About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Have you got excellent attention to detail and strong communication, collaborating and partnering skills? Do you have a keen interest in counter fraud?

Do you have extensive experience working in counter fraud or with qualifications in the counter fraud discipline?

Would you like the opportunity to work with various teams across the Department for Transport (DfT) and the wider DfT Group, engaging with other government departments to support counter fraud and risk management activity?

If so, then we would love for you to apply!

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join a very busy team to proactively prevent, detect and disrupt instances of internal and external fraud, bribery, and corruption. You will provide expert advice and insight on fraud risks to senior management and target high risk areas such as grant making, procurement, and insider fraud, to identify weaknesses and gaps and work with process owners to strengthen controls and reduce the risk of fraud and error. You will work closely with key stakeholders in the Department, Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA) and Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) and will lead in creating a culture of fraud awareness and prevention.

The role sits in the Financial Control and Counter Fraud team, which is part of the Financial Accounting & Control division in Group Finance, as part of the Corporate Delivery Group in DfT. The role will be based at the DfT’s Birmingham office and will require some travel (around 1-2 days a month) between the Birmingham and London offices to ensure support is efficient and effective in aiding the delivery and leadership of the counter fraud function.

The Financial Control and Counter Fraud team set the counter fraud, bribery, and corruption strategy, lead on management assurance activity reporting to ExCo and Group Audit Risk & Assurance Committee and ensure appropriate financial controls are in place for DfT, its Executive Agencies and Arm’s Length Bodies. The team plays a key role in leading on fraud risk assessment activity and ensuring compliance with the Government Counter Fraud Functional Standards.

Responsibilities

Include, but not limited to:

• Maintaining and delivering against the Counter Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Strategy and Action Plan for DfT.
• Act as a departmental lead and subject matter expert for counter fraud, working with Group senior counter fraud leads to ensure performance metrics are in place and standards are being met to enhance the response to tackling fraud.
• Implementing and operating in line with the Government's Counter Fraud Functional Standards across the DfT Group so appropriate polices and controls are in place to drive improvements in compliance.
• Working closely with DfT and its arm's length bodies to generate meaningful management information for reporting and complying with Public Sector Fraud Authority requirements, to enhance and deliver best practice.
• Providing advice and reporting to the Group Audit and Risk Assurance Committee on the DfT Group’s approach to fraud and compliance with the counter fraud strategy.
• Upskilling the department in its understanding and management of fraud and error, building the counter fraud culture to help influence behaviour, practices, and conduct by working with senior counter fraud leads across DfT Group.
• Be a strong leader, line managing a member of staff, building capability, and ensuring they can deliver with a strong focus on development of self and staff.

For an in-depth insight into the role please refer to the Role Profile.

Person specification

We are looking for a dedicated individual who enjoys building effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders at all levels and is able build rapport quickly with people both internally and externally. The role requires an ability to be proactive, highly organised with strong communication skills in both written and spoken mediums and you should be comfortable in developing relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

You will have confidence in your ability to come in and make a real impact within our team where you will drive those around you to achieve the same shared objectives. You will have excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple and often conflicting priorities to time and of a high standard.

This is a demanding role, and you must be able to deliver at pace. If you have the skills that we are looking for then we would like to hear from you!

Additional Information

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Occasional travel to other DfT offices will be required.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance. 

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport

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

When considering applying please look at how your experience relates to the role, and within your  CV and Personal Statement please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following:

• Experience of leading and delivery within a counter fraud environment.
• Working experience in undertaking fraud risk assessments, implementing mitigations, and recommending improvements to the control environment.
• Able to communicate with a variety of stakeholders on counter fraud in a clear, honest, and enthusiastic way to build trust. Be able to explain complex issues relating to fraud and performance in a way that is easy to understand, persuading others to meet deadlines and targets.
• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex issues relating to counter fraud and data to different audiences to demonstrate performance in the counter fraud space.

Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 1250 words.

The sift is due to take place from w/c 20th May. 

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held w/c 3rd June. 

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

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

• An interview and a presentation

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

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

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order 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.

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website.

Please see attached candidate notes for further information about our recruitment process.

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. 

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

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. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.