About the job

Job summary

Counter Fraud Expert Services is the first of its kind in Government, offering a Counter Fraud Shared Service provision as part of Integrated Corporate Services. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead Counter Fraud services across 3 Government departments: Dept of Business & Trade, Dept of Energy Security & Net Zero, and Dept of Science, Innovation & Technology.

You will be the senior Counter Fraud advisor and Head of Function for DESNZ and DSIT influencing strategy, policy and delivery, and provide similar input to DBT. You will provide the second line of defence, sharing expertise and intelligence across the three organisations and driving efficiency in tackling fraud. You will also oversee a pool of experts who are deployed to the first line so we can respond more quickly to crises and take expertise from programme to programme.

Job description

We are looking for an inclusive leader with expertise in counter fraud, operational delivery, strategic leadership and senior stakeholder management. As well as excellent communication skills, you will possess highly developed judgement and experience of influencing across a wide ranging portfolio.

You will lead the work understanding the fraud, bribery and corruption risks across all 3 depts and developing the necessary strategies to address these risks. You will lead the design and monitor the effectiveness of fraud controls, provide advice and assurance to Accounting Officers and Ministers as required.

Covid business loans and economy-wide support for energy bills have been two of the largest government support interventions in history, and ensuring these are closed effectively, with fraudsters caught and funds recovered, is a central part of the role. But the role is much wider: ensuring new schemes are set up so as to prevent fraud; horizon scanning, ensuring we stay ahead of new threats and developing capability in the first line; developing and enforcing a strong counter fraud approach across the departments, championed in each department by the Board-level finance leader.

You will lead a team of around 20, and report to the Managing Director of Integrated Corporate Services (ICS), who is currently being recruited. ICS is a joint venture between departments, with all its services taken by DSIT and DESNZ, and some including Counter Fraud also by DBT. Its work is overseen by the Oversight Board, which is chaired by the DSIT Chief Operating Officer and DESNZ Second Permanent Secretary (and includes the COO of DBT as required) to provide overall strategic direction and oversight of the ICS.

As well as supporting three departments, the postholder will also act as a member of the ICS senior leadership team, which will entail leadership roles outside the immediate job description. It is anticipated that ICS will take on additional organisations over time and you will be expected to lead the negotiations and onboarding of new counter fraud responsibilities if and when that occurs. As one of the most senior counter fraud professionals in government, you will be expected to work closely with the Public Sector Fraud Authority and others to support the continued development of a professional and mature function.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the counter fraud function for DSIT and DESNZ and be a senior counter fraud leader for DBT
• Develop and implement robust, proportionate strategic fraud risk policies and plans to prevent, detect, investigate and recover fraud as appropriate
• Support development of first line capabilities to prevent and detect fraud
• Identify and design effective, value-for-money mitigation and provide Accounting Officers (Permanent Secretaries of departments) with appropriate assurances
• Personal responsibility for raising any concerns promptly with Chief Financial Officers where necessary
• Set and report progress on appropriate targets for counter fraud including return on investment
• Ensure and demonstrate to the Public Sector Fraud Authority that departments are complying with the Government’s Counter Fraud Functional Standard
• Set a clear vision for your team, promoting inclusion and innovation
• Ensure successful relationships with customer departments and within ICS to deliver effectively and within budget
• Play a full role in ICS’s senior leadership team and wider Government Counter Fraud Function

Person specification

It is important through your CV and Statement of Suitability that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following essential criteria:

• A strong track record of using counter fraud expertise to prevent, detect and recover fraud.
• Ability to develop and lead a diverse and high-performing team, building professional capability to deliver results both in the short and long term.
• Experience of building effective counter fraud capability outside your team to prevent and detect fraud, bribery and corruption.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills with the capability to work across organisational boundaries and with senior stakeholders including at Board (or equivalent) level to develop and sustain highly effective relationships
• Highly developed judgement and decision-making ability as evidenced by proven experience of analysing complex problems as well as advising on sensitive issues and mitigating risk

Note: this post requires SC security clearance: you must hold this or be willing to become SC cleared.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,000, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £20,250 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 and Experience.

How to apply

To apply for this post please follow the instructions on the CS Jobs website by no later than 23:55, Monday 18th March 2024. As part of the application process you are asked to complete the following:

1.A CV setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role, relevant achievements in recent posts, together with reasons for any gaps within the last two years.

2.A Statement of Suitability (no more than 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification.

3.Final Interview which may include a presentation exercise.

For further information on the application process and an overview on what to expect, please visit the Civil Service Careers website.

Overview of the Process

Government Recruitment Service will acknowledge your application and advise you of the outcome of the sift meeting. Depending on the number of applications received there may be a second stage sift.

Applications will be sifted to select those demonstrating the best fit with the post against the criteria set out in the person specification. Please ensure you keep this in mind when writing your CV and supporting statement.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Arrangements for interview

The final selection panel interview will be held virtually.

Candidates may be required to prepare a presentation which will form part of the final interview. Full details of the assessment process will be provided to shortlisted candidates.

At interview you will be assessed against the Success Profiles; Experience and Behaviours. You will be assessed against the following behaviours, Seeing the bigger picture, Making effective decisions, Leadership, working together and Delivering at pace. For more information about Success Profiles, please follow this link; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles

Expenses incurred by candidates during the recruitment process will not be reimbursed by the Department except in exceptional circumstances and only when agreed in advance.

Reserve lists

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies in the Civil Service requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.

Civil Service Commission

Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact; scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at:

Civil Service Commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road SW1A 2HQ. www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

info@csc.gov.uk.

Alternative Formats

If you wish to receive a hard copy of the information, or in an alternative format e.g. Audio, Braille or large font then please contact 

scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you are unable to complete your application online, and need assistance, we may be able to put a reasonable adjustment in place to help. If this is the case, please contact us at: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk and we will look into this situation for you.

Please note we are unable to accept any applications after the closing date, if you require a reasonable adjustment, please let us know prior to the closing date.

Further Information

If you have any questions about applying for this role or want to discuss the role further with the vacancy holder, please contact:

scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Please ensure you quote the job title and reference number in your email.

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.