate would ensure delivery of an effective, timely, business and customer focused counter fraud investigations in accordance with plans and corporate objectives. This role has specific responsibility for Safeguarding and Internal Enquires.

The role holder is responsible for providing a rigor by which matters of impropriety in the areas identified above can be managed and actioned as required by the Investigation Manager, Senior Investigation Manager, and the Head of Counter-Fraud. 

These roles will primarily work with Driver related investigations, although you will need to be highly adaptable and flexible, adjusting to the requirements of the role as and when business needs arise.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Adopting the role of “Lead Investigator” when allocated, with the responsibility of planning, preparing, and managing the investigation to a criminal standard based on evidence.
• Investigating all safeguarding enquires and ADI misconduct cases.
• Investigating Internal fraud and serious misconduct.
• Conducting investigations in line with current best practices, Police & Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) RIPA, Criminal Procedure & Investigations Act (CPIA), Data Protection Act (DPA), & Freedom of Information (FOI) and Scottish equivalents.
• Ensuring investigations are conducted in a manner which is only evidence based.

The role may also involve the following;

• Planning and executing surveillance on target nominals, including dealing with Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) issues.
• Preparing full reports and papers for prosecution cases and / or Public Enquires to critical deadlines.
• Appearing in court as an expert witness.
• Investigating all allocated reports of suspected illegal driving instruction and malpractice against the agency.
• Ensuring investigations are conducted in a manner which is only evidence based.
• Investigating all allocated reports of suspected theory and/or practical driving tests (including impersonations and technology assisted. cheating at tests) and malpractice against the agency.
• Ensuring investigations are conducted in a manner which is only evidence based.

For more information about the role and responsibilities please see the attached Candidate pack.

Additional information

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 35 hours per week.

This role can be based in Mitcham or Guildford - your presence at one of these locations will form part of the working arrangements agreed with you. We operate a hybrid working model giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work. Our expectation is that you will spend a minimum 60% of your time at your base location. Visits to other DVSA sites or work locations count towards this.

This role requires frequent travel and overnight stays across the rest of the UK and therefore you will be required to hold a full valid UK driving licence.

You will hold or be prepared to work towards the Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist/Manager qualification or similar once in post.

Please take note that DVSA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

About Us

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably.

We do this by helping people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles.

We’re working hard to:

• Make roads safer
• Improve services for our customers
• Make road transport greener and healthier
• Harness the potential of technology and data
• Grow and level up the economy

We’re committed to giving all our colleagues purpose, professionalism and pride in what we do. We work in supportive, diverse and inclusive teams where everyone is valued. You can grow, develop and progress, and make a real difference to society.

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice and welcome and encourage applications from everyone, such as ethnic minorities, women, disabled people and those who identify as LGBT+.

To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace and making DVSA a great place to work visit our Careers website. 

Person specification

To thrive in this role, you will have strong organisational skills, with the ability to work on your own, but you are also a team player.

You will either have experience of criminal investigations or experience in dealing with complex investigation work, with the ability to extract accurate information from investigating and using your exceptional attention to detail to achieve your objective. The matters you could be handling maybe be very sensitive and difficult topics.

You can express yourself effectively and have exceptional written and verbal communication skills. You are resilient and flexible and enjoy working in a demanding role.

You would be described as a conscientious and self-motivated individual who takes responsibility and ensures all procedures are followed.

Benefits

• An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
• Exceptional pension with an employer contribution of an average of 27%
• Generous Annual Leave - 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 each year of service, up to 30
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday
• Latest IT and Tech devices
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues
• Excellent learning and development tailored to your role including paid apprenticeships up to Masters level
• Wide range of discounts schemes on high street names
• Employee assistance program for health and wellbeing
• Cycle to work scheme and Gym membership offers
• For more information see visit our careers page

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.

How to apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please tailor your CV to suit the role. For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:  

• Experience in dealing with criminal investigations or experience in dealing with complex investigation work.
• Your ability to extract accurate, concise summaries from complex information that can be understood by a wide audience.
• Excellent organisational skills. 

Your Personal Statement will be limited to a maximum of 750 words.

The sift is due to take place from 1st July 2024.

Interviews are likely to be held from 29th July 2024.

This interview will be conducted via a face to face interview in Guildford, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview. 

We’ll try to meet the dates we’ve set out in the advert. But there may be occasions when these dates will change. We’ll give you plenty of notice of any important dates. 

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include: 

• An interview 

If you would like to find out more about what it’s like to work for DVSA and how to apply, we will be holding virtual sessions to find out more. Please click here to secure your place at one of our upcoming events. 

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the candidate pack attached, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

The Department for Transport recruits using Success Profiles. For each role, we consider what you need to demonstrate to be successful.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

You can read more about Success Profiles here.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

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

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

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

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

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.