About the job

Job summary

Immigration Enforcement is responsible for enforcing the government’s immigration laws, tackling illegal migration, removing foreign national offenders and immigration offenders from the UK. It also aims to disrupt the organised criminal groups that exploit the vulnerable for their personal gain. Learn more on the Immigration Enforcement careers page.

Job description

Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) Directorate has a financial investigation (FI) structure in place to help disrupt organised criminal networks. This involvement could be limited to just analysing financial information and advising CFI colleagues of lines of enquiry, but could also involve the conduct of money laundering investigations, cash seizure, and restraint and confiscation of criminal assets. We also work collaboratively with and support other law enforcement agencies in tackling organised crime.

Main Purpose of the role:

This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to lead a Regional Operational Investigation team within Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI).The successful applicant will set the direction of, participate in and actively manage performance of teams across their region.

Person specification

Do you meet the key eligibility criteria? 
In order to be eligible, you MUST meet ALL the following criteria.
• I am at least 18 years old at the time of application.
• I am a UK National.
• I hold a full manual UK Driving Licence.
• I will need to undertake and pass a medical assessment if successful.
• I am aware that this role is physically demanding, and that I have a high level.
of mobility and fitness to carry out this role.
• I can undertake shift work.
• I will be able to provide all the ID documents required to complete my pre-employment screening and security clearance.

Key Responsibilities

Tasks will include (but are not limited to): -

• Line management responsibility for staff in a number of offices across the region.
• The oversight of and responsibility for financial investigations, ensuring that FI work contributes to the disruption of Serious and Organised Crime, including, but not limited to Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) activity. 
• Identification of training needs, engagement with senior managers from across IE, developing understanding of the threats and opportunities for Financial investigation to support the IE objectives.
• Liaison with internal, cross-governmental and commercial stakeholders to promote and support development of Financial Investigation and POCA interventions.
• Senior Authorising Officer (SAO) role for authorising POCA orders.
• The North West post will require close working with Common Travel Area (CTA) senior managers within IE and partner agencies. 

Accountabilities: Accountable to the National Crime Agency Proceeds of Crime Centre in relation to use of POCA powers.

Key interactions: CFI senior leadership team, NCA Proceeds of Crime Centre; Intelligence leads, CFI peers.

The post requires a commitment to working flexibly and as a national role will involve some travel throughout the UK as well as working away from home, including occasional overnight stays where necessary. A full and valid driving licence is essential as it may be necessary to drive official vehicles.

It must be borne in mind that the successful applicant may be required to comply with court attendance timetables which may change at short notice. The level of travel required for the post, sometimes at short notice, may result in long working days and occasional overnight stays away from home. There is a requirement to participate in an on-call roster for out of hours referrals. No overtime or shift working allowance is payable.

In line with other CFI roles, this is a mainly office-based role with working from home to be discussed and agreed with the Assistant Director when appropriate.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo and pass a health assessment, which is usually repeated every three years (although this can sometimes be yearly for specific health reasons).

ALLOWANCES
The post is being advertised on HO annual hours working terms and conditions and attracts an annual hours allowance (AHA). This means an additional allowance on top of the basic pay. The building blocks consist of varying shift start times, weekends, on-call, flexibility (shifts can be changed, extended or curtailed at short notice) and night hours. If a member of staff has agreed an annualised hours arrangement, this does not become a permanent or guaranteed right. Annualised hours working is subject to changes in operational needs and managers can adjust, cease or suspend it, for operational or performance reasons.

These jobs are available for full-time and part-time workers, but please note that the full range of shift times and days (including weekends) will be allocated.

The successful applicant will be expected to obtain (if not already) and maintain accreditation as a Financial Investigator via Continuing Professional Development. 

The successful candidate will be required to undergo and pass an annual health assessment, as well as arrest training to PPST level 3 and pass an annual PPST refresher.

Essential Criteria:

•  PIP1 Accredited 
OR
•  Accredited by the NCA Proceeds of Crime Centre as a Financial Investigator (Part 8) - see qualifications section);  

• Significant line management experience; 
• Experience of undertaking financial or criminal investigations; 
• Experience of working in a policy, law enforcement or criminal justice environment.

Please note a Full UK valid (manual) Driving Licence will be required.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

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.

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

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete: 

• A CV detailing career history, including all training, qualifications and any accreditations.
• A statement of suitability (personal statement) (maximum 750 words)
• Provide evidence of the lead behaviour - Leadership (maximum 250 words)

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The statement of suitability should be aligned to demonstrate your skills and experience for the role and how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job description.

For guidance on how to construct your personal statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links – Statement

For guidance on how to construct your behaviour examples, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links –Behaviours 

The sift will be held on the lead behaviour - Leadership and the statement of suitability (personal statement).

The statement of suitability (personal statement) will be scored first for all candidates. Those who achieve the minimum pass score for the statement of suitability (personal statement), will progress to a full sift where their lead behaviour – Leadership will be scored. These candidates will therefore receive a sift score for both elements. Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the statement of suitability (personal statement) will not have their lead behaviour scored and will therefore only receive a sift score for the statement of suitability.

However, if a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability (personal statement) only.

Your CV will not be scored. 

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview which will be a blended approach of strength-based questions and behaviour-based questions as listed on the advert.

Strengths are the things that you do regularly, do well and that motivate you. To find out more about strength based questions click here 

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application (e.g. you have ticked the incorrect eligibility box), please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk at least two working days before the vacancy closes. After this, we may not be able to reopen your application.

Please note, we cannot make amendments to any part of the application.

Please use the following in the subject line in your email if you need to get in contact with us about your initial application “Please re-open my application – Vacancy Ref 357644 Closing date 11/07/2024.

For reasonable adjustments queries or requests, please see details within the reasonable adjustments section.

Tie break decisions

The strengths and/or behaviours being assessed will be ranked in order of importance to enable us to differentiate between candidates with tied interview scores. Please note that the order in which behaviours are listed in the advert does not necessarily reflect the order of importance.

Sift and Interview dates

Sift is expected to take place week commencing 15th July 2024. 

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 29th July 2024. 

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change. 

Interviews will be carried out via MS Teams. Candidates will be required to have access to:
• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Skype for Business/Microsoft Teams

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.

Further Information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals 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. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

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

Where multiple locations are available a location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role or similar role become available within that period you may be offered this position.  

When completing your application you will have the opportunity to select your preferred location(s). Please ensure you select all locations you are interested in. Candidates who are successful at Interview will be placed in order of merit per location and provisional job offers will be made in strict merit order per location preference. Provisional offers are made, as they are on condition that you successfully pass all pre-employment checks.

Selecting your locations
Please note only list locations where you are prepared to work and can travel to (as you could be offered any of your noted preferences). When completing your application, you will have the opportunity to select your preferred location(s). Please ensure you select all locations you are interested in on the understanding that you can be posted to any location that you put in your preferences. If you would only like to be posted to one location, please confirm one location only. If you are posted to a location that you have requested and you do not accept that location, you may not be offered another role. Please note, only advertised locations can be offered.

Reserve List 
Where a campaign identifies more appointable candidates than there are available vacancies, a reserve list may be held for up to 12 months.
Reserve lists will be managed by locational merit lists, appointing in merit order per location. You may be offered a post at any of your preferred locations.
Whilst on a reserve list we may offer you an alternative similar role in the Home Office. Should you reject an alternative role, you will remain on the reserve list for the role you applied for. If you accept an alternative role, you will be withdrawn from the reserve list.

Please note there are no guarantees that further vacancies will arise in the locations you originally applied for before your time on the reserve list expires.

Candidates Please Note: 
Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying of examples/answers from internet sources. If any is detected the application will be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving internal candidates. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants.

If you are currently an agency member of staff working within the Home Office, a contractor or contingent worker you can only apply for roles that are advertised externally, i.e.: outside the civil service. If you are eligible to apply for a role, you are required to select yourself as an external applicant and not internal when submitting your application on Civil Service jobs. This will prevent any delays in preemployment checks should you become successful in being made an offer of employment after the Interview stage.

Are these Reserved Posts for UK Nationals only?
UK nationals who hold dual nationality are able to apply for this reserved post. If a UK passport is not being presented, then candidates will need to provide alternative evidence of UK nationality in line with the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Northern Ireland is part of the UK. As stated in the Belfast Agreement, also known as the Good Friday Agreement, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland recognise the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose, and accordingly confirm that their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship is accepted by both Governments and would not be affected by any future change in the status of Northern Ireland.

Annual Hours Working Allowance
If ‘Shift Working’ is one of the working patterns, add following wording (if other 
allowance than AHW is payable, such as AHA. amend accordingly, including parts of the below, which do not apply):

We operate 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. This role currently attracts 
Annualised Hours Allowance of up to 30% [This is to compensate for working shift patterns including night shifts, early morning starts, late night finishes, weekends, and public holidays.  Shifts can vary in length and can be up to 12 hours. Shifts can be changed or extended according to business need. The rate payable is dependent on location and role and is indicative of the shift pattern you will be required to work. 
The higher the AHA, the more flexible you will be required to be. Please note that the allowance is subject to regular review and can go down as well as up.

Age: These are shift working roles and so you must be at least 18 years or over to apply for this role. You will be required to work between 22.00 and 06.00, so this is a legal requirement.

For more information visit: Night working hours: Hours and limits - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Child employment: Restrictions on child employment - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

The minimum requirement for this role would be 30 hours per week.

We encourage applications from candidates who wish to work part-time however, unless specified in the advert, part-time opportunities cannot be guaranteed in frontline roles due to the 24/7 operational nature of the business. Those wishing to work part-time should notify the vacancy holder as soon as a provisional offer of employment is made to explore whether this can be accommodated [at your selected location]. Please note that full shifts (of up to 12 hours) will be required even if a part time contract is sought.
Please note that not all work patterns can be supported within this role, successful candidates should discuss work patterns with the vacancy holder ahead of accepting any offer.

Appearance

As part of this role you will be required to wear a uniform (which will be provided). 
Staff must ensure that their uniform is worn correctly, in line with these uniform standards, is kept clean and is well presented. To support this requirement, 
adequate uniform supplies will be available and issued. Uniformed staff represent their organisation at all times and should ensure that their dress and personal appearance reflects this responsibility.

Training and Development

Public and Personal Safety Training [PPST] – Level 3
These roles can be physically demanding and if successful you will be required to complete and pass specialist training including Personal Safety Training [PPST] which develops skills in personal safety, arrest, and restraint techniques. This demands physical activity and physical contact with delegates on the course. You will be required to complete a PPST health declaration and, if necessary, attend a medical examination. A formal offer will be conditional upon you being physically fit to undertake and pass the training.

You must be prepared to undertake regular refreshers of this.

A formal offer will be conditional upon you being physically fit to undertake and pass the training.
You must be prepared to undertake regular refreshers of this.

Flexible Working

Flexible working is not an option
This role is not suitable for a combination of office and home-based working due to the requirements of the role. Successful candidates will be required to attend the office/other work location as specified in the advert at all times, to carry out this role.

If you are successful in this position and choose to accept the provisional offer for this role, you will be removed from all other Home Office reserve lists at the same grade.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

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

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 please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to  bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home Office 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

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is 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 HOrecruitment.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

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

Security

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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.